Consider what Hawkeye Pierce, B. J. Honeycutt and Radar O’Reilly did to show off the original Willys Jeep on MASH. Fast forward to today’s Jeep Wrangler Willys and enjoy the iconic World War II workhorse full time.
The four-door version still comes only in olive drab paint, a throwback to the highly versatile and off-road capable war machine. Parent company Stellantis of the Netherlands purchased Fiat Chrysler Automobile (FCA) in 2021 and ushered in the Jeep with great fanfare.
The 2025 limited edition Jeep Wrangler Willys 41 4xe is much larger than its original but there is no mistaking its origins.
We got high fives throughout test week from Jeep owners knowing its heritage while acknowledging its charm.
Once its four doors are removed and fabric or hardtop goes away, the modern Willys shows off its tan interior and drab-painted 17-inch wheels with 33-inch all-terrain paws. It’s very cool.
Subdued blue Willys and 4XE decals and a black ‘41’ hood marker are clearly visible and replace generous white stenciling prevalent on war-era Jeeps.
The Willys is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engine paired with two electric motors combine to develop 375 horsepower and 470 lb. ft of torque mated with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The plug-in hybrid powers the Jeep for 21 miles before its gas engine seamlessly takes over.
Make no mistake. Jeep’s rough and rugged ride continues in this throwback edition that reaches the 60 mile-per-hour sprint in a remarkable 5.5 seconds.
While charging is not essential, if your round-trip daily commute is under 21 miles, the savings are impressive. House current will charge its batteries in about 12 hours. Once its hybrid battery is exhausted, its 49 mpg rating drops to 20 mph.
Off-road capabilities are what you’d expect with its four-wheel drive system, skid plates, two-speed transfer case and available locking rear differential. The latter provides superior traction by distributing power to the “grip” wheel. While the Willy’s is not equipped for one pedal driving, its regenerative anti-lock four-wheel discs slow the Jeep considerably with foot off the accelerator.
On the outside, the Willys has standard front fog lights, halogen headlights and incandescent tail lights. The Willys is meant for casual highway travel under 65 mph. It is capable of higher speeds but not recommended.
U.S. and allied forces used more than 600,000 Willys from 1941-45. While exact sales figures are unknown, one source lists 2,300 new Willys out the door this year.
There is a price for all this nostalgia. Our tester tipped the scales at $73,095 including a mandatory 41 exterior paint job, convenience and technology package, black/heritage tan interior and safety group.
Driver assist technology includes adaptive cruise control without stop/go feature, forward collision warning, blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert.
Wireless connectivity is included and displayed on a 12.3-inch infotainment screen with available navigation. Trail-view camera, Alpine premium sound, off-road navigation with trail guides and four 120-volt outlets.
Cargo space with rear seats folded in the Willys is rated at 67 cubic feet, less than the regular Jeep Wrangler by 5 cubes.