Recon vs Wrangler
650 horsepower and 222 miles of range against a 4:1 low range and 5,000 pounds of towing. We sell both.
The one structural fact that reframes this whole choice: the Recon is not the Wrangler's replacement and it is not a rung above it. They are two different machines that happen to share a badge, a philosophy and a set of removable doors. The Wrangler is a body-on-frame truck with solid axles and a two-speed transfer case. The Recon is a unibody electric SUV with independent front suspension, 650 horsepower and a single-speed drive. Neither is a compromised version of the other.
We sell both, and this page is not written to move you from one to the other. It is written so you can tell which one belongs in your driveway. Every figure below is sourced, and the pricing figures carry their own basis so you are not comparing two different kinds of number.
Quick Answer
The two vehicles
Nine trims, three engines and the most direct line to what a Jeep has always been. The 3.6L V6 makes 285 horsepower and is the only engine offered with a manual gearbox; the 2.0L turbo makes 270; the 6.4L V8 in the 392 editions makes 470. Every one drives through a two-speed transfer case, with Rock-Trac's 4:1 low range and an available 100:1 crawl ratio at the top of the range. Solid front and rear axles, a body-on-frame chassis, a three-piece removable hardtop, removable doors and a windshield that folds flat. Four-door models seat five, carry 31.7 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 72.4 with them folded, tow up to 5,000 pounds properly equipped, and run 18 city, 23 highway and 20 combined mpg with the V6 automatic. Prices start at $36,035 excluding destination and reach $79,995 for the Moab 392.
One trim, one powertrain, and a badge no other electric vehicle carries: The Recon is the only fully electric vehicle to be Trail Rated. Two 250 kW drive modules make a combined 650 horsepower and 620 lb-ft, taking 6,112 pounds to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds. A 100.5-kWh battery gives an EPA-rated 222 miles combined and 250 in the city. Independent front suspension, a single-speed transfer case, a standard rear electronic locking differential and standard 33-inch all-terrain tires on 9.1 inches of ground clearance. Removable doors, removable rear quarter glass and removable swing gate glass. Five seats, 30.3 cubic feet behind the second row and 65.9 folded, plus a 3.0-cubic-foot front trunk. Towing is up to 3,300 pounds properly equipped. One price: $66,995 delivered.
Numbers
Ordered by price ascending, Wrangler first. Every row is per vehicle; nothing is inherited between them.
| Specification | 2026 Wrangler, 4-door | 2026 Recon Moab |
|---|---|---|
| Power | 285 hp V6, 270 hp turbo four, 470 hp V8 on the 392 editions | 650 hp from two 250 kW electric drive modules |
| Transmission | 8-speed automatic, or a 6-speed manual with the V6 | Single-speed direct drive |
| Transfer case | Two-speed. Command-Trac and Selec-Trac at 2.72:1, Rock-Trac at 4:1, up to a 100:1 crawl ratio | Single-speed. No low range; Selec-Speed Control and Rock mode manage low speed |
| Axles and suspension | Solid front and rear axles, body-on-frame | Short-long arm independent front, integral link rear, STLA-Large unibody |
| Maximum towing, properly equipped | 5,000 lbs | 3,300 lbs |
| Efficiency | 18 city / 23 hwy / 20 combined mpg, V6 automatic (fueleconomy.gov) | 80 city / 62 hwy / 71 combined MPGe (fueleconomy.gov) |
| Refuel or recharge | 21.5-gallon tank, minutes at any pump | 222 miles EPA range, about 28 minutes from 5 to 80 percent on DC fast charging |
| Wheelbase | 118.4 in | 112.9 in |
| Length | 188.4 in | 193.3 in |
| Curb weight | 4,251 to 4,976 pounds by configuration | 6,112 pounds |
| Cargo behind the rear seats | 31.7 cu ft | 30.3 cu ft, plus a 3.0 cu ft front trunk |
| Cargo, rear seats folded | 72.4 cu ft | 65.9 cu ft |
| Seating | 5 | 5 |
| Open air | Removable doors, three-piece removable hardtop, fold-down windshield | Removable doors, rear quarter glass and swing gate glass; dual-pane sunroof standard, Sky One-Touch Power Top available |
Money
Read the basis column before the number. Jeep publishes Wrangler trim prices excluding destination and publishes the Recon's starting price with destination already included, so the two are not on the same footing and we have not computed a difference between them.
