2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe vs 2020 Honda CR-V

The 2020 Honda CR-V, part of Honda's fifth generation of compact crossovers, had a design that was both familiar and enjoyable. Its exterior styling was characterized by soft, curvy lines that gave it a car-like appearance, closely resembling Honda's sedan lineup. This design approach made the CR-V a modern family transportation staple, with a look that leaned more towards a station wagon than a traditional SUV. However, the interior told a different story, with a mix of textures and materials that didn't always harmonize. While higher trims boasted wood-look trim and leather upholstery, these upscale touches clashed with some low-quality plastics, reminding drivers that even the pricier CR-V versions were still upgrades of a commodity car rather than true premium products.

In contrast, the 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe maintained the iconic Wrangler styling, with signature elements like the exterior-mounted spare tire, removable doors, rounded headlights, and seven-slot grille. The plug-in hybrid version was subtly differentiated by blue decals, badging, and a charger port on the driver's side front quarter panel. Inside, the Wrangler 4xe's quality was consistent across its three grades, with leather-faced seats and power-adjustable driver's seats in the Unlimited Sahara and Sahara High Altitude trims. The top-tier Unlimited Rubicon offered cloth seats as standard, with optional leather seats featuring the Rubicon logo. Despite some quirks, such as the centre stack power window controls, the Wrangler 4xe retained its rugged charm, with a combination of Dark Saddle brown leather seats, black leather inserts, and a dramatic front passenger grab handle.

The 2020 Honda CR-V was equipped with a 1.5-litre turbocharged engine across all trims, delivering 190 horsepower and 179 pound-feet of torque. Paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), this powertrain provided a smooth driving experience. While CVTs often have a reputation for sluggishness, Honda's engineers managed to create a responsive system that mimicked a conventional automatic transmission. The CR-V's car-like demeanor extended to its road manners, offering nimble handling and a firm yet comfortable ride. Its low curb weight, ranging from 1,521 kg for the FWD LX model to 1,641 kg for the AWD Touring and Black Edition models, contributed to its excellent acceleration, handling, and fuel efficiency. The CR-V's fuel consumption was rated at 7.7 litres per 100 kilometres for FWD models and 8.1 for AWD models, making it one of the most efficient non-hybrid vehicles in its class.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe combined a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine with two electric motors, producing a total system output of 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque. This power was managed by an eight-speed automatic transmission, providing a robust and trail-ready performance. The Wrangler 4xe featured a Selec-trac two-speed transfer case in the Sahara grades and a Rock-trac transfer case in the Rubicon, offering various drive settings for off-road adventures. With solid front and rear axles, locking differentials, and a fully articulating suspension, the Wrangler 4xe was capable of tackling challenging terrains. Its plug-in hybrid drivetrain offered an electric-only range of 35 kilometres, with hybrid, electric, and e-save modes for optimal efficiency. The Wrangler 4xe's electric motors provided a burst of energy from a stop, enhancing its off-road capabilities.

The 2020 Honda CR-V was praised for its masterful packaging, offering a spacious cabin comparable to the Volkswagen Tiguan without feeling oversized. The CR-V provided ample head- and legroom for both the driver and passengers, thanks to its excellent seating position and low cowl. The cargo compartment was equally roomy, with a two-position load floor that allowed for flexible storage options. With the rear seats folded, the CR-V offered up to 1,110 litres of cargo space, making it easy to accommodate various needs. Clever storage solutions, such as the deep centre console and large door pockets, added to the CR-V's practicality.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe was designed to accommodate its battery pack under the rear seats, minimizing the loss of second-row space. The Sahara grades offered headroom of 1,023 mm and legroom of 970 mm, while the Rubicon's soft-top roof provided even more headroom. However, the Wrangler 4xe's cargo capacity was slightly reduced compared to other Wrangler models, with 784 litres of space with the seats upright and 1,908 litres with them folded. Despite this, the Wrangler 4xe remained manageable in urban settings, with a width of 1,875 mm. The Rubicon test unit featured an optional power-retracting roof, enhancing the open-air experience that Jeep enthusiasts cherished.

The 2020 Honda CR-V's infotainment system showed its age, with a standard 7-inch touchscreen that felt small compared to competitors. The system lacked hard buttons, making it challenging to operate, and even Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration felt tacked on. However, the CR-V offered plenty of USB ports, with two in the front and two high-powered ones in the backseat. The Touring and Black Edition trims included a wireless phone charger, adding some modern convenience to the mix.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe featured the Uconnect 4C system with navigation on an 8.4-inch touchscreen, offering Android Auto and Apple CarPlay as standard. Uconnect was known for its intuitive interface, with hard buttons and dials for critical functions. The Wrangler 4xe included off-road pages and Hybrid Electric Pages for monitoring vehicle efficiency. While the instrument cluster wasn't fully digital, it provided essential information through a 7-inch colour display. The Wrangler 4xe had four USB ports but lacked a wireless phone charging pad, which was surprising for a vehicle in its price range.

The 2020 Honda CR-V came equipped with the "Honda Sensing" suite of safety features as standard, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. Automatic high beams were also standard, while blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic monitoring were available on higher trims. The CR-V earned a five-star rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick designation from the IIHS, with some caveats for lower trims due to headlight performance. A recall for a possible rear subframe failure affected a small number of vehicles.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe shared its structural design with other Wrangler models, receiving a Good rating in most IIHS crashworthiness tests. However, it received a Marginal rating in the driver's side small overlap front test due to a tip-over incident. The NHTSA rated the Wrangler with four stars for front crash tests and three stars for rollover resistance. Safety features were limited, with blind spot monitoring and rear park assist standard only on the Unlimited Sahara High Altitude. The Advanced Safety Group package offered additional features like forward collision warning and adaptive cruise control.