Jeep, the brand synonymous with rugged off-road adventure, took a slightly different approach in Europe. The smallest Jeep ever, the Avenger, was initially launched only in a front-wheel-drive gas-powered or electric version. Finally, the company is correcting its course and introducing an AWD model with a hybrid powertrain. Unfortunately, the Avenger won’t be coming to America anytime soon.
A Pint-Sized Trailblazer
Everything about the Jeep Avenger is on the small end of things. It’s only 160 inches long and 70 inches wide. It stands 60 inches tall – that’s as tall as Danny DeVito! And then there’s the engine — a 1.2-liter turbocharged inline three-cylinder contraption. That’s smaller than a half-gallon bottle of milk. And yet, this tiny engine pumps out 136 horsepower all day long.
This tiny lump wouldn’t have much luck making the Avenger lively, but thankfully, it gets some help. There are two electric motors, each rated at 28 hp — one at the front and the other at the rear axle. The whole setup is coupled with a dual-clutch auto transmission, and despite being a reasonably complicated team, it promises to deliver hours of fun.
Jeep is taking a page from Suzuki Jimny’s book here. Small size, increased ride height to 8.26 inches, ability to ford water up to 16 inches, and plenty of torque at any given moment make the Avenger surprisingly agile off the beaten track.
Built For Messy Adventures
The Avenger 4xe has rugged bumpers, optional all-terrain tires, a rear tow hitch, and clever driving modes. We have dedicated settings for snow, mud, and sand. There’s even an ambitiously sounding Sport mode, although it’s hard to expect the Avenger to feel sporty. It handles the 0 to 62 mph sprint in a rather leisurely 9.5 seconds, enough not to embarrass you at the traffic lights.
The drivetrain is quite interesting. The 4×4 mode is always on with a 50:50 split between front and rear — as long as you don’t go faster than 19 mph. Between 19 mph and 56 mph, the rear motor only chimes in when it senses loss of traction at the front. At any speed above the 56 mph limit, the rear motor disengages completely, trying to save some fuel. It’s complicated but clever.
The spirit of adventure is well and truly alive inside the little Jeep. Special coating makes the interior easy to clean, plus the seats are waterproof and stain-resistant. On paper, the Avenger sounds like a little gem. It looks good and promises to be cheap to run and fun to drive. The only thing that’s not so good about it? It’s not available in the U.S. – at least not yet.