2025 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392: Too Bad for Canada
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Back in April at the annual Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah, we got the opportunity to test drive four different Wrangler models including a two-door Rubicon X with a 2.0-litre turbo engine, a Willys 41’ 4xe plug-in hybrid, a V6-powered Sahara and a Rubicon 392 finished in Tuscadero Pink. As you can imagine, the last one stole the show with its flashy livery, thundering engine and available Sky One-Touch folding top. In fact, such a combination is so rare that even the Safari’s organizers looked at it with admiration.
We jumped at the chance to get behind the wheel, knowing that the drive event would include plenty of time off the road. But first, we checked the vehicle's spec sheet and were stunned to see the retail price of $113,865 USD. Options such as the sunroof, winch, air compressor, tool kit and of course the unique body colour made this particular Wrangler as expensive as a Land Rover Defender with a V8 engine. Can you believe that?
- Also: Check Out These 7 Concepts for Easter Jeep Safari 2025
- Also: Jeep Has a New Wrangler for Backcountry Adventures
6.4 Litres of Heavy Metal Music
Just pressing the start button sets the tone for the driving experience: the mechanical roar can be felt through the seats even before any pressure is applied to the throttle. And as if that wasn't enough, you can open the exhaust valves for a more intense aural experience—both for you and the entire neighborhood.
Fitted with 33-inch BF Goodrich T/A K02 tires and featuring 10.8 inches of ground clearance, our Wrangler 392 was about to take us on a ride of a lifetime. In this remote and rocky part of the U.S. where Jeeps are seemingly everywhere, passersby looked at us as if we were driving the latest Ferrari. Was it because they were seeing a pink 470-horsepower Jeep for the first time?
Anyway, once out of the city, we stepped into the vehicle’s favourite playground. Torque is so massive that it was sometimes unnecessary to even press the gas pedal, despite the tires showing huge resistance. On the other hand, for all its incredible power and acceleration, this Wrangler felt unbalanced due to poor weight distribution. The big V8 under the hood was basically like a boat anchor.
Fortunately, Jeep’s engineers made sure to adjust the suspension accordingly, allowing the body to remain stable and avoid nose-diving under hard braking or deceleration. After about 80 km of driving, the fuel consumption indicator showed an average of 12.5 mpg (equivalent to 18.8 L/100 km). Granted, we had put the Wrangler 392’s acceleration to the test a few times, but not excessively so—just enough to realize that the engine and eight-speed automatic gearbox do an exceptional job of making the experience a pleasant one.
On the road, things are different. The Wrangler 392 seriously lacks comfort and agility when compared to a Ford Bronco Raptor, which is a more stable, wider-tracked vehicle that's easier to live with on a daily basis. Of course, it doesn’t have an engine to match Jeep’s 6.4-litre HEMI V8, a true powerhouse with amazingly immediate throttle response that forces drivers to watch their right foot at all times.
Too Heavy for Off-Roading?
While other fellow journalists ventured out on the trail with four- or six-cylinder engines, we had to deal with the advantage of increased power, but also the disadvantage of excessive weight. At least in theory. The fact is, the 470 lb-ft of torque from the V8 enabled us to tackle the biggest obstacles with ease, whereas the V6-powered Wranglers sometimes struggled. Some of the testers praised the four-cylinder engine, which is also generous with torque, as it did very well in this context, albeit much more discreetly than the 392.
After slightly deflating the tires, we set off to tackle steep rocks, crevasses and trails that, at first glance, seemed impassable. However, the folks at Jeep are smart and experienced enough to know how to deal with any situation and were equipped to respond in the event of a mishap. As it turned out, not a single incident occurred on over 35 miles of trail, despite a convoy of more than twenty Jeeps. At one point they allowed us to disconnect the stabilizer bars, even though our Wrangler 392 could easily have cleared certain obstacles without doing so.
Ultimately, Jeep showed us that its iconic SUV remains the benchmark for 4x4 performance and that off-roading without any doors or roof can be immensely fun. Ford understood this very well when it created the latest Bronco, which has hurt sales of the Wrangler. The latter may enjoy a stronger reputation, but many customers opt to go with Ford in large part because the Bronco is more comfortable and more user-friendly.
Not for Canada
In 2024, Jeep launched the Wrangler Rubicon 392 Final Edition, so we assumed then that the V8 would die along with it. However, Jeep surprisingly brought it back for 2025 and will no doubt do the same for 2026 as demand continues to defy expectations. Alas, Canada has been ignored for 2025, likely due to lower sales and profitability than in the U.S. Jeep has not provided an official explanation, mind you. Barring a major turn of events, the 392 will not be back in Canada.
For us, the 2024 Wrangler Rubicon 392 Final Edition was truly a final edition. How much longer can it survive in the U.S. considering the increasingly tough task of meeting emission standards? That’s a great question. In the meantime, this Jeep is a fascinating and unique toy that once again reflects the passion of its designers and engineers, whose challenge is to regain precious market shares.
