Preview: 2026 Jeep Recon Electric SUV Is Trail Ready, Packs 650 HP
Jeep’s latest electric vehicle promises rapid acceleration, radical off-road capability, and a thoroughly modern interior
With design and packaging conceits that trace to the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Wrangler, the electric Jeep Recon is a unique new vehicle that is meant to balance doors-off, open-top adventuring with commute-ready civility.
Jeep DNA is evident throughout. With 650 hp on tap, it has SRT-level acceleration. The suspension articulation, drive modes, locking differentials, and high ground clearance mean it should be able to run with the Wrangler on trails. And the interior looks decidedly traditional, as if it were shared with an upscale Grand Cherokee.
- Jeep Recon: CR's Take Outside Inside What Drives It Safety and Driver Assistance
Photo: Jeep Photo: Jeep
CR's Take
The Recon looks to be a modern Jeep for drivers drawn to the Wrangler’s image and capabilities, but deterred by its myriad compromises.
The Recon’s interior, for example, looks far more contemporary than the Wrangler’s—it even has window switches on the doors! In that regard, the Recon seems more like a Grand Cherokee or even a Land Rover Defender.
The potent electric powertrain produces 650 horsepower, with stunning acceleration figures. However, the brick-like aerodynamics and three-ton curb weight limit range to a modest 230 miles. Notably, other EVs with a similar range, like the Toyota bZ4X, haven’t sold well. (The bZ’s update and name change for 2026 promise to increase its range and appeal).
With any Jeep, reliability is a concern. Even models the brand has built for years often stand out in our surveys for having below-average reliability. With such a thoroughly fresh design, we would advise shoppers to wait at least a year to see what our initial reliability reports show.
Outside
The Jeep Recon is an amalgam of existing Jeep models, designed to compete with the upcoming Scout Traveler and Land Rover Defender. While the Wrangler is known for heritage-inspired design with complex surfaces—a sculpted hood, notched front fenders, and wheel arch flares—the Recon’s body is much smoother. Its texture comes from sculpted fenders, the brand’s seven-slot grille, and raised exterior door hinges.
This gives the Recon a modern look, without making it look overtly like other swoopy, extroverted EVs. Of course, it has key trail-rated cues, with knobby off-road tires and colored tow hooks.
The Recon’s size is most similar to the Wagoneer S, though it is 9 inches taller. Both electric SUVs ride on a 113-inch wheelbase. The Recon stretches 193.3 inches bumper to bumper—a little more than the Wagoneer S and 5 inches more than the Wrangler Unlimited. There is no easy comparison to be made with other Jeep models, as the Recon is narrower and taller than some. A black painted roof is optional.
Photo: Jeep Photo: Jeep
Inside
The interior is not a transplant from the Wagoneer S. It is a distinct design for the Recon, blending large displays, modern conveniences, and off-road controls.
The digital dash uses a 12.3-inch screen, and the infotainment display is quite large at 14.5 inches. Many controls are handled through the touchscreen, but there are physical volume and tuning knobs.
The steering wheel is not round. The shape may be well suited to winding through meandering trails, but will no doubt feel odd when a driver is twirling it for sharp, low-speed turns. (The Wagoneer S steering wheel also deviates from a simple circle, with another non-conventional geometric design).
Photo: Jeep Photo: Jeep
There is a modular accessory rail above the instrument panel for mounting a dash cam, navigation device, or duck holder. (Yeah, it’s a Jeep thing.)
Unlike the Wrangler, the Recon’s removable doors have window switches on them, rather than in the middle of the vehicle. The doors also use a trendy electric release, which seems out of character for the brand.
The standard Alpine stereo features speakers located under the seats, rather than on the doors, seemingly to better share your music with fellow motorists when the doors are off. The infotainment system uses Uconnect 5, with graphics tailored to the Recon and integrated trail navigation.
The second-row seats fold flat, opening up an expansive space well-suited for stocking up at a warehouse store or for camping. Additional storage can be found under the hood, where the frunk is said to accommodate a piece of carry-on luggage.
Photo: Jeep Photo: Jeep
What Drives It
The Jeep Recon boasts 650 hp and 620 lb.-ft. of torque. There is a front and a rear electric drive module (EDM), each rated at 250 kW. Jeep says that the SUV can race from zero to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds in Sport mode. In regular ol’ Auto mode, it will go to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds. That’s probably quick enough. When off-roading, throttle response is adjusted through modes like Sand/Mud and Rock so that power comes on smoothly for crawling.
Like the GMC Hummer EV, the Recon brute forces its performance, overcoming its mass. It weighs more than three tons at 6,112 pounds. That makes it 1,632 pounds heavier than the last Jeep Wrangler Unlimited that Consumer Reports tested.
Despite its prodigious power, the Recon is rated to tow just 3,300 pounds.
The Recon uses a 400-volt system with a 100.5-kWh battery. The range on the Moab is estimated at 230 miles. Jeep says a future version may have a range up to 250 miles.
DC fast charging can replenish up to 100 miles in 10 minutes or go from 5 to 80 percent charged in less than a half hour. (The same charge at 120 volts would take about 52 hours.)
The Moab comes fitted with Nexen Roadian ATX all-terrain tires in 265/70/R18 size.
Photo: Jeep Photo: Jeep
Safety and Driver Assistance Systems
The Recon Moab comes with a healthy roster of standard safety and driver assistance features. It counts as standard equipment: automatic emergency braking (AEB), blind spot warning (BSW), rear cross traffic warning (RCTW), adaptive cruise control, active driving assistance (L2) that controls speed and lane placement, surround view camera, active parking assistance, driver monitoring, traffic sign recognition, and trailer-sway control. Appropriate for an off-roader, it also has "rough road" cruise control for trails, and if those trails are dusty or muddy, the front and rear camera washers will come in handy.
