On- and Off-Road With Our Long-Term 2022 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392

In our last report we introduced the newest vehicle in our long-term test fleet, the 2022 Four Wheeler SUV of the Year award-winning Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392. In our first 5,000 miles with the Jeep, we learned to love its powerful 6.4-liter V-8 engine, but loathe the terrible fuel economy and tiny gas tank. We took the Jeep on extended family road trips, commuted with it daily, and ran some amazing off-road trails. In the second quarter, we settled in for another 3,000 miles, and more of the same. Let's take a look at some of the highs and lows.

If there's one thing that should surprise no one it's that the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 is absolutely unstoppable off-road, and the addition of the Xtreme Recon Package takes that capability to the next level. This quarter, we managed to hit a few fun trails that showed off the Jeep's strongest attributes. The Wrangler's 35-inch BFGoodrich tires go over just about anything and provide great traction on all types of soil, even at full highway pressure. Unlocking the electronic disconnecting front anti-sway bar not only provides for much-improved articulation but also gives the Jeep a far smoother ride at speeds under about 16 mph (it reconnects above that threshold). We shifted the Wrangler into low-range just a handful of times; with the type of 'wheeling we were doing and the torque the engine pumps out, it wasn't really needed. Being that our test vehicle is exactly that, we have been reluctant to really push it hard in the rocks, hoping to avoid any unnecessary repair bills. However, we have confidence that the Wrangler could tackle the toughest of trails with little hesitation (or body damage, thanks to the steel rocker guards and copious skidplating).

Long-Term Review: FIRST REPORT

If there's one thing we wish the Wrangler Rubicon 392 had, it would be an improved set of dampers. Though not terrible, the Jeep's ride over rough, graded roads could certainly be improved. And with such limited front axle up-travel, we found ourselves hitting the jounces more frequently than we would have liked. Some Rubicon models do come outfitted with Fox monotube shocks, but Wranglers fitted with the Xtreme Recon package get a rather basic twin-tube shock setup—even the new 20th Anniversary Wrangler Rubicon gets the impressive Bilstein B8 5100 series monotube shocks. If Jeep was to substitute either the Fox or Bilstein dampers for the units included with the standard Xtreme Recon package, the Wrangler Rubicon 392 would be true perfection.

In the first report, we spent a fair bit of time waxing on about the Wrangler 392's fuel consumption, and we're back to say that it really hasn't improved any in the second quarter. We've put about 3,000 miles on the Jeep since the last update, and this time around we averaged 12.28 mpg, with a best tank of 15.22. The high score was achieved on a long highway slog, with a fair bit of downhill driving and copious use of adaptive cruise control. This still falls short of the EPA's rating of 17 mpg highway and 14 mpg combined, but, as we pointed out previously, the EPA doesn't factor in the Xtreme Recon package's 35-inch tires, increased ride height, or 4.56:1 gearing. At this point, we've accepted that this is about the mileage the Wrangler 392 is going to get, and we're learning to live with getting fuel twice a week. Those thinking of owning a Wrangler 392 who drive the average of 15,000 miles a year will need to budget about $7,500 a year for fuel. You've been warned …

Though not necessarily a Wrangler 392-specific issue, the one thing often forgotten about Jeep's Wrangler is that it's still a midsize SUV, and what comes with that size class is a relatively small amount of storage space. With the rear seats in the upright position, there's barely enough room for luggage for two adults and two kids for a weeklong adventure. And if you want to load in a Dometic fridge, you lose half of that space. We found that to do any sort of road-tripping with the Wrangler we needed to rely on a hitch rack, specifically the Pakmule Pro Swayback. The rack gives enough clearance on top for the spare tire to clear when it's unloaded, and plenty of height to clear mild trail obstacles as well. It will also hold far more weight than the 350 pounds that are recommended on the factory trailer hitch.

Speaking of carrying a Dometic fridge in the back, we have a bit of bone to pick with Jeep. It's fair to say that most Wrangler owners who use their Jeeps off-road will at some point want a 12-volt fridge/freezer—they are awesome accessories, there's no way around it. Jeep seems to have realized this, and added a 12-volt outlet to the rear cargo area. However, it's located on a vertical surface, meaning that the plug is vulnerable to being hit by any cargo one might be carrying. Aside from location, the gauge of wire chosen for the outlet isn't enough to actually power a fridge, with the unit going into a "low-voltage" protection mode as soon as the compressor kicks on. A dedicated circuit, large enough to handle a fridge and mounted on a horizontal surface in the cargo area, would be amazing.

So far, despite the small annoyances, we're still loving our time with the 2022 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392. The pure power and speed and the glorious exhaust note more than make up for the vehicle's shortcomings (looking at you, manual seat-adjusters). We've learned to get creative with how we store and haul things, and we're making do with the limited interior space. Thus far, we've encountered no real issues with the Wrangler other than steering that may or may not be out of alignment. We've made one visit to the local dealer for a scheduled oil change, which ran us $239. As we pass the halfway point in our time with the Jeep, we're just as excited as we were on day one, and can't wait to see what the second half of the year brings.

Report: 2 of 4

Long-Term Numbers

Maintenance

What's Hot, What's Not

Logbook Quotes

Options as Tested

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)