Jeep Avenger fails to impress with three-star Euro NCAP rating

The new 2024 Jeep Avenger has garnered a sub-par three-star Euro NCAP safety rating less than a month our from its Australian release, boding poorly for the compact SUV’s chances of a decent ANCAP score.

The mediocre performance mirrors the disappointing three-star ANCAP rating dished-out to the Wrangler 4x4 SUV and closely related Gladiator pick-up truck back in 2019, with the Avenger’s performance hampered by poor ratings for its rear side impact and autonomous emergency braking system.

NCAP testers noted the baby Jeep should also come with a child presence detection system.

Despite the middling three-star rating, the Avenger actually returned a decent 79 per cent for adult protection and a 70 per cent score for overall child occupant protection.

The three-star rating comes as something of a shock seeing as the related Opel Mokka was awarded a more respectable four-star rating, albeit against the more lenient 2021 testing protocols.

Since then, the Euro NCAP test regime has been uprated to include stricter standards for cars submerged in water and more rigorous testing of driver aids, plus the new requirement to fit child presence detection.

Reflecting on the poor outcome, Euro NCAP secretary general Michiel van Ratingen said that the result showed a “clear lack of ambition” from Jeep as well as its parent company.

“There is growing competition in the car industry, and Stellantis has had to take several steps to secure the future of its brands. But safety should not be where a car manufacturer makes its savings,” he said.

“Euro NCAP will continue to highlight shortcomings in this area for the benefit of European car buyers.”

Responding to the result, Stellantis released a statement reiterating how the company remains “dedicated to offering customers clean, safe and affordable mobility with products that fulfil the most stringent regulations across the world.

“We strive to enhance the safety features of each new generation of vehicles. As part of our ongoing product improvement efforts, we consider the new third-party assessments and integrate proven technological solutions into our engineering process where relevant.

“Stellantis believes there is no single way to measure vehicle safety; third-party assessments are one of many inputs used when designing the safety of our vehicles.”

In the same round of testing, Euro NCAP awarded four-star ratings to the new Renault Captur and Renault Symbioz while the Audi Q6 e-tron, Ford Explorer, Subaru Crosstrek, Subaru Impreza and XPeng G6 all garnered five stars.

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