Of all the traditional American brands, Jeep has been the most specific in its preference for embracing an electrified future. It helps that its parent company is Stellantis, a global conglomerate of family brands, and that many modern Jeeps share its foundation. with the rest of the company’s brands.
This is the smallest Jeep on the market, the Avenger, a 4-meter-long compact SUV built on Stellantis’ usual electric modular platform, whose key elements are also found in the Fiat 600e, Peugeot 2008 and DS 3, among others. It’s a Europe-only car (you can’t sell it in the brand’s American heartland) and you can only get it in fully hybrid and electric versions.
As if to cement this Eurocentric orientation, the battery-electric Avenger is proud to receive the 2023 European Car of the Year award, bestowed through an industry acutely aware of the cultural replacement it represents. In terms of shape, there’s a lingering circle of similarities to the Jeeps of yesteryear, adding the boxier, road-oriented models like the Cherokee that emerged in the 1980s and 1990s. Compared to other SUVs, the smaller dimensions bring extra balance, as well as a sturdy, toy-like feel, something that other Jeep models like the Compass lack.
The Avenger sits at the top of the roof and can theoretically be used for smooth off-road rides (the drive selector includes a terrain selector as well as a hill descent system), making sure it maintains “100% of Jeep’s capabilities. “Even the names of the 3 trim levels – Length, Altitude and the flagship Summit – hint that the engine has more affinity with gorpcore culture than the big vintage brands. Design decisions, such as incorporating the color of the frame into the dashboard, help cement the rugged image, making it feel more in tune with the car’s physical presence.
The platform’s engineering is based first and foremost on those details, and the designers of the Avenger have scattered Easter eggs inside as a reminder of the brand’s heritage. Like the “hidden Mickeys” that permeate Disneyland, the original design of the Jeep’s grille can be discovered on the wheels and elsewhere, with neat little artwork at the base of the windows and even on the roof. Overall, the Avenger looks like a junior edition of Rivian’s “electric adventure” accent, a capable device with character.
Another uncommon area of concentration is the sound of turn signals. While Rivian evolved its turn signal sounds from wood-on-wood audio recordings, Jeep went a step further and mounted a virtual drum kit to give the noise of the Avenger’s signals a forged four. -Rhythm on the field. Whether you find those main points odd or man-made, Jeep is obviously doing everything right.
The Avenger has proven to be a savvy seller, with more than 40,000 units sold since its launch last year, 40 percent of which are natural electric versions. Perhaps the Jeep logo, after all, is breaking away from its military origins?It’s possibly still an SUV, but at least Jeep believes that the long run is rarely just about staying tall and powerful.
Jeep Avenger EV, from £35,700, Jeep. co. uk
Jonathan Bell has been writing for Wallpaper magazine since 1999, covering everything from architecture and transportation design to books, generation, and graphic design. He is now the magazine’s transport and generation editor. Jonathan has written and edited 15 books, adding Concept Car Design, 21st. Century House and The New Modern House. He is also the host of Wallpaper’s first podcast.