Hybrid cars are so hot right now, and many automakers are pivoting their electrified strategies toward these models. It’s easy to forget that Jeep has been offering plug-in models for the past few years and low-mile used units can be found at very tempting prices, they just have one small issue.
For a while the Jeep Wrangler was a vehicle that offered unique style and off-road capability at relatively affordable prices. As the Wrangler got more popular prices increased and very barebones trims would retail in the upper $30,000 range.
Understanding that the shift to electrified vehicles was inevitable, in 2021 Jeep launched a plug-in hybrid version of the Wrangler called the 4xe that offered 21 miles of range with a base price approaching $50,000 and upper trim models exceeding $70,000. However, the high price tag and limited range didn’t deter Jeep buyers especially when there were cheap leases galore as the car qualified for the $7,500 federal tax credit in addition to thousands of dollars of cash on the hood.
Many of those leases have been turned in, and pre-owned shoppers may be tempted to grab a Wrangler 4xe with low miles and savings upwards of $30,000 versus the original MSRP, but these cars are cheap for a reason.
If I run an Autotrader search for 2021-2023 Wrangler 4xe with under 30,000 miles there are about 1,000 cars for sale nationwide. If you sort these listings starting with the lowest price units, you will find cars under $30,000 like this one.
A 2022 with under 17,000 miles and an original retail price of over $57,000, things are looking pretty good until you view the CarFax. This car has a “branded” title as a manufacturer buyback, also known as Lemon Law.
The first four pages of listings on Autotrader are filled with similar cars, all the same situation. It certainly seems like Jeep bought back a lot of these PHEVs. The Bill Luke dealer group in the Southwest stocks several of these models, and I appreciate the fact that they label them as “BUYBACKS” right in the ad.
As to whether or not these are worth the risk at this price point really comes down to the buyer. Some Lemon Law cars may have been impacted by minor issues, Wrangler 4Xe owners have reported engine, transmission, and battery problems. But if you are already willing to roll the dice with Stellantis build quality, you might as well keep some money in your pocket.
Tom McParland is a contributing writer for Jalopnik and runs AutomatchConsulting.com. He takes the hassle out of buying or leasing a car. Got a car buying question? Send it to [email protected]