A Jeep without all-wheel drive just doesn’t feel right, but the Stellantis brand promises to remedy the Avenger’s lack of traction better with a 4×4 setup. It is being previewed at the Paris Motor Show where the electric crossover has a different color with blue accents along with additional LED lighting. Other notable changes include the adoption of a slightly wider roof rack and wheel arch that accommodates different alloys with all-terrain tires.
Surprisingly, Jeep didn’t go into any technical specifications. However, the Avenger with AWD can only mean the engineers have installed an electric motor at the rear. The standard version is equipped with a front-mounted motor that produces 154 horsepower (115 kilowatts) and 260 Newton-meters (191 pound-feet) of torque. It remains to be seen if the rear-mounted e-motors are identical, but they usually are.
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That translates to a combined output of around 300 hp and 500 Nm (369 lb-ft) in an EV that measures just 4.08 meters (160.6 inches). Indeed, the new Avenger is 6 centimeters (6.3 inches) shorter than the Renegade. The all-paw Avenger can use the same 54 kWh battery as the front-wheel drive configuration. The latter has been rated in the WLTP combined cycle at 249 miles (400 kilometers), but the 4×4 won’t be able to match it because it’s heavier. Using the same logic, the regular model’s 342-mile (550-kilometer) mileage in the city will drop slightly.
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For the Avenger 4×4, Jeep has increased the approach angle to 21 degrees, the departure angle to 34 degrees, and the breakover angle to 20 degrees. In addition, the ground clearance now exceeds 200 mm (7.9 inches).
As a refresher, Jeep says a three-minute charge at 100 kW means a range of 19 miles (30 kilometers) while 24 minutes charge the battery from 20 to 80 percent. It’s unclear whether mounting the e-motor at the rear will have a negative impact on cargo capacity, which reaches 13.4 cubic feet (380 liters) on the FWD-equipped Avenger where the front volume measures 1.2 cubic feet (34 liters).
Jeep fans from the United States should look elsewhere because the Avenger isn’t coming to North America. Instead, the larger, more luxurious Recon Wrangler-esque and Wagoneer S are US-bound and both will be produced locally starting in 2024.
