Topping the list of nominees for European Car of the Year 2023 was the all-new Jeep Avenger, the company's first battery electric vehicle (BEV). Throughout the competition's 60-year existence, the Jeep vehicle had ever won this honor when the B-SUV, which measures just over four meters in length, took home the top prize.
Six additional vehicles, including the Kia Niro, Nissan Ariya, Peugeot 408, Renault Austral, Toyota bZ4X, and Volkswagen ID Buzz, made the cut with the new Jeep Avenger.
The Jeep Avenger received 328 points out of a possible 360, with 21 perfect scores, from an impartial panel of 57 auto experts representing 22 nations and convened by nine car publications. That gave them an easy 87-point advantage over second place. The conclusion was revealed at a ceremony held on January 13 at the Brussels Motor Show in Belgium.
"Jeep Avenger is worthy of Car of the Year," remarked Sren W. Rasmussen, the jury's newly appointed president. Its design successfully conveys the new era in the automotive industry and the dramatic transformation that the storied label is set to undergo. The Jeep Avenger, a real European with so many desirable features that the committee had difficulty deciding, was named Car of the Year 2023. Congratulations!"
The CEO of the Jeep brand, Christian Meunier, said, "We are thrilled and proud that this prestigious jury of European automotive specialists has chosen Jeep's first all-electric SUV as European Car of the Year."
"This is the first time a Jeep vehicle has made it to the finals of this competition. The brand's victory shows how vital the Jeep Avenger is to our worldwide electrification strategy as we work to become Jeep the market leader in zero-emission SUVs. The other finalists should also be commended for making it this far in such a challenging contest."
Antonella Bruno said: "Jeep's dedication to the European market and electrification are both underscored by the Avenger SUV. It's a big deal for Jeep's future in Europe, and it's just the beginning of the company's lineup of high-performance, all-electric vehicles designed with European tastes in mind."
The Jeep Avenger's European debut signals the beginning of the next stage of electrification for the Jeep brand, which will see the introduction of four fully electric vehicles by 2025. Sales of Jeep-branded vehicles in Europe will be entirely electric by 2030's end.
The new Jeep Avenger, which is only four meters long, will compete in Europe's burgeoning B-SUV market.
It's quiet, easy to park, and powerful, with immediate torque for dynamic driving. With its small size and cutting-edge technology, the new Jeep Avenger SUV is designed to appeal to the needs of today's active consumers.
A new electric powertrain combines a 400-volt electric motor with 115 kilowatts and 260 Newton meters of maximum torque with a 54-kilowatt-hour battery, resulting in an electric range of up to 400 kilometers in the combined WLTP test and more than 550 kilometers in the WLTP City cycle.
Since its premiere at the Paris Motor Show on October 17, the new Jeep Avenger has received great attention and praise from the media and customers alike. More than 8,000 units, including more than 1,800 in Germany, have sold in less than three months after the reserve option for the special, well-equipped Jeep Avenger 1st Edition was launched, and all other versions can now also be booked.
The Avenger's reasonable price makes it simple to make the transition to driving an EV. The Car of the Year 2023, the Jeep Avenger, starts at $40,000.