The Jeep Avenger is the winner of the 2023 Car of the Year award in a ceremony held for the first time at the Brussels International Motor Show. The first electric car in Jeep’s history, the Avenger, is available in Europe, Japan, and South Korea. It will not be sold in North America. It’s the brand’s first pure electric vehicle.
The 59 jury members of ‘The Car of the Year’ -with Russian members suspended- had the honorable duty of crowning the winner of one of the most prestigious, sought-after awards in the automotive world. Motoring journalists from 23 countries give points to their favorites, and the outcome of the vote remains a strictly-guarded secret until the awards ceremony, with each country’s points counted as part of a celebratory event.
The Avenger obtained 328 points and 21 best votes from the Car of the Year juries. It is the first time that the American brand of the Stellantis group has won this prestigious trophy, which this year celebrates its 60th edition.
The Avenger remained faithful to the brand’s values while adapting itself to a new era.
Joaquim Oliveira, member of the jury
According to motor.com, the car uses a single motor with an output of 154 horsepower (115 kilowatts) and 181 pound-feet (260 Newton-meters) of torque. It drives the front wheels, though a dual-motor Avenger is also being considered for a potential all-wheel-drive model.
The compact car, which has a 54 kWh battery and a 156 hp engine provides 249 miles (400 km) of range in the WLTP cycle, though in slower-speed urban settings that range could be up to 340 miles (547 km). The car can charge rapidly through a 100-kW connection, going from 20 to 80 percent range in 24 minutes.
The 100% electric car got stood out from a list that included Volkswagen ID. Buzz (241 points), Nissan Ariya (211), Kia Niro (200), Renault Austral (163), Peugeot 408 (149) and Toyota bZ4X (133). The choice did not coincide with the votes of the two Portuguese jurors, who placed the B-SUV in second place; the model with the most votes was the Nissan Ariya, with one point more.
Currently, Jeep has no plans to bring the Avenger to the US market. A larger EV, however, called the Recon will be available, as reported by motor.com. Jeep has noted that though the Recon is a Wrangler Unlimited-sized four-door, it won’t be marketed as a replacement for the Wrangler.
The Avenger was presented at the Paris Salon in October, with orders starting in November, with prices starting at 37.800€.
