Back in 2021, Jeep announced that it would do something that it had never done in the 34-year history of the Wrangler: offer it with a V8. It wasn’t just a regular 5.7-liter Hemi, though—Jeep went up a notch and stuffed the massive 392 between the JL Wrangler’s hood latches. Just a few years later, Jeep broke the news that the limited-production (3,700 units worldwide) 2024 model would be the Final Edition of the off-road monster. It didn’t take long for Jeep to change its tune: the 2025 Wrangler Rubicon 392 would be the end of the line. Naturally, I jumped at the chance to review one while I still could.
EVOLUTIONARY CHANGE
Since it debuted, the Wrangler Rubicon 392 has become progressively better equipped and more capable. It started off with upgraded frame rails, unique suspension geometry, heavy-duty brakes, FOX shocks, and 33-inch tires on 17-inch beadlock-capable wheels. For 2024, all Wranglers received a new seven-slot grille design, updated interior with standard 12.3-inch Uconnect 5 infotainment touchscreen, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, standard side curtain airbags in the first and second rows, and more. Rubicon models came equipped with a Dana 44 full-float rear axle designed for greater strength and easier worst-case-scenario repairs. The same year, Jeep upgraded the Rubicon 392 for its send-off by adding a Warn 8,000-pound winch, rock sliders, tool kit, a half inch to the existing two-inch lift, and a triple-hoop grille guard.
The Rubicon 392’s price has increased with those improvements. With the $1,495 destination charge included, the 2021 launch edition had an MSRP of $74,995. According to the window sticker, my 2025 Final Edition test vehicle had a starting price of $99,995. Adding the Hydro Blue Pearl-Coat paint, Sky One-Touch power-retractable soft top, and the built-in Mopar air compressor took the final price up to a stratospheric $108,475.
WHERE THE MONEY WENT
What hasn’t changed is the thing that makes the Rubicon 392 the ultimate factory Wrangler: the 6.4-liter Hemi, which fires 470 horses and 470 lb-ft of torque through an eight-speed automatic and Selec-Trac full-time four-wheel drive.
Given how high it stood on its 35-inch BFGoodrich KO2s and the malevolence coming out of the dual-mode exhaust’s four outlets, there was no mistaking the Rubicon 392 for a regular Wrangler. But the engine that made it special also highlighted the relative ordinariness of everything around it. Although my media loaner had Nappa leather seats and the fancy retractable roof, it didn’t feel like I was in a $100,000-plus vehicle.
And even though the big Hemi gave the Wrangler a huge boost in power, the changes seemed to stop there. Yes, the Rubicon 392 was as quick as some sports cars, with a 0-60 mph time of 4.5 seconds, but its engine didn’t magically transform it into a fundamentally different vehicle. The sum was not greater than its parts: the Rubicon 392 felt like a Wrangler with a giant engine in it. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. In hindsight, that simplicity was refreshing in an age in which so many companies try to make their SUVs haul people and cargo like a utility vehicle yet accelerate and handle like a performance sedan—there’s nothing wrong with a dedicated, specialist vehicle. Despite its extra grunt, the Rubicon 392 is still undeniably a body-on-frame rig focused on dominating whatever it encounters in the wild. The combination of that singular focus with nearly 500 horsepower makes the Rubicon a ridiculous, wild, indulgent, over-the-top cartoon of a vehicle rendered in metal and rubber. It felt like an absolute tank and made me feel as if I could roll over anything. If I didn’t feel like doing that, I could blow past it with a quick stab of the throttle and a big grin on my face, the 392 roaring furiously the whole way.
JUST GO WITH IT
To my pleasant surprise, my weekend with the Rubicon 392 coincided with my pal Brad and his friend Chris having rare openings in their busy schedules. After I picked them up, we blazed our way to the Four Peaks trail in Arizona’s Tonto National Forest. The plan was to test the Rubicon 392 much like my colleague Luke and I did when we had the 2025 Toyota Tacoma Trailhunter. I had no concerns about getting stuck because we aired the tires down with the Mopar air compressor and the front and rear lockers could get the rest done.
For better traction and throttle control, I muscled the transfer case lever into 4LO and started the ascent up the main trail. The higher we climbed, the more stunning the views were—and the further we kept going. The idea of going back down to find an obstacle that would ultimately fail to challenge the Rubicon 392’s grip and ground clearance became less and less appealing. All I wanted to do was go higher. Luckily, Brad and Chris felt the same way. At one point, we reached a pull-off area that gave us an unforgettable view of Roosevelt Lake. By the time we turned around to go back down, we were roughly 5,800 feet up.
A part of me felt uneasy about not having conducted a technical test of the Rubicon 392, but then I thought about our excursion and what the Wrangler is all about. It’s built to take you anywhere you want to go, no matter how remote, no matter how challenging the journey there may be. Swept away by the spirit of adventure, Brad, Chris, and I wanted to go where the trail ahead took us. The Rubicon 392 got us there, just as V8-powered CJs in decades past transported their passengers to distant peaks miles away from awe-inspiring horizons.
MORE TO COME
It seems even the second iteration of the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 Final Edition is a point on a timeline, not the end of it. Back in August, Jeep CEO Bob Broderdorf said, “We will extend the availability of the 392 Wrangler, and in fact, we will tap the power and performance of the Hemi across Jeep products as new projects are already underway.” While that means the 2025 Final Edition won’t be a singular piece of Jeep history, the trade-off is that future V8 Jeeps will give more people a chance to tap into a significant part of the brand’s past—something that has always been a part of its vehicles, especially the Wrangler.
