The newest Jeep Grand Cherokee’s stepwise launch has been like an infomercial where a presenter screams at you, “But wait, there’s more!” Beginning in 2021, the Grand Cherokee L, the first three-row Grand Cherokee, appeared alongside the old, two-row Grand Cherokee to critical acclaim and buyer confusion. The L paved the way for the new two-row, which appeared later that year to replace the old model, bringing the bigger Grand Cherokee family up to date—but wait, there’s more!
In a “call-in-the-next-10-minutes-and-you’ll-also-get-a-plug-and-battery” moment, Jeep now adds a third Grand Cherokee: the 4xe plug-in hybrid. That’s pronounced “four-by-e,” like “four-by-four.” Only available in the shorter two-row body, the 4xe represents “more,” delivering better fuel economy and power than Jeep’s gas-fed V-6 and V-8 engines.
The 4xe throws down 375 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque, making it the lineup’s most powerful option, at least until high-performance SRT models return wearing the new body. (The V-6 puts out 293 hp and 260 lb-ft, the V-8 357 hp and 390 lb-ft.) Nudging the next-most-efficient Grand Cherokee by 1 mpg on the EPA’s combined cycle might not
