With 470 horsepower and massive tires, a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 Xtreme Recon is perfect for going as the crow flies in a hurry. When you have lots of open space to unleash that Hemi, it’s a magnificent thing. But how does this long-wheelbase, solid-axle rig handle the more confined environment of a rally stage?
That’s what Wyatt Knox of Team O’Neil decided to find out. He piloted one of these V8 Wranglers around a technical rally course that also happened to be covered in snow. That wasn’t too much of an issue, however, as this particular Wrangler 392 was equipped with studded Nokian Hakkapeliittas—some of the best winter tires around. In 4-Hi and Off-Road Plus mode, it was still possible to spin all four at will, Knox said in the video.
The Jeep Rubicon 392. Will It Rally?
On the snow, the Wrangler’s biggest limitation wasn’t its size or high center of gravity, but the fact that its ABS couldn’t be disabled. This made it hard to deal with the truck’s inherent understeer, a product of the four-door Unlimited’s length and its solid front axle. Using the throttle to kick the back end out helped somewhat, but braking and downshifting in a straight line, track-driving style, were still the order of the day, rather than the usual rally tricks.
The Wrangler 392 doesn’t seem as strange to me as some of the other things Team O’Neil has brought to its rally course, Unlike a Ford F-450 Super Duty or Kia Sedona, the V8 version was at least built to go fast in a straight line. It also looks cool as heck sliding around in the snow. Knox said driving it was fun… but that he wouldn’t want to do it again.
That feedback isn’t exactly what ad blurbs are made of, but the Wrangler managed a respectable 2:26.34 time over the 1.25-mile course. That’s slower than even the Super Duty in snow-free conditions, but good compared to other times set in winter.
It’s also rare to see the Wrangler 392’s power actually being put to use, even as the V8 option itself becomes less rare. In just a year, Jeep went from signing the Wrangler 392’s death warrant to introducing new Moab and Willys versions alongside the Rubicon for 2026—the latter $30,000 cheaper than a 2025 Wrangler 392.
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