The four-door was the JL that mattered most, so it came first: Wrangler Unlimited production began at Toledo in November 2017, months ahead of the two-door, and it ran alongside the outgoing JK Unlimited until April 2018 so dealers could keep up with demand. It grew 3.5 inches in overall length over the JK Unlimited, to 188.4 inches on a 118.4-inch wheelbase, while losing weight. It kept the separate frame, the solid axles and the removable doors. Then, over the next few years, Jeep gave it more powertrains than any Wrangler before.
DIESEL, HYBRID, HEMI
Launch engines were the 285-hp 3.6 Pentastar, with optional eTorque, and the 270-hp 2.0 turbo four. For 2020 North America got the VM-built 3.0 EcoDiesel V6 with 260 hp and 443 lb-ft (600 Nm). It was dropped for 2024. The 4xe plug-in hybrid followed for 2021: the 2.0 turbo plus electric motors and a 17 kWh battery, for 375 hp, 470 lb-ft and an EPA-rated 21 miles of electric range.
Also for 2021 came the Rubicon 392, with the 6.4-liter Hemi V8 from Dodge's Scat Pack cars making 470 hp and 470 lb-ft. Quadratec's specs show it uses the full-time Selec-Trac case and the heavier ZF 8HP75 automatic rather than the Rubicon's Rock-Trac. Its 1,351-lb payload is the highest in the range. Jeep announced 'final editions' for 2024 and 2025, then reversed course in August 2025: CEO Bob Broderdorf said the 392 would stay, and a V8 Gladiator would join it.
THE FAMILY OVERLANDER
For overlanders the Unlimited is the obvious JL. It tows 3,500 lb, or 5,000 lb with the 2024 full-float Dana 44 HD rear axle and the automatic on non-4xe trucks, and it has a cargo area that takes a fridge and drawers. Payload is the limit: Quadratec lists 880 lb for a 2020 Sahara and 892 lb for a Rubicon, so a steel-bumpered, roof-racked build overruns it fast. The JL Unlimited is also the basis for the Gladiator pickup, which borrows its styling and interior.
It isn't perfect. The IIHS rated it Marginal in the small-overlap crash test after a 2020 Unlimited rolled onto its side, and a 2022 retest ended the same way. The 4xe has been recalled for battery fire risk, and 2021–2025 trucks have been recalled for power-steering pump wiring. Both recalls told owners to park outside until repaired.
2024 AND BEYOND
The 2024 refresh brought the four-door the same updates as the two-door: a 12.3-inch Uconnect 5 screen, side-curtain airbags in both rows, a new grille, a windshield-frame antenna, an available Warn winch and the Rubicon X with 35s. The 4xe gained a cheaper Sport S trim and a four-outlet 'Power Box'. Wikipedia reports that Stellantis then dropped the Wrangler 4xe from the US market in 2025. The JL Unlimited competes with the Bronco, the Defender 110, the Ineos Grenadier and the sixth-gen 4Runner, and it's still the only one with doors you can leave at home.
Park it outside, don't plug it in
In October 2024, KBB reported a recall of 154,032 2020–2024 Wrangler 4xe and 2022–2024 Grand Cherokee 4xe plug-in hybrids, because some high-voltage battery cells could be damaged and catch fire, parked or moving. Owners were told to park outdoors, away from buildings, and to stop charging until the repair was done. The remedy was a software update and, where needed, a new battery pack. AutoGuide reported that an internal review of customer data had turned up 13 fire incidents.
Before you buy a used 4xe, check NHTSA for completed recall work. Pickup Truck + SUV Talk lists both 24V-720 and the later 25V-741 for 4xe batteries.


