Can you make an environmentalist happy?
They would rather us not drive cars, trucks or SUVs at all, as all vehicles pollute, even electric ones. EVs use electrons from power plants that pollute, as do the factories that manufacture the batteries that store EV energy. And let’s not forget the damage from mining the rare earth minerals that EVs require.
Environmentalists would rather we ride a bicycle, which can be rather impractical when it’s raining, snowing or hailing. And even if we became a nation of cyclists, they would object because we were exhaling excess carbon dioxide, which is a pollutant, at which point they want us all killed off to save the planet. This is why we will never become a nation of cyclists.
Besides, we like our comfort. You think a church pew is uncomfortable? Try a bicycle seat for two hours.
That said, a changing climate has caused an excretion of laws to help minimize climate change as much as possible. This has led to governments adopting electrification as their new automotive standard, with gas-electric hybrids, which use both electric motors and a small gas engine to reduce fuel consumption. And indeed it does, albeit with great expense.
Consider the 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe Overland, a plug-in hybrid version of the Jeep Grand Cherokee. Like its conventionally-powered siblings, the Grand Cherokee 4xe starts with a base model and ascends through Trailhawk, Overland, Summit and Summit Reserve trims.
With EPA rating of 23 mpg in combined city/highway driving, it seems far friendlier to mother nature than Grand Cherokee with the V8, which gets a mere 17 mpg. But that’s before you discover that the base six-cylinder GC returns 22 mpg. Some people may decide that the cost difference is not worth the difference in mileage.
For some, though, the 4xe's capacity to cover 26 miles entirely on electricity represents a distinct advantage. According to the EPA, this will help you save $1,250 in operating costs thanks to the hybrid driveline. But it takes 7.3 years for you to break even if you purchased a 4xe Overland trim Grand Cherokee instead of the conventionally powered Overland trim.
Now consider that the Grand Cherokee 4xe starts at $58,095 and the regular four-wheel-drive Grand Cherokee starts at $40,720, both before a $1,795 destination fee. That’s $17,375 more, requiring 13.9 years to make up the difference in fuel costs. So this car is less about saving money on fuel and more on ecological benevolence.
That said, off-roaders love the environment, so this is a vehicle they will surely come to love. After all, the Wrangler 4xe is America’s bestselling hybrid, even though drivers can’t recharge on top of a mountain.
Externally, there’s little to differentiate the two-row Grand Cherokee 4xe from its siblings aside from its blue tow hooks and other miscellaneous blue trim bits. Open the door of the 4xe’s Overland model and you’ll find an interior awash in buttery soft leather and accented with wood, knurled metal, and French-stitched seams. The excellent construction quality, spacious interior, and abundance of amenities will ensure that everyone is comfortable while traipsing across the flora and fauna.
The 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee comes equipped with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, two electric motors, a 400-volt battery pack and an eight-speed automatic transmission that generates 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque to all four wheels.
Best of all, you can drive up to 25 miles without using a lick of gas. But this isn't your mama's hybrid – unless she’s a lumberjack.
As you’d expect, it comes with Jeep’s Selec-Terrain traction system, which has driving modes for Auto, Sport, Rock, Snow, and Mud/Sand. It also has Jeep’s Quadra Trac II 4x4 system with a two-speed transfer case, a 2.72:1 low-range gear ratio, a rear electronic limited slip differential, and a 47.4:1 crawl ratio. And if mama likes bringing her boat along, the 4xe can tow up to 6,000 pounds. Additionally, the 4xe has a 1,575-pound payload, a 10.9-inch ground clearance, a 36° approach angle, and a 30° departure angle, and can ford 24 inches of water.
Try that with a Toyota Prius.
Best of all, the 4xe’s instantaneous torque and progressive pedal feel results in a vehicle that is unexpectedly pleasurable to drive on road and off. A heavy throttle foot can rapidly exhaust the pure electric range, but the gas and electric hybrid mode offers unexpectedly strong acceleration and a real world combined fuel economy of 24.5 mpg.
As you might anticipate from a boulder basher, the suspension is compliant, but when highway handling dynamics are required, it’s well controlled. There isn't much road feel and the steering seems heavy, but it’s perfectly acceptable. The 2023 Grand Cherokee 4xe’s overall comportment, effortless capability and effortless sophistication are remarkably indulgent.
While its comfort, size, technology, performance, and ability to manage harsh weather, makes the 4xe another Grand Cherokee that’s difficult to resist, even though it doesn’t pencil well.
But once you drive it, you won’t care, especially on the days when you don’t use a drop of gas. You can almost hear an OPEC oil minister weeping.
2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe Overland
Base price: $65,760
Engine: 2.0-liter four-cylinder PHEV engine
Horsepower/Torque: 375/470 pound-feet
EPA fuel economy (city/highway): 56 MPGe electric & gas/23 mpg combined gas
Observed fuel economy: 24.5 mpg
Fuel required: 87 Octane
Length/Width/Height: 193.5/77.5/70.8 inches
Ground clearance: 10.9 inches
Payload: 1,575 pounds
Cargo capacity: 37.7 - 70.8 cubic feet
Towing capacity: 6,000 pounds
