Hittin’ the Streets and Strip in a 470-Horsepower Wrangler Rubicon 392 Badass

Based on MotorTrend truck editor Jason Gonderman's impressions presented in the first two reports about our long-term 2022 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392, "off-road" definitely is this 6.4-liter V-8-powered, all-wheel-drive machine's wheelhouse. With its 35-inch tires, as well as lockers, shocks, springs, and other treatments for non-paved performance, a person would be hard pressed to find a review that doesn't herald the 392's prowess in the dirt. We'll take a flier and say, there aren't any.

Yes, off-road chops are the Jeep brand's longtime hallmark. However, as the vehicles—especially two- and four-door Wranglers—are lauded for their dirt, sand, and rock-crawling capability, their engine performance (namely the lack of the significant horsepower and torque of a V-8 engine) has been the marque's achilles heel for a long time.

That lack of high-performance is a thing of the past now. The 6.4-liter (392ci) Hemi V-8 is a 470-horsepower, 470 lb-ft of torque difference-maker that enables 2021-2023 Wrangler Rubicon to easily blast across and through dirt and mud, crawl over rocks, and traverse moderately deep water-crossings without breaking a sweat.

The "392" is a perfect fun-machine for off-roaders, but, of course, our evaluation is all-encompassing and includes using the rig on paved roads, too. This third quarter, and the upcoming fourth stanza of our time with the long-term Jeep, focus on using it as basic transportation. That's right—driving to work, to the store, to Las Vegas, and everywhere except in the off-road environments where Jeeps generally shine.

The streets and freeways of Los Angeles, California, are the current proving grounds, where navigating the hard surfaces has been a mixture of challenging, exhilarating, and gravely concerning at times.

The vehicle's torquey V-8 engine, eight-speed automatic transmission, and 4.56 rearend gears are a formidable combination when an empty road lays out in front of you. The engine's and vehicle's response is one-to-one with throttle input, yielding smooth and linear acceleration or immediate, neck-snapping zoom if the hammer is suddenly dropped. This Jeep really does move out (0 to 60 mph in under five seconds), and despite its all-wheel drive, the rear tires will break loose from the pavement, with a cool little "bark" as they claw to regain traction.

And with its leather-treated seats, paddles on the steering wheel for manual shifts, and an active exhaust system that can emit mellow or uber-aggressive sounds of performance, it almost has a sports car aura. However, we recommend hitting it hard only in a straight line. And even then, use caution.

Bottom line? The SUV moves around (more like, skitters/darts/tracks wherever the front tires are attracted) a lot, as the 35s and the 392's tall, off-road stance really are better suited for dirt and such. The configuration definitely limits the degree of aggressive on-road driving that we would cosign doing with a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392. And with that being said, we decided to gather some quasi-scientific data at Irwindale dragstrip, to see how quickly the HEMI-powered Wrangler gets from point A to point B in an eighth of a mile.

At Irwindale Speedway, our plan was to basically execute the same type of blast-from-a-dead-stop that is oh-so-tempting to do with this Jeep at any stop sign or traffic signal. There wasn't any hard focus on positioning the tires in the staging beams (shallow or deep), and "cutting a light" (recording a quick reaction time) wasn't important, either. All we wanted to determine was how quickly and at what speed the hot rod Jeep can cover the distance.

The first lap happened within minutes of arriving at the track, completing the Tech Inspection process, and heading to the staging lanes. Engine/transmission cooldown after the two-hour drive to Irwindale Dragstrip was minimal, and ambient temperature was 77 degrees Fahrenheit, with no wind.

Three test passes were made, with the only constants—mechanical and driver—being that the drivetrain remained in as-driven "street" trim (differential in 4Hi Auto and transmission in Drive), and the Jeep was launched with the engine idling (no rpm preload). Basically, senior editor KJ Jones simply stomped on the gas pedal when the light turned green.

On its first run, our long-term 2022 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 sped through the traps in 8.68 seconds at 81.14 mph. We were certain that the e.t. could be improved, but, based on tire size and the rearend gear ratio, the Jeep's speed was very close to being spot-on with the 82-mph estimate we calculated prior to the run.