| Vehicle | Starting MSRP | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Wrangler Sport | $36,035 | Excludes destination |
| Wrangler Rubicon | $45,815 | Excludes destination |
| Wrangler Moab 392 | $79,995 | Excludes destination |
| Recon Moab | $66,995 | Includes destination |
The shape of it is that the Wrangler's nine trims span a wide range and the Recon occupies one point inside it, above a Rubicon and below a Moab 392. Both ranges are wide enough that the sensible question is not which vehicle is cheaper but which configuration of either does what you need. Neither figure includes tax, title, registration or dealer-installed options. Get pre-approved and we will run real numbers on both.
Each on its merits
Real gearing. A two-speed transfer case with a 4:1 Rock-Trac low range and an available 100:1 crawl ratio is mechanical torque multiplication, and on a long technical climb it does something no software can replicate. This is the single largest hardware difference between the two vehicles.
Towing. 5,000 pounds properly equipped against 3,300. If your trailer is a boat rather than a pair of watercraft, that gap decides it outright.
Refuelling anywhere, in minutes. A 21.5-gallon tank and a pump on every corner. No charging plan, no cold-weather range arithmetic, no thinking about it on a spontaneous run to the White Mountains.
Articulation. Solid axles front and rear keep tires on the ground over broken terrain in a way independent suspension does not, and a Rubicon's disconnecting sway bar takes that further still.
Choice. Nine trims, three engines, a manual gearbox and a V8 if you want one. From $36,035 to $79,995 excluding destination, there is a Wrangler for almost any budget and any intent.
The full open-air experience. The doors come off, the three-piece hardtop comes off, and the windshield folds flat. Nothing else on sale does all three.
Cargo with the seats down. 72.4 cubic feet against 65.9. For a tip run or a house move, the Wrangler is the bigger box.
Power, by a distance. 650 horsepower and 620 lb-ft, available instantly, taking 6,112 pounds to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds. The nearest Wrangler figure is the 470-hp V8 in the 392 editions.
Running cost. 71 MPGe combined against 20 mpg. Charged overnight at home the Recon leaves full every morning, and stop-and-go traffic on Route 101 costs it almost nothing.
Maintenance. No oil changes, no filters, no plugs, no belts. Tire rotations every 5,000 to 7,500 miles and a fluid check every 25,000. Both vehicles carry the same 3-year or 36,000-mile basic limited warranty; the Recon adds an 8-year, 100,000-mile EV limited battery warranty on top of it.
Traction control that thinks faster. A motor at each axle means torque is commanded independently front to rear, with no driveshaft in between. On a glazed road in January that reacts faster than any mechanical system can.
Standard capability hardware. A rear electronic locking differential, 33-inch all-terrain tires and steel underbody shields are standard on the one trim, not a package you climb to.
Screens and assistance. A 14.5-inch touchscreen, a 12.3-inch cluster, a 360-degree camera and more than 170 standard and available safety and security features, with Active Driving Assist among them.
Refinement. Independent front suspension, a low-mounted battery and no engine noise. On a daily commute up I-95 that is a materially calmer vehicle.
