2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe vs 2022 Chevrolet Equinox

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe made a bold statement with its appearance and sound. Aside from a single “4xe” badge and sky blue tow hooks and accents, it looked almost identical to a regular Wrangler, with the only notable difference being the power port at the left base of the windshield. When the battery had enough charge, the Wrangler 4xe moved silently, except for the whine of its pedestrian notification system, which turned heads as it navigated through Yosemite National Park. The Firecracker Red Rubicon trim test vehicle, loaded with over $13,000 in options, had a price tag of $66,690, including destination charges. Inside, the Wrangler 4xe retained the classic Wrangler look with some unique touches like blue seat stitching and special gauges for the PHEV powertrain. The interior was practical, with controls laid out in a functional format, and robust grab handles hinting at its off-road capabilities.

In contrast, the 2022 Chevrolet Equinox featured styling updates, including a new grille, LED headlights, and subtle changes to the rear fascia. The grille appeared more upright, flanked by large fake air intakes, giving the Equinox a chunkier look. Unlike rugged competitors like the Subaru Forester and Toyota RAV4, the Equinox maintained a car-based crossover appearance, though its tall roofline and puffed-up front fascia made it look less car-like than the Ford Escape. Inside, the dashboard design was creative, with a touchscreen and large air vents at the center. The materials and fit and finish were decent for its price range, with cloth seats standard and perforated leather upholstery available. The new RS model added black exterior trim, darkened 19-inch wheels, and a black interior with red stitching, giving it a bit more personality.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe combined a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine with two electric motors and a 17-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack, producing a total of 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque. It offered three powertrain modes: Hybrid, Electric, and e-Save. In Hybrid mode, the Wrangler 4xe could accelerate to 60 mph in six seconds. Electric mode allowed for up to 21 miles of pure electric driving, while e-Save preserved battery power for specific situations. The Wrangler 4xe had an estimated 49 MPGe combined efficiency rating and a total driving range of 370 miles. During a weekend road trip to Yosemite, the Wrangler 4xe averaged 20.8 mpg in Hybrid mode and 19.1 mpg over the entire trip, covering 757 miles with 120.9 of them on electricity.

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox was powered by a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 170 horsepower and 203 pound-feet of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. It offered standard front-wheel drive and optional all-wheel drive. The Equinox had more torque than most rivals but less horsepower. In city driving, the Equinox's torque made it responsive, but at higher speeds, the engine felt coarse and unresponsive. The automatic transmission's shifts were also a bit rough. Despite its RS trim, the Equinox wasn't designed for sporty handling and lacked the solidity and refinement of some competitors. However, it was comfortable on poorly maintained pavement.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe's high door sills and lack of side steps made entry and exit challenging, especially for shorter passengers. Once inside, the driving position was classic Wrangler, with a high seating position and clear view over the hood. The center console offered limited storage due to the hand-brake and transfer case lever. Rear-seat space was adequate, with air conditioning vents, USB charging ports, and a 115-volt power outlet. Cargo volume measured 27.7 cubic feet behind the back seat, expanding to 72.4 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. However, the swing-out tailgate and flip-up rear glass window made loading cargo cumbersome.

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox offered seating for five with decent headroom in both rows. Second-row legroom was good, but front-seat legroom was slightly lacking. The tall seating position provided an unobstructed forward view, though rear visibility was hampered by the small rear window. The climate control buttons and knobs were prominently placed below the touchscreen, making them easy to access. The Equinox offered 29.9 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up and 63.9 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, which was near the bottom of the segment. A power liftgate was available, but the Equinox lacked some of the versatile storage solutions found in competitors.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe Rubicon featured an 8.4-inch touchscreen Uconnect infotainment system with Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, navigation, and SiriusXM Guardian connected services. A WiFi connection was available, and the Alpine sound system could overcome wind noise on the freeway. However, the Uconnect system was starting to show its age in terms of load time, responsiveness, and graphics. The Trip Summary data panel provided charging time estimates, and the five blue charging indicator lights on the dashboard were helpful for viewing charging status.

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox came standard with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity, Bluetooth, SiriusXM satellite radio, and a built-in 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. Higher trim levels offered an 8-inch touchscreen and a 4.2-inch instrument-cluster screen. Navigation and a Bose 7-speaker audio system were available. The 8-inch touchscreen in the test car was responsive and easy to use, with large, smartphone-like menu icons. The addition of wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto was a significant advantage, and the Equinox offered plenty of USB ports and power outlets. However, the center-console slot for a phone was too small.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe offered advanced driving assistance systems in the Safety Group (blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic warning, rear parking sensors) and the Advanced Safety Group (adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, automatic high-beam headlights). The blind-spot warning system was particularly useful due to the narrow side mirrors. The LED headlights with automatic high beams were effective but rated Marginal by the IIHS. The Wrangler received a four-star frontal-impact crash-test rating and a three-star rollover rating from the NHTSA.

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox received top "Good" scores in most IIHS crash tests but a "Marginal" rating in the updated side crash test. It earned a "Superior" rating for front-crash prevention in vehicle-to-vehicle situations and an "Advanced" rating for vehicle-to-pedestrian scenarios. The NHTSA gave the Equinox a five-star overall safety rating. Standard driver-assist features included automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, and Chevy's Teen Driver system. Optional features included adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-change alert, and a surround-view camera system.