Jeep is about to launch its 650-horsepower EV: the Jeep Recon. Priced at just under $67,000 the upcoming electric off-roader also offers 620 lb-ft of torque an electric locking differential, and over nine inches of ground clearance.
Those specs, coupled with the instant torque EVs provide, means the Recon can rip from 0-60 in just 3.6 seconds. Which is pretty frightening for something of that size.
In terms of range, the Jeep is pretty decent. Stellantis predicts you’ll get 250 miles from a full charge. Though that’s on the road, and not on a demanding trail. The 400-volt architecture the Recon is using allows for fast charging, but could be seen as outdated given the number of vehicles launching with a far superior 800-volt architecture these days. Oh and you can take the doors off too. Because it isn’t a real Jeep if you can’t blast around doorless as you pick the kids up and do your weekly grocery shop or whatever.
There are plenty of reasons to get excited about the upcoming electric Jeep. And despite its off-road slant, most of its owners will never take one off the beaten path. As is the case with many gas-powered Jeeps as well. But if you are an avid off-roader that wants to go electric, is the Jeep Recon a good buy at $67,000? Or is there something significantly cheaper that is far better off-road than the upcoming Recon?
If you’re serious about off-roading, just get a Ford Bronco
If you’re not a fan of EVs, the Ford Bronco is a better choice right out of the gate. It either comes with a 2.3-liter inline-four, or a 2.7-liter V6. There is a 3-liter V6 that you’ll find in the Bronco Raptor, but that thing is the size of a house and only really at home in the desert.
Okay, so the Recon wins out in Horsepower terms. The 2.3-liter engine will get you 300 horsepower and 325 lb-ft of torque while the V6 ups it to 330 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque. The Jeep will absolutely kill the Bronco in a drag race. But we’re talking about off-roading. Not blasting down a quarter of a mile’s worth of runway as quickly as possible. And who cares about 0-60 times anyway?
The Bronco has more ground clearance if you opt for a better trim. Which you’ll need to if you want the V6, and you’ll be able to afford as the base model is $25,000 cheaper than the Jeep Recon. The “Sasquatch” is packing a very decent 11.5 inches, which should save you dinging anything important when scrambling over most rocks. Then there are the angles of approach and departure, the Recon gives you 33.8° and 33.1° respectively, while the Bronco Sasquatch toasts that with 43.2° and 37.2°.
While the Jeep has electric lockers, the Bronco has front and rear mechanical locking diffs, along with a front sway bar disconnect. The Bronco also has body on frame construction, a solid rear axle, an independent front axle, and it gets 300 miles from a full tank of gas (on a highway, not a trail).
On top of everything else, if the Bronco runs out of juice halfway up a mountain a jerry can full of gas solves the problem. If the Jeep has the same issue, someone has to get a generator and a can of gas to you. If you do hit a rock in the Bronco, at worst you’re dealing with a busted diff or transfer case. Not great, but it can be jerry rigged and you can self-rescue if push comes to shove. The Jeep has a battery pack on its underside. Now it may be well armored, but if a rock damages it enough you could be dealing with a chemical fire.
Having personally driven the Ford Bronco off-road on a number of occasions, I can confirm it’s one of the best vehicles for this type of venture. If you just want to get one straight off a lot and engage in some intermediate-to-advanced-level off roading, the Bronco is a great pick. If you don’t mind getting your hands dirty, get a Jeep but make it an older model from the 90s that’s either already been modified for the job or can serve as a perfect canvas for your own off-road based tweaks too.
Either way, it’s cheaper and more effective than the Recon.
