The COTY jurors have chosen the Jeep Avenger as “Car of the Year 2023,” besting six other nominees. In no particular order, said nominees are the Toyota bZ4X together with its Subaru-branded sibling, Peugeot 408, Kia Niro, Renault Austral, Volkswagen ID.Buzz, and Nissan Ariya.
The final voting round took place at the Brussels Motor Show, which opened its doors to the media on January 13th. Held at the Brussels Expo in the northern part of Brussels, the show will conclude on January 22nd.
Not available in North America, the Avenger won “Car of the Year 2023” with 328 points to its name. Despite abysmal sales and deliveries in 2022, the Volkswagen ID. Buzz received 241 points. The Nissan Ariya couldn't do better than 211 points, followed by the Kia Niro with 200 points, Renault Austral with 163, Peugeot 408 with 149, and bZ4X/Solterra twins with 133.
Slotted below the Renegade in Jeep’s portfolio, the B-segment utility vehicle is manufactured at the Tychy plant in Poland for the European market, alongside the Fiat 500e. It will be soon joined by badge-engineered crossovers from the Fiat and Alfa Romeo brands, although not much is known about those two for the time being.
Based on the STLA Small architecture, a development of the Common Modular Platform introduced by Groupe PSA in 2018 with the DS 3 Crossback, the newcomer went official in September 2022 at the Paris Motor Show. Jeep already confirmed both electric and combustion-engined options, 200 millimeters (7.9 inches) of ground clearance, a 20-degree approach angle, and a 32-degree departure angle. Not bad for a small SUV.
The order books for the 2023 model year Avenger opened on December 1st, following more than 10,000 pre-orders. The launch specification is dubbed – no surprises here – Avenger 1st Edition. Scheduled to start deliveries in the second quarter of 2023, this configuration is priced at €39,500 ($42,800 at current exchange rates) or €249 ($270) per month.
The all-electric version of the all-new Avenger is estimated at up to 404 kilometers (make that 251 miles) of zero-emission range on the WLTP combined test cycle. In the urban jungle, make that 550 kilometers (342 miles). A 1.2-liter turbocharged three-cylinder mill of Groupe PSA origin is also available, packing 100 metric ponies. Joined by a six-speed manual, this lump drinks 5.5 liters of dinosaur juice per 100 kilometers in the combined test cycle, as in 51.4 imperial or 42.8 U.S. miles per gallon.
No fewer than three grades are listed in Italy for the Jeep Avenger, with prices starting at €23,300 ($25,240) for the entry-level Longitude. Highlight features include Selec-Terrain and Hill Descent Control, a digital instrument cluster and touchscreen infotainment system, LED headlights, and 16-inch alloy wheels.
The Altitude adds the likes of adaptive cruise control, 17-inch alloys, and a power liftgate. The range-topping Summit builds on the Altitude with goodies such as 18-inch alloy wheels with a two-tone finish, a hands-free power liftgate, 360-degree parking sensors, and a reversing camera.
The all-electric version kicks off with a sub-Longitude trim level dubbed Avenger, which is currently priced at €35,400 ($38,350). More powerful than the combustion-engined sib thanks to 156 metric ponies, the Avenger EV needs only 24 minutes to charge from 20 to 80 percent at 100 kW.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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