CRAWLING CONCEPTS

2023 Easter Jeep Safari Jeep Concepts Drive

- BRYON DORR

Every year Jeep debuts a handful of concept cars at Easter Jeep Safari (EJS) in Moab. And, every year they have a few select media out to drive all the concepts off-road before they go on display to the public. This is a bold move that you don’t see from any other auto manufacturer. Not only are the concept vehicles running, driving, and properly off-road capable, but they get used in the environment they were built for, even before going on display at shows across the country.

Of course, Moab in the spring can dish out some interesting weather, and this year it sure did. We saw a mix of snow, sleet, hail, a bit of rain, lots of wind, and even some perfect sunshine, all in the span of a few hours. Making that weather and this concept drive all that much more interesting is the fact that all seven concepts for 2023 were open-top and/or had at most half-doors. Battling the weather is part of the fun though, and the sunny breaks in the weather with big fluffy white clouds, blue skies, and snow-capped mountain backdrops made Moab come alive.

Bundled up in many layers I managed to slip behind the wheel of all seven 2023 EJS Jeep concepts for a drive. While the Grand Wagoneer Overland, all-electric and six-speed manual Magneto 3.0, and retro cool ’78 Cherokee 4Xe got most of the attention this year, it was the bright green 392 Scrambler that really impressed me. Let’s dive into what each 2023 Jeep concept has to offer, including the driving experience.