2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe vs 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE had a mixed reception regarding its exterior design. While it featured an aggressive nose and a sloping, low hood, the design seemed to lose its appeal past the A-pillar, making it almost indistinguishable from its predecessors. The flat taillights and contoured rear helped mitigate its minivan-like tendencies, but it still lacked the pitch-perfect proportions seen in competitors like BMW, Audi, and Jaguar. The AMG trim added a sporty touch, but it still couldn't compete visually with models like the BMW X5 M or Porsche Cayenne Turbo. However, the interior was a different story. The redesigned GLE Coupe boasted a streamlined and cohesive look, with a luxurious interior featuring high-quality materials, vibrant colors, and advanced technology. The red and black interior of the test model was particularly striking, offering a sense of opulence that outshone even some Porsche and Audi models.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe, on the other hand, made its presence known through both its appearance and sound. Aside from a few blue accents and a "4xe" badge, it looked much like a regular Wrangler, with the main difference being the power port at the base of the windshield. The silent operation of the electric motor, accompanied by the pedestrian notification system's whine, turned heads as it moved through Yosemite National Park. The bright Firecracker Red Rubicon trim test vehicle, loaded with over $13,000 in options, stood out with its rugged and functional design. Inside, the Wrangler 4xe maintained the classic Wrangler look with some modern touches like blue seat stitching and special gauges for the PHEV powertrain. The interior was practical and comfortable, with more soft-touch materials than expected, but it still retained the hose-me-out simplicity that Wrangler fans love.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE excelled as a versatile and high-performing SUV. It featured a complex suspension and engine setup, with five different suspension configurations. The base GLE 350 used a coil-sprung setup for reliability and comfort, while the GLE 450 introduced AIRMATIC self-leveling air springs. The AMG Ride Control+ and E-Active Body Control systems offered advanced handling capabilities, including the ability to lean into turns like a motorcyclist. The GLE 53 Coupe featured an electric supercharger for instant throttle response, while the GLE 580 and AMG GLE 63 S offered powerful twin-turbo V8 engines. The hybrid system, present in all models except the GLE 350, provided additional horsepower and torque, seamless auto stop-start functionality, and improved overall performance. The GLE's towing capacity of up to 7,700 pounds and its exceptional ride quality and steering made it a standout in its class.

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. This setup provided an estimated 21 miles of pure electric driving and a total driving range of 370 miles. The Wrangler 4xe offered three powertrain modes: Hybrid, Electric, and e-Save, allowing drivers to choose between maximizing power, running solely on electric power, or saving battery power for specific situations. The total output of 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque enabled the Wrangler 4xe to accelerate to 60 mph in six seconds. During a road trip to Yosemite, the Wrangler 4xe demonstrated its ability to recharge the battery through regenerative braking and coasting, achieving an average of 19.1 mpg over 757 miles. The Wrangler 4xe's off-road capabilities were enhanced by its upgraded four-wheel-drive system with electronic front and rear lockers, making it a versatile and capable vehicle for various driving conditions.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE offered a spacious and luxurious interior, with most models featuring two rows of seats and an optional third row for seating up to seven. The second-row seats had power controls for recline, fore-aft adjustment, and headrest positioning, with easy access to the third row. The GLE Coupe, however, was limited to five seats, with a more constricted rear space due to the sloping roofline and large rear tires. Cargo capacity in the standard GLE was 34 cubic feet behind the second row and 75 cubic feet with all rows folded, while the Coupe offered 23 and 61 cubic feet, respectively. The new MBUX infotainment system improved usability with a single touchpad and a simplified interface, making it easier to navigate and control various functions.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe's interior was designed for practicality and comfort, with high door sills and narrow rear openings requiring some effort to climb in and out. Once inside, the Wrangler 4xe provided a classic driving position with a clear view over the hood and front fenders. The front seats had manual height adjusters, and the optional Cold Weather Group added heated seats and a heated steering wheel. Storage space was limited due to the hand-brake and transfer case lever, with small bins and netting for storing items. Rear-seat passengers had access to air conditioning vents, USB charging ports, a 115-volt power outlet, and MOLLE-style storage straps. Cargo volume was 27.7 cubic feet behind the back seat, with a maximum of 72.4 cubic feet with the seat folded down. The swing-out tailgate and flip-up rear glass window added to the Wrangler's charm but could be inconvenient in tight spaces.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE was packed with advanced technology, including a 12-inch touchscreen display with Interior Assistant for gesture control. The system allowed for easy access to various functions, such as seat massage and navigation, with customizable shortcuts and a user-friendly interface. The AMG models featured a Track Pace app for virtual pit crew assistance and GPS lap timing. The GLE also offered a head-up display with multiple layouts, sharp and crisp instrument panel displays, and ambient lighting with 64 colors. The navigation system projected front camera feed with overlay arrows and street names, and the natural voice assistant responded to commands with increasing accuracy. The GLE's semi-automated functionality included lane-changing and curve-slowing capabilities, making it one of the most technologically advanced SUVs on the market.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe featured the Uconnect infotainment system with an 8.4-inch touchscreen display, Bluetooth connectivity, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, navigation, and SiriusXM Guardian connected services. The system was intuitive to use but showed signs of aging 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 allowed for easy monitoring of charging status. The Alpine sound system was powerful enough to overcome wind noise on the freeway, but turning it up made conversation difficult. Overall, the Wrangler 4xe's technology was functional and practical, with room for improvement in future updates.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE earned the Top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for its top scores in six crash tests, headlights, and standard forward emergency braking. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) had not rated the GLE. Standard safety features included blind-spot monitoring and a driver attention monitor, with optional adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, evasive steering assist, front cross-traffic braking, and semi-automated control. The Pre-Safe Sound system played "pink noise" to reduce hearing damage in a crash, and the optional Pre-Safe Impulse Side system inflated side bolsters to better position occupants during a side impact. The GLE's advanced safety features and high ratings made it a secure choice for drivers.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe offered several advanced driving assistance systems, including blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic warning, rear parking sensors, adaptive cruise control with full-stop capability, full-speed forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking, and automatic high-beam headlights. The blind-spot warning system was particularly useful due to the Wrangler's narrow side mirrors. The LED headlights with automatic high beams were effective but received a Marginal rating from the IIHS, while the standard headlights were rated Poor. The Wrangler earned a Marginal rating for small-overlap, frontal-impact protection for the driver, with the vehicle tipping over in two different tests. The NHTSA gave the Wrangler Unlimited a four-star frontal-impact crash-test rating and a three-star rating for rollover resistance. While the Wrangler 4xe offered essential safety features, its ratings indicated room for improvement.