Jeep is celebrating the Rubicon’s 20th birthday with a new 20th Anniversary Edition package for the 2023 Wrangler Rubicon 4xe and 392 that was unveiled today at the Chicago Auto Show. The trim line will add more capability, a special interior, and a unique grille that is already courting controversy.
“Twenty years ago, a small group of enthusiastic Jeep engineers affectionately known as the ‘Lunatic Fringe,’ with grit and determination and their personal credit cards, designed, engineered and developed the most capable Wrangler yet – the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon,” said Jim Morrison, the Jeep brand’s senior vice president in North America. The team “overdelivered on everyone’s expectations because they knew it was what Jeep customers wanted.”
The change that has garnered the most attention is the restyled seven-slot grille. Wider than the Wrangler’s usual unit, it extends under the headlights and has already received negative reviews on Jeep forums.
Over on jlwranglerforums, user Steph1 wrote, “Can’t believe a group of people got together and came-up [sic] with that thing. I mean damn.” Another reader, responding to Steph1, wrote that replacing the grille would be their first mod and shared the vomiting emoji. Fortunately, that’s not the only addition.
Read: Jeep Announces 2023 Wrangler High Tide, And 1-Of-500, 20th Anniversary Beach Model
2023 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4xe 20th Anniversary Edition
For the plug-in hybrid 2023 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4xe, the new package adds hood decals, a swing gate plaque, and a shifter medallion that all note the special anniversary. It also gets a half-inch suspension lift, a triple hood grille guard, steel bumpers, heavy-duty steel rock sliders, a gorilla glass windshield, special red-and-black leather seats, a red leather wrapped instrument panel bolster, and all-weather slush mats.
It also gets an 83-piece tool kit with a canvas bag, and 33-inch BFGoodrich all terrain T/A KO2 tires wrapped around 17-by-7.5-inch beadlock capable wheels. The model is powered by a plug-in hybrid drivetrain that delivers 375 hp (280 kW/380 PS) and 470 lb-ft (637 Nm) of torque.
2023 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 20th Anniversary Edition
For the V8-powered 2023 Wrangler Rubicon 392, the 20th Anniversary Edition package adds the Xtreme Recon Package, which comes with 35-inch BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 tires, 17-by-8-inch beadlock-capable wheels, a 4.56 rear axle gear ratio, a hinge-gate reinforcement, a jack spacer, a tire relocation kit, and wheel flare extensions.
It also gets an on-board air compressor, a triple hoop grille guard, steel bumpers, rock sliders, a front off-road camera, as well as red-and-black leather seats and the red leather instrument panel bolster. The 20th Anniversary hood decals, meanwhile, come in a 392 bronze theme, and it gets the same swing gate plaque and shifter medallion as the 4xe.
20th Anniversary Edition Level II
For those in search of more capability, Jeep is adding the Rubicon Level II upfit by American Expedition Vehicles (AEV). It adds 37-inch BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 tires, a Warn VR EVO 10-S winch, a 4.56:1 axle ratio, and Mopar performance wipers with integrated washer jets.
AEV will also add its own 17-inch Savegre II wheels, a 2.5-inch DualSport RT Suspension System with Bilstein 5100 shocks, 7000 Series off-road lights, an EX front bumper, a front skid plate, a tire carrier, an off-road jack base, a ProCal SNAP module, a vehicle build plaque, and a steering damper.
In all, the model will have 14.2-inches of ground clearance, 37.1-inches of water fording, a 50-degree approach angle, a 33-degree breakover angle, and a 43-degree departure angle. That, says Jeep, makes it the most capable Wrangler ever.
High Capability, High Price
The Level II package can be had on either the 392 or the 4xe model, but it ain’t cheap. It adds another $22,978 to the price of the former, and $21,1230 to the latter (both prices include a $995 logistics charge). Buyers will have to dig deep into their pockets for the SUVs, because the 2023 Wrangler Rubicon 4xe 20th Anniversary Edition starts at $71,380 and the 2023 Wrangler Rubicon 392 20th Anniversary Edition starts at $92,690 (both prices include $1,795 destination fee).
For their dollars, though, buyers can choose from any of nine colors: Earl, Firecracker Red, Punk’n, Hydro Blue, Sarge Green, Silver Zynith, Sting Gray, black and Bright White. Buyers who opt for the plug-in hybrid model will also be offered Granite Crystal.
