Jeep Avenger named European Car of the Year 2023

The new all-electric Jeep Avenger has been crowned European Car of the Year 2023.

Presented to the public at the 2022 Paris Motor Show, this compact crossover SUV is the first Jeep ever to win this coveted award in the competition’s 60-year history. The Avenger was shortlisted with six other finalists, which included the Kia Niro, Nissan Ariya, Peugeot 408, Renault Austral, Subaru Solterra/Toyota bZ4X and the Volkswagen ID. Buzz.

The winner was decided by votes from an independent panel of 57 expert jurors from 22 countries, organised by nine automotive publications. The Avenger’s score was 328 points — attracting 21 ‘best’ votes — and finished 87 points ahead of Volkswagen's ID. Buzz.

The result was announced at the Brussels Motor Show in Belgium on January 13.

“We’re honoured and proud that this distinguished jury of European automotive experts, has chosen the first-ever Jeep brand fully-electric SUV as European Car of the Year,” said Jeep CEO Christian Meunier.

“This is the first time that the Jeep brand has been both a finalist and a winner in this competition and it showcases the significance of the Avenger as a key component in our global electrification strategy, as the brand moves towards becoming the world leader in zero-emission SUVs.”

Now available for pre-order in Europe with deliveries set to commence during the second quarter of 2023, the Avenger is fitted with a 400v electric motor and 54kWh battery pack. This offers 115kW and 260Nm or torque along with a maximum claimed driving range of 400km in the WLTP cycle. Using a 100kW Mode 4 cable in direct current connected to fast public charge, three minutes of charge is enough to provide a travel distance of 30km. 

At the time of writing the Avenger is yet to be confirmed for launch here in South Africa.

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