Jeep Avenger SUV expands petrol engine availability
Not just an EV model, Jeep’s new baby SUV will soon be offered in petrol guise in UK and other marketsLaunched in Europe last year with great fanfare as an all-new EV, the 2023 Jeep Avenger small SUV is becoming increasingly available in overseas markets with a traditional petrol engine – including the right-hand-drive UK.
Jeep Australia is yet to confirm if the latest moves will improve the prospects of the Avenger heading Down Under, having previously ruled out the EV version.
But ramping up production of the petrol-engined Jeep Avenger in right-hand drive form could pave the way for a possible launch Down Under.
Jeep Europe CEO Eric Laforge recently told Automotive News Europe that the petrol Avenger’s sales and market expansion into the UK, Germany and France was a “pragmatic” response to the independent imports and subsequent scalping of internal combustion examples sold in other markets such Italy and Spain by third-party brokers.
“We are offering limited batches of gasoline Avengers in France, Germany and the UK, and I expect them to account for few thousand units in the full year,” said Laforge.
Just one ‘Altitude’ petrol variant is being offered across these three previously EV-centric markets, powered by a 1.2-litre turbocharged three-cylinder outputting a modest 74kW and driving the front wheels via a six-speed manual transmission.
That’s considerably lower than the battery-electric variant’s 116kW and is partially offset by the Altitude petrol’s €27,000 ($A44,591) starting price in Germany – some €10,000 ($A16,516) less than the equivalent EV.
At this stage, the Avenger’s siblings – the Fiat 600e and upcoming Alfa Romeo Visconti – are also yet to be confirmed for the Australian market.
However, the Visconti nameplate has been trademarked with IP Australia, suggesting at least one of the new breed of small SUVs emerging from the Stellantis group will eventually be sold here.
Related: New 2023 Jeep Avenger named European Car of the Year
Related: PARIS MOTOR SHOW: Jeep Avenger 4x4 Concept unveiled
Related: Jeep reveals three new electric SUVs
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