Skip to main content

2022 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 Wins Major Off-Roading Award

Four Wheeler, which claims to be the world's leading 4x4 authority since 1962, has selected the 2022 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 as the winner of its 49th-annual SUV of the Year award.

Four Wheeler magazine is dedicated to everything off-road. Every year, Four Wheeler chooses its top SUV and Truck of the Year. This year, the powerful 2022 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 wins 2022 SUV of the Year. According to the Four Wheeler Editors, “The Wrangler Rubicon 392 may just be the pinnacle of factory off-road SUVs. There has been nothing like it before, and there likely won't be anything of the sort once it's gone."

"The Jeep Wrangler 392 is the first vehicle in decades of testing to hit a bullseye on everything that the Four Wheeler staff has ever wanted in a factory 4x4,” said Four Wheeler Content Director Sean P. Holman. “With solid axles, front and rear lockers, a disconnecting anti-roll bar, flexy link-coil suspension, 35-inch tires and absolutely sublime V-8 integration that brings with it an incredible 470 horsepower and 470 lb.-ft. of useable torque, the Wrangler 392 elevates Jeep's iconic enthusiast vehicle to another plane and should be tops on any buying list for as long as it lasts."

2022 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392

The 2022 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 carries a 6.4-liter V-8 engine. It kicks out 470 horsepower and 470 lb.-ft. of torque. The 392 does 0-60 mph in 4.5 seconds. The Wrangler Rubicon 392 runs the quarter-mile in 13.0 seconds. Best of all, the vehicle comes with the off-roading package straight from the factory and backed with a factory warranty.

“Jeep’s Wrangler Rubicon 392 may just be the pinnacle of factory off-road performance. For generations off-road fans have been desperately seeking a vehicle with solid axles, big tires and a powerful V-8 engine. Jeep’s inclusion of the 470-horsepower 6.4-liter HEMI® V-8 engine in a Wrangler both shocked and delighted the off-roading world while fulfilling their collective wildest dreams,” said Truck Trend’s Jason Gonderman. “And the fact that you can pair it with all of the goodies that come with the Rubicon package, 35-inch tires through Jeep’s Xtreme Recon package, and that it all comes with a factory warranty is a combination that will truly be difficult to beat.”

The 2022 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4xe earns second place in the Four Wheeler competition. The Rubicon 4xe has the same torque rating as the 392 which is crucial when off-roading. The torque is instantaneous in an electric vehicle, which is a huge advantage in typical off-roading.

SUV Off-Road Testing

Four Wheeler judges included writers from several publications including Four Wheeler, 4-Wheel & Off-Road, and Truck Trend. The judges, including off-road industry experts, did a week of testing including both on and off-road performance. The judges tested performance in sand, rocky trails, rutted backroads and loose dirt hill climbs. They also tested night driving to check each vehicle’s lighting, especially off-road.

“Earning the title of Four Wheeler’s prestigious SUV of the Year award validates the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 both as the benchmark for high-performance SUVs, and also as the best of the best for extreme 4x4 capability,” said Jim Morrison, vice president and head of Jeep brand North America. “Having the top two spots, with Wrangler Rubicon 392 in first and Wrangler Rubicon 4xe in second, also shows the breadth of the Wrangler lineup defined by our customers. The Four Wheeler test is grueling and the team is loaded with avid and expert off-roaders who truly understand 4x4 capability, which makes this honor even more meaningful.”

According to Four Wheeler, the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 and the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4xe competed against the Ford Bronco, GMC Yukon AT4, Jeep Grand Cherokee L and Wagoneer Series III.

The 2022 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 and the 2022 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4xe are both built at the Jeep Assembly Complex in Toledo, Ohio.

Jeep Photo

Follow Mary Conway at @maryconwaymedia and send her car news tips for future stories.