The saying goes that you cannot eat your cake and have it, too. But what if you could?
Plug-in hybrids like the Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe can be electric vehicles — without the problems that beset electric vehicles. It can travel about 25 miles without burning any gas. But you don't have to worry about what you'll do when it runs out of charge.
You can plug it in.
Or fill it back up.
That's having your cake — and eating it, too.
The only catch being, can you afford it?
What It Is
The Grand Cherokee is Jeep's midsize SUV.
It is not a crossover SUV — the latter referring to a vehicle that looks like an SUV but is mechanically/functionally more like the cars that crossovers are based on. Those cars being (typically) front-wheel-drive cars (with AWD usually optional and sometimes standard) and not having the two-speed transfer case and 4WD low-range gearing that is one of the mechanical/functional attributes that defines an SUV.
It can also be an electric SUV — if you buy the 4xe version, which is really a drivetrain option for the Overland and Summit/Summit Reserve trims and standard equipment with the Trailhawk, the most off-road-ready of all GC trims.
This one stickers for $65,755.
But you can also get the 4xe drivetrain — without the Trailhawk off-road enhancements — for $60,360.
What's New for 2023
A 19-speaker McIntosh audio system is available in higher trims (including the Trailhawk 4xe), and Limited and Overland trims now come standard with a larger, 10.1-inch touchscreen.
What's Good
No waiting to charge up for the plug-in hybrid.
400-plus miles of range with the plug-in hybrid.
More-than-V8 power (375 horsepower) with the plug-in hybrid.
What's Not So Good
Hybrid drivetrain's buy-in cost negates fuel-saving benefits.
Reduced towing capacity (6,000 pounds) with the plug-in drivetrain.
Trailhawk is only available with the plug-in drivetrain, mightily decreasing the affordability of the most off-road-ready version of the GC.
Under The Hood
The GC still comes standard with a 3.6-liter, 293 horsepower V6 engine, and is available with a 5.7-liter V8. But the big news is the plug-in hybrid drivetrain, which combines a turbocharged 2.0-liter four with what Jeep calls an Integrated Transmission Traction Motor/17.3 kWh battery for a combined output of 375 horsepower and 470 foot-pounds of torque.
This outguns the still-available (in other trims) 5.7-liter Hemi V8, which makes 357 horsepower and 390 foot-pounds of torque.
The plug-in setup allows for electric-only driving (when the battery is fully charged) of about 25 miles. That is obviously much less range than a pure electric car, but the critical factor is not being tethered to a cord. As a practical matter, a plug-in hybrid has more range than an EV because it does not have to stop for long when it runs out of range. The gas engine comes online and you keep going — in this case, for more than 400 miles of range on a full tank.
When you have time to stop — for a charge — you can plug the 4xe in as you would an electric car. But if something unanticipated comes up and you need to drive now — not tomorrow morning — you can.
On The Road
Whatever your take on electric-only vehicles, there is no getting around the fact that there is more to them than just driving them. If wherever you need to go is farther than the range you have left, you will have to think about where you'll charge — and whether you have the time to wait for it.
No such issues with a plug-in hybrid like the 4xe. It eliminates every hassle of owning an EV while preserving every benefit of owning a nonelectric vehicle.
The 4xe is quick, too.
It gets to 60 in about six seconds, dead heat with the Hemi-equipped GC's 6.2 seconds.
And there is the benefit of being able to drive it for 25 miles without burning any gas.
At The Curb
If you choose the hybrid powertrain, you will get two fuel doors — one for gas, the other for electricity. Thoughtfully, the door for electricity is located up front, on the driver's side front quarter panel, so you don't have to back up to assure the plug is close enough for the cord to reach wherever you're going to plug in to.
If you choose the Trailhawk with the plug-in powertrain, you will get an adjustable ride-height suspension that can be lowered or raised via a selector button on the center console. The highest setting provides 10.9 inches of ground clearance. Jeep's most capable 4WD system, Quadra Trac II, is also part of the package. It includes a 2.72:1 low-range, 47.4:1 crawl ratio and locking differentials, 18-inch wheels with all-terrain tires and multiple driver-selectable terrain modes.
You also get a set of blue-anodized tow hooks in front.
The Rest
The new Trailhawk costs an astounding $16,210 more this year than it did just two years ago. That's quite a price hike — and it is probably going to cost Jeep some sales for the simple reason that there are fewer people who can afford to spend $65,000 on a vehicle, irrespective of its desirability.
The Bottom Line
The GC 4xe is hard to fault — except insofar as what it costs.
Eric's latest book, "Doomed: Good Cars Gone Wrong!" will be available soon. To find out more about Eric and read his past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.
View Comments