2025 Jeep Wrangler 4xe Backcountry makes Sahara more capable

Jeep is adding a limited edition of the Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrid that adds capability to the mid-level Sahara grade.

The 2025 Jeep Wrangler 4xe Backcountry is based on the Sahara, which is two steps up from the base Sport S trim level but not quite as off-road-capable as the Wrangler 4xe Rubicon.

Instead of the Sahara’s all-season tires, the Backcountry wears 275/55R20 General Grabber all-terrains. They’re still mounted to 20-inch wheels, but with a unique finish.

The Wrangler 4xe Backcountry receives front and rear steel bumpers, rock rails, a grille guard, and special-edition decals for the hood, fender, and tailgate. Like other 4xe models, the Backcountry is only available in four-door form, with a body-color hardtop.

Also included are some convenience and tech features normally optional on the Sahara grade, such as a front-view camera for off-road use, the towing package, a nine-speaker Alpine audio system, navigation, and an off-road trail guide app.

The Backcountry edition also gets the Jeep Power Box auxiliary power unit that was first available for the 2024 model year. It draws power from the 4xe’s 17-kwh battery pack, with dual 120-volt, 15-amp outlets to power small appliances and other electrical gadgets.

As before, the Wrangler 4xe powertrain consists of a 2.0-liter turbo-4 and a pair of electric motors, altogether sending 375 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque to all four wheels through an 8-speed automatic transmission and mechanical four-wheel drive system. The 4xe provides an EPA-rated 21 miles of electric range, but just 20 mpg combined in hybrid mode.

At $66,185 (including $1,895 destination), the Backcountry edition costs about $7,000 more than the Wrangler 4xe Sahara grade on which it’s based. That’s a few grand more than the Wrangler 4xe Rubicon.

The Backcountry isn’t the only special-edition Wrangler for 2025. A Willys ’41 edition inspired by World War II Jeeps, also offered exclusively with the 4xe plug-in hybrid powertrain, joins the lineup. Other changes for the 2025 model year are light, and notably the Wrangler can still be had with either a manual transmission or a V-8 engine.