2023 Jeep Wrangler 20th Anniversary First Drive: The Most Capable Factory Wranglers Yet?

We recently hit the trails of Moab, Utah, in two of the burliest Jeep Wranglers you can get from the factory: the 2023 Rubicon 4xe 20th Anniversary Edition and the 2023 Rubicon 392 20th Anniversary Edition, special models whose modifications give them improved ground clearance, better approach and departure angles, and increased water fording depths. We drove the Jeep Wranglers on one of Moab's premiere trails that put many of the Jeeps' features to the test.

The Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4xe hits the trails with a redesigned seven-slot Jeep grille up front, Electric Blue hood decals, a rear swing gate plaque, a new shifter medallion, a triple hoop grille guard, a winch-capable steel front bumper, an 83-piece bagged tool kit, a front off-road camera, steel rock sliders, a Gorilla Glass windshield, red and black leather seating with a red leather-wrapped instrument panel, all-weather mats, and 33-inch tires. And more. Yes, more.

Our off-road exploration with the 4xe 20th Anniversary Edition was largely done in silence thanks to its hybrid system and 21 miles of all-electric range. The instant access to torque was an asset when getting the 33-inch all-terrains over the rocks and likewise made for tons of fun when it was time to throttle through sandy corners. We didn't get a chance to test its water fording abilities, but the increase to 11.2 inches of ground clearance was noted and appreciated when easing the SUV over obstacles. Although this is not specific to the Anniversary Edition Wrangler 4xe, there is a learning curve when crawling over obstacles at slow speeds. Finding how much pedal movement is required to make the hybrid Wrangler move in four-low takes practice and is markedly different than in examples with gas-only powertrains.

The Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 20th Anniversary Edition was treated to trail-worthy off-road goods from the front to the back, starting with the redesigned seven-slot grille. A triple-hoop and winch-ready bumper sits up front, steel rock sliders are fitted to protect sheetmetal, and 35-inch tires are bolted to each corner. Like the Rubicon 4xe, the 392 also sports a half-inch suspension lift that increases its clearance to 11.6 inches and its water fording depth to 34.5 inches. A unique feature of the Rubicon 392 20th Anniversary is found mounted within its tailgate. No, not the plaque detailing the Jeep's dimensions, but rather the onboard air compressor. The Mopar-designed piece is mounted between the spare tire and the tailgate, and the hose kit lives beneath the cargo area floor. The air compressor isn't fitted to the Rubicon 4xe because the real estate inside the spare tire carrier is already occupied by the acoustic vehicle alerting system.

Tackling trails is always exciting with V-8 power under the hood, a belief reinforced by the Rubicon 392. With 470 horses and 470 lb-ft of torque at the ready, the Jeep seemingly idled over obstacles and was ready to party when the trails opened up to higher-speed activities. The half-inch suspension lift dramatically improved the 392's off-road ride, and the 35-inch tires had no issue when we chose the hairier lines over the rocks.

With 37-inch tires and a host of adventure-tested hardware, we hopped up into the most capable Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4xe ever built. American Expedition Vehicles (AEV) upfitted the 20th Anniversary Wrangler with its front and rear bumpers and 2.5-inch DualSport RT Suspension System, Bilstein 5100 shocks, a Warn VR EVO 10-S winch, off-road LED lights, and much more. Only 150 of these 20th Anniversary AEV-fettled Jeeps will be made, with their AEV Level II Upfit upgrades adding $23,982 to the Rubicon 4xe and $22,125 to the 392. Given the AEV units will be assembled on a first-come, first-serve basis, we don't know what the precise mix among the 150 will be between the plug-in hybrid 4xe and the decidedly not hybrid 392.

Our AEV rig was of the 4xe variety, and on the trails the hybrid system happily turned the 37-inch tires; these made even the largest obstacles into nonissues. We're big fans of the AEV aesthetics and how its front bumper flows with the raised air intake and the front hoop. The Bilstein shocks handled the heavy Wrangler just fine, keeping heat in check even over prolonged sections of undulating terrain. At the end of the day, this Wrangler was one of the most impressive with its 14.2 inches of ground clearance, 37.1 inches of water fording depth, a 50-degree approach angle, 33-degree breakover angle, and a 43-degree departure angle.

In all, Jeep has created some really special Wranglers to celebrate the Rubicon trim's 20th birthday, and it's hard to go wrong with any of 'em. For our money? Assuming we have a bunch of it, it would be hard to pass up an AEV model, where we'd lean toward the riotous 392 and its absurdly great exhaust note.

2023 Jeep Wrangler