With 45 minutes of cooldown time allotted for all of the remaining passes, e.t. dropped accordingly and as expected. Lap number two resulted in an improved elapsed time of 8.52 at 81.33 mph (ambient temperature still 77 degrees Fahrenheit). Our final blast down the eighth-mile was the home run. Temperature was down four degrees, and with traction improved from rubber laid down by other cars and trucks that were racing, the Jeep ran a best (for the session) e.t. and speed of 8.41 at 81.94 mph.

The "problem" with our Jeep, or any HEMI-powered Wrangler Rubicon, is its horrendous fuel economy (in non-spirited-driving events, too), which had us being very mindful of keeping speeds closer to posted limits. Of course, this gas-guzzling does result in thrilling performance, but throughout this long-term testing we find ourselves asking, "At what point does fuel consumption become too much?"—especially when exorbitant prices for premium blends are taken into account.

The Jeep has a 20-gallon fuel tank that we've run near-dry on a few occasions. From a full supply, we flirted with the miles-to-empty warning and recorded a best distance of 289 miles. However, on average, and typically refilling with 25 miles worth of fuel remaining, 260 to 270 miles has been the sweet spot for driving range.

Time marches on, and our time with the 2022 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 is quickly coming to a close. In our final quarter of testing, the SUV will visit the Jeep dealership for maintenance service (prescribed by the owner's manual), and will undergo more of the same pseudo-daily on-road driving that KJ has subjected it to for the last four months.

Based on the brute power, aggressive "I'm a badass" stance, and it's loud (but controllable) exhaust growl alone, this Jeep, despite its dislikeable qualities (noted in the "What's Hot, What's Not" rundown), is easy enough to "become one" with. However, at $88,675 for our loaded example, we maintain it's more of a big-boy's (or girl's) toy, that would be an awesome supplement to a personal fleet that includes a vehicle that is more practical for street use, especially on a daily basis.

Previous reports: 2
On- and Off-Road With Our Long-Term 2022 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392
The Alpha-Wrangler Has Arrived: Long-Term 2022 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392

Base price: $75,595

Price as tested: $88,675

Miles to date: 12,044

Miles since last report: 3,577

Average mpg (this report): 13.68

Test best tank (mpg): 16.10

Test worst tank (mpg): 10.07

This period: N/A

Problem areas: Air conditioning intermittently doesn't blow cold.

Hot: Powerful engine, great acceleration (from a dead stop or a roll). Those 4.56 gears work. Blind-spot detection/warning is excellent, and necessary.

Not: Fuel economy is miserable. Disappointingly loud interior/excessive wind noise (blame the Sky One-Touch soft top for this). With the phone paired, you can't simply say "call (name)" to make a phone call (gotta pull over and do it manually). Off-road-centric 35-inch tires and high stance make freeway driving a challenge, especially in high winds and/or rain. Blind spots on each side (approximately at the rear-door area). On the street, the Jeep Wrangler 392 needs a driver's full focus and guidance at all times. It definitely will carry you where you don't want to go if you're not paying attention. Because of its height, entry and egress are annoying when you use this rig daily … SOMEBODY design AMP Research-style retractable steps!

"This thing GUZZLES fuel!"

"It's a cool rig. It has ridiculous power, but it's probably a lot more fun on dirt."

"Nobody Jeep waves back … am I doing it correctly? I guess haters gonna hate. LOL"

"392 spent a lot of time parked. It's not great in the rain."

"Wind noise!"

"This thing is a big sail on windy days."

"Thank God for the blind-spot warning."

"Moves around a lot/catches every imperfection in the road … but it's a Jeep. I guess they do that."

"Why pair the phone when you can't use voice commands to make a call?"

Firecracker Red Paint ($395), Trailer Tow Package ($350), Integrated Off-Road Camera ($695), Sky One-Touch Power Top ($2,050), Xtreme Recon 35-inch Tire Package ($3,995), Destination & Delivery ($1,595)