The new Jeep Avenger 4xe, the model line’s new range-topper, has gone on sale in the UK priced from £30,999.
At launch, the 4×4 is available in two trims: base Upland and a special The North Face Edition. The latter is priced at £34,999 and limited to 4806 examples. Over the standard car, it gets Summit Gold accents and “a nature-inspired colour pallet”. Deliveries will begin in March.
Featuring an all-wheel-drive hybrid powertrain – it is not offered as an EV – the 4xe will “go further, faster and better off road” than any rival and “establishes a new standard” in the class, says Jeep.
“We are proud to introduce a model that not only delivers on performance and sustainability but also sets a new standard for versatility and style,” said new Jeep Europe boss Eric Laforge.
The Avenger was launched as an EV in mid-2023, with a cheaper pure-petrol variant introduced in the UK a few months later. Both are front-wheel-drive models, but Jeep had always planned to eventually offer an all-wheel-drive variant to build on the brand’s long history of off-road ability. A 4×4 version was first previewed at the 2022 Paris motor show.
Former boss Antonio Filosa, now head of Stellantis North America, previously told Autocar: “Every time we think of a Jeep product, we think of a four-wheel-drive version. Jeep is by far the most capable brand in the world, and for us capability is all around off-road. So in each segment, any Jeep vehicle must have more capability than every rival.”
The Avenger 4xe combines a 134bhp 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine driving through a six-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox with a pair of 28bhp electric motors (one on each axle). The 48V hybrid system is designed to offer significant traction and torque to boost its off-road performance. Jeep claims it can generate up to 1400lb ft at the rear wheels, a figure likely achieved by multiplying motor torque by the gear ratio.
The all-wheel drive system helps to give the 4xe a 0-62mph time of 9.5sec and the top speed is 120mph. Jeep also claims a “minimal” increase in CO2 emissions over the existing Avenger hybrid offered in some markets, although the firm has yet to give an exact figure.
The powertrain uses a ‘smart’ all-wheel drive system, so power is always sent to all four wheels below 19mph. Between 19mph and 56mph, the rear axle is powered only when required, and two-wheel-drive is always used at higher speeds to minimise fuel consumption.
There is on-demand torque distribution in all-wheel drive mode, with a split of up to 50:50 front to rear. The Selec-Terrain drive mode function features Auto, Snow, Sand and Mud and Sport settings, which alter the power distribution and stability control for the various conditions.