The Jeep Recon 4x4 has been spotted testing on public roads for the first time ahead of its launch next year.

New images of the prototypes captured in Michigan, the US, reveal that the production car remains faithful to the digital renders previously released by the brand, with bluff, Wrangler-like proportions. 

However, it's yet to be seen whether the LED-lit grille from the 2023 Recon concept (pictured below) will make it to the road, owing to the placement of camouflage on the prototypes.

All the Recon prototypes spotted on the road were electric, but it's possible that the car will also gain a hybrid powertrain shortly after launch, Jeep boss Antonio Filosa previously told Autocar.

As with the Wrangler, the Recon will be engineered to offer considerable off-road ability and feature removable doors. It will have around 600bhp and a range of 373 miles.

The Recon will arrive at a similar time to the Wagoneer S, a luxury flagship with a more road-going focus. Both are bespoke EVs based on Jeep parent company Stellantis’s new STLA Large platform.

In response to the slowdown in growth of EV sales, Jeep recently launched a petrol-engined version of the Avenger electric crossover in the UK.

Fellow Stellantis brand Fiat did the same with the closely related 600 and is said to be developing an ICE powertrain for the currently electric-only 500. Asked whether that slowdown could prompt ICE versions of the Wagoneer S and Recon, Filosa said: “So far, our plan is BEV only.”

But he added: “Wagoneer S will stay BEV-only, for sure. But [while] being faithful to our main strategy of deep electrification, we can think about opportunities on Recon. Let’s see: Recon will be built on a platform that is very versatile.”

Filosa said it was unlikely that the Recon would be offered with a pure-petrol engine, hinting that any ICE-equipped model would likely be a hybrid.

He added: “We are just studying [development on the Recon] and just analysing if there are options for the future – but so far it’s BEV.”

Filosa reiterated Stellantis’s commitment to its current electrification strategy, with the goal of electric cars accounting for 100% of sales in Europe, 50% in the US and 20% in South America by 2030.

“We are very versatile in our platforms, and while many of our competitors are only strong in one continent, we are strong in the rest of the world,” he said, highlighting that Brazil – which is focusing on ethanol fuel – is Jeep’s second largest market behind the US.

“To keep our strengths in those regions, we need to invest in other possibilities [than electric], and since we have those investments running, we can adopt them immediately for other regions.

“But our strategy is going 100% electric in Europe. If the political leaders of Europe decide differently, then we will need to adapt, and we will adapt very fast.”