What's all this about?
Jeep has added another variant to the ever-growing Avenger line-up, with the new 4xe hybrid sitting alongside the existing petrol, electric and hybrid models. The first option to offer all-wheel-drive traction, the 4xe gets more rugged styling details and is billed as the most capable model in the Avenger range.
I noticed the styling. What’s going on there?
In general, Jeep hasn’t changed all that much about the way the Avenger looks — the bodywork is basically the same — but the 4xe does a few off-road details such as the beefier bumpers and body cladding, as well as slightly different fog lights. Roof rails are included as standard, too, as are the chunky mud and snow tyres, while customers can choose a matt bonnet sticker to reduce reflections from the sun while driving.
Other tweaks include black alloy wheels designed to go with the chunky tyres, and an anti-scratch coating on the bumpers to help reduce the appearance of marks and scrapes that might be picked up off-road. Jeep has even gone as far as fitting washable seat covers to “guard against stains and mud.”
It looks bigger, somehow…
That might be the impact of the new bumpers and roof rails, which give the car a bit more presence, but it might also be because the 4xe gets its own bespoke suspension set-up that increases the ride height by 10mm. It also comes with Jeep’s multi-link rear suspension, which makes it unique in the Avenger range, and is designed to improve axle articulation while off-road and improve comfort on it.
Speaking of oily bits, how does the hybrid system work?
The 4xe combines a 1.2-litre petrol engine with two electric motors — one on each axle — to provide a clever part-time all-wheel-drive system. Working in combination with the six-speed automatic gearbox, the powertrain will provide a permanent 50/50 torque split between the front and rear axles at speeds of up to about 20mph. Between 20mph and about 55mph, the all-wheel-drive system only operates when necessary, and above 55mph, it’s turned off completely, leaving the car in more efficient front-wheel-drive mode.
Jeep hasn’t really said how efficient that will be, but the company does say the 4xe is barely less efficient than the existing hybrid, despite the fitment of all-wheel-drive tech. The 4xe is more powerful than the front-wheel-drive e-Hybrid, too, with 136hp at the disposal of the driver’s right foot, allowing a 9.5-second lope from a standstill to 62mph and a top speed of 120mph.
So how capable will it be off-road?
Jeep claims the 4xe offers greater “freedom” than other models, and with all the off-road accouterments, it had better be pretty good on the rough stuff. To give it a hand, Jeep has supplemented the hybrid system with a Selec-Terrain function that allows the driver to set the powertrain up to suit the conditions. There’s an Auto mode for conventional road driving, a Snow mode for slippery surfaces and a Sand & Mud mode for uneven terrain. Sport mode, meanwhile, maximises performance on roads.
How all this will work remains to be seen, but Jeep has promised the Avenger 4xe will be able to wade through 400mm of water and will have 210mm of ground clearance, giving it more ability to tackle steep slopes and scramble over boulders.
How much will all this cost?
No prices have been announced as yet, but Jeep has confirmed the Avenger 4xe will be offered in a choice of two trim levels — Upland and Overland — and the order books will open “by the fourth quarter of 2024.”
Eric Laforge, the head of the Jeep brand in Europe, said: “The Avenger is one of the biggest success stories of Jeep in Europe with more than 90,000 orders, of which almost 30 per cent are fully electric. In the wake of this success, Avenger 4xe will be the new benchmark in the ‘B-SUV’ segment, offering exclusive design, top performance, and represent the full expression of Jeep’s legacy of all-wheel drive.”
James Fossdyke - 22 May 2024
