The all-new Jeep® Avenger, the brand’s first-ever battery electric vehicle (BEV), has been named European Car of the Year 2023.
The compact Jeep Avenger B-SUV is the first Jeep brand vehicle to win this prestigious award in the competition’s 60-year history.
The Avenger was shortlisted with six other finalists, which were the Kia Niro, Nissan Ariya, Peugeot 408, Renault Austral, Subaru Solterra/Toyota bZ4X and the Volkswagen ID Buzz.
The winner was decided by votes from an independent panel of 57 expert jurors from 22 countries, organized by nine automotive publications. The Avenger’s score was 328 points attracting 21 ‘best’ votes, and it was 87 points ahead of the second placed vehicle. The jurors from all but one country ranked the Avenger in a top three ‘podium’ position.
The result was announced in a ceremony at the Brussels Motorshow in Belgium on Friday, January 13th.
Søren W. Rasmussen, the new President of the Car of the Year Jury, says about the result:
“The Jeep Avenger is a well-deserved winner of Car of the Year. In a convincing way, it reflects the time the car world has entered, and it radiates with its design the great change that the well-known brand is facing. The Jeep Avenger is a true European, and it has so many good features that it is a very satisfied jury that stands behind the title: Car of the Year 2023. Congratulations!”
“The Jeep Avenger has proved to be a perfect combination for most uses: it is compact and agile for city use, has enough power and torque to navigate any kind of road, and a good range even for medium-range trips. Even though it’s just 4.08 meters long, there’s plenty of room inside. It is a complete car, not a city car. But above all, it has a design that rocks” said Alberto Sabbatini, Vice-President Car Of The Year organization.
“We’re honored and proud that this distinguished jury of European automotive experts, has chosen the first-ever Jeep brand fully-electric SUV as European Car of the Year.” said Christian Meunier, Jeep brand CEO.
“This is the first time that the Jeep brand has been both a finalist and a winner in this competition and it showcases the significance of the Jeep Avenger as a key component in our global electrification strategy, as the brand moves towards becoming the world leader in zero-emission SUVs. Congratulations to all the other finalists in what was a tough competition.”
Antonella Bruno, Head of Jeep brand in Europe, said: “The Avenger confirms the Jeep brand’s commitment to the European market and to electrification. It represents a significant step in the Jeep brand’s electric evolution in Europe, spearheading a portfolio of capable, fully electric vehicles right sized for Europe.”
The introduction of the Jeep Avenger in Europe marks the beginning of the next phase of the electrification of the Jeep brand – the BEV wave – that will see four fully-electric vehicles hit the market by 2025. By the end of 2030, the Jeep brand’s European sales will be 100% pure electric.
The new Avenger is a compact SUV which, at just four meters in length, is positioned in the rapidly growing B-SUV the second biggest European segment in terms of volume.
Agile, capable, quiet, and fun to drive, it offers dynamic performance levels thanks to its instant torque. The new SUV is for active people who are looking for a vehicle with compact dimensions and state-of-the-art technological features.
With an electric fuel range of up to 400 km in the WLTP cycle and more than 550 km in the city*. A new electric powertrain combines a unique 400-volt electric motor with 115 kilowatts and 260 Nm of maximum torque and a new 54 kWh battery.
Building on the success of the exclusive 1st Edition, a fully-equipped launch version of which 8,000 units were sold following its launch at the Paris Motor Show in October, orders can now be made on the entire Jeep Avenger range. The first deliveries are expected in the second quarter of this year.
The all-new Jeep Avenger is available at a competitive price, aimed at facilitating the transition to electric powertrains. In countries where Government incentives are in place, the new Jeep Avenger BEV will be available at an entry price below 30,000 euros.
SOURCE: Stellantis
