Jeep Avenger får äntligen fyrhjulsdrift
Jeep's smallest hybrid made its debut three years ago, but has remained front-wheel drive until now. Only now the American brand has announced the beginning of orders for all-wheel drive version 4xe. Deliveries to European dealers are scheduled for May, but in the U.S. this model was not available and is not planned.
Here's What We Know
Jeep Avenger 4xe is equipped with a 1.2-litre turbo petrol engine with 136 horsepower, a six-speed dual-clutch gearbox and two small electric motors - one in the front and one in the rear. It is these electric motors of 28 horsepower each that make the crossover all-wheel drive.
The total power of the 48-volt hybrid system is estimated at 145 hp, which is enough to accelerate the crossover from 0 to 100 km/h in 9.5 seconds and reach a top speed of 194 km/h. This is 10 km/h faster than the front-wheel drive version of the e-Hybrid Avenger.
Notably, the e-AWD system is exclusively for low to medium speed driving. The rear electric motor is automatically switched off at speeds above 90 km/h. Depending on the selected driving mode, at low speeds (up to 30 km/h), constant traction is maintained on all four wheels with a torque distribution of 50:50. At medium speeds (30 to 90 km/h), the rear axle drive is only engaged when required.
The vehicle can negotiate gradients of up to 40 per cent on difficult terrain such as gravel and maintain traction of up to 20 per cent when the front axle wheels have little or no traction.
The Avenger 4xe is also equipped with Jeep's signature Multilink suspension, which is typically found on larger vehicles. It features increased articulation of the rear axle wheels for a smoother ride on rough roads and comfort on challenging terrain.
Outside, the new Jeep Avenger 4xe stands out with a more "off-road" design. The crossover received original front bumpers with scratch protection, special design of fog lights, roof rails and all-season tyres Mud Snow (Vector 4Seasons GEN-3 from Goodyear). Other differences: reinforced underbody protection and a rear towing hook.
The car boasts improved off-road angles, an extra 10mm of ground clearance and the ability to traverse fords up to 400mm deep. Inside there is black headliner and waterproof seat covers.
Equipment and prices
The Avenger 4xe is available in three trim levels: Upland, North Face Edition (limited edition of 4,806 units) and Overland. In Italy, the retail price starts at 31,950 euros, while the North Face Edition starts at 37,950 euros.
Source: Jeep