The decision
Route by use, not by budget. Both are on the lot and either one is a straight answer to the right question.
| If this is you | Buy this |
|---|---|
| You crawl technical rock, or wheel far from pavement for whole days | Wrangler Rubicon. The 4:1 low range and the solid axles are the tools for that job. See Wrangler inventory |
| You tow a boat to Great Bay or a trailer over 3,300 pounds | Wrangler, properly equipped for 5,000 pounds. See Wrangler inventory |
| You have no home charger and park on the street | Wrangler. Charging access decides this before anything else does. See Wrangler inventory |
| You want a manual gearbox, a V8, or a specific trim and budget | Wrangler. Nine trims and three engines against one of each. See Wrangler inventory |
| You commute daily from Exeter or Stratham and charge in your garage | Recon Moab. The 250-mile EPA city rating and a plug at home make fuel stops a thing you used to do. See Recon inventory |
| You want the quickest Jeep on the lot | Recon Moab. 650 horsepower and 3.6 seconds to 60 mph. See Recon inventory |
| Your off-road is gravel, forest roads, sand and snow rather than rock | Recon Moab. 9.1 inches, a rear locker and 33-inch tires cover all of it, and it is nicer to get there in. See Recon inventory |
| You want doors off in summer and a quiet cabin the rest of the year | Recon Moab, with the Sky One-Touch Power Top if you want the roof gone too. See Recon inventory |
Drive both
Book them back to back and the answer usually settles itself inside twenty minutes. Call (603) 431-8900 and we will have one of each ready. We are on Lafayette Road, a short run from Exeter, Stratham, Epping and Lee, down Route 101 from Rochester, or straight up from Kittery over the bridge.
One local note that decides more of these than any spec: an NH Seacoast winter is salt, freeze-thaw and short trips, and both vehicles handle that well for different reasons. The Wrangler shrugs it off mechanically; the Recon does the short-trip city cycle at 250 miles of rated range while its high-voltage system sits sealed behind steel. Browse Recon inventory or value your trade.
Questions
No. Both are in the 2026 lineup and both are on this lot. The Wrangler continues in nine trims with three engines; the Recon is a separate electric model.
It depends entirely on the terrain. On technical rock and long crawls the Wrangler's 4:1 low range, solid axles and available 100:1 crawl ratio are decisive. On the gravel, sand, snow and forest roads around Pawtuckaway State Park the Recon's instant torque, rear locker, 33-inch tires and 9.1 inches of clearance handle it, and both wear the Trail Rated badge.
The Wrangler. Properly equipped, a four-door tows up to 5,000 pounds against the Recon's 3,300 pounds with the Trailer Tow Group.
The Recon, comfortably. 650 horsepower and 620 lb-ft take it to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds. The most powerful Wrangler is the 470-hp 6.4L V8 in the 392 editions.
Yes. The Recon's doors, rear quarter glass and swing gate glass all come off without tools. The Wrangler goes further: its three-piece hardtop comes off as well and its windshield folds flat.
The Recon, on the published figures: 71 MPGe combined against 20 mpg for a V6 automatic Wrangler, and a maintenance schedule with no oil changes at all. The Wrangler's advantage is that refuelling takes minutes anywhere, with no home charger required.
The Wrangler with the seats folded, at 72.4 cubic feet against 65.9. Behind the rear seats they are close, 31.7 against 30.3, and the Recon adds a 3.0-cubic-foot front trunk the Wrangler has no equivalent to.
No. The Recon's transfer case is single-speed, so there is no low-range gearset and no crawl ratio. It uses motor torque, Rock mode and Selec-Speed Control instead. The Wrangler's two-speed case offers 2.72:1 on Command-Trac and Selec-Trac and 4:1 on Rock-Trac.
Explore the Recon
Next Step
Tell us how you will use it and we will point you at the right configuration on the lot.
* The advertised price does not include sales tax, vehicle registration fees, other fees required by law, finance charges and any documentation charges. A negotiable administration fee, up to $115, may be added to the price of the vehicle.
* Images, prices, and options shown, including vehicle color, trim, options, pricing and other specifications are subject to availability, incentive offerings, current pricing and credit worthiness.