Urban explorer or lost in the wilderness? How Jeep is trying to reinvent itself and secure its long-term future in 2024 with the new Jeep Avenger electric car | Opinion

The Jeep Avenger is, by far, the most important model the American brand will release in a long time - potentially ever.

If you believe the future of motoring is electric (or at least significantly electric), then Jeep has to make a very dramatic shift, moving away from its ‘go anywhere’ range of petrol- and diesel-powered models towards more electrified options. It began this process in 2023 with the launch of the Grand Cherokee 4xe plug-in hybrid but will take a leap forward in ‘24 with its first all-electric model - the Avenger.

Not only is it all-electric, but the new compact SUV will be front-wheel-drive only, a major philosophical departure for a brand famous for its 4x4 models. This will place the Avenger in a competitive segment of the market, against the likes of the two-wheel-drive Tesla Model Y, Hyundai Kona, Kia Niro, MG ZS and BYD Atto 3, so Jeep will need to fight for sales.

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But, to be blunt, there’s more that needs to go right than just the Avenger to turn around Jeep’s fortunes in Australia. For starters, the Avenger isn’t due until late in the year, so will not have a major impact on the brand’s sales performance. Instead, it will need to rely on its existing range, spearheaded by the more luxurious Grand Cherokee. 

Unfortunately, it seems the more premium push has yet to land with buyers, so 2024 could prove a make or break 12 months for Jeep in Australia. The brand’s sales have been in freefall for the better part of a decade, peaking back in 2014 with more than 30,000 vehicles sold, and are on course to record less than 5000 sales in ‘23.

The introduction of the 4xe variant will pave the way for its next generation of vehicles and reverse its sales decline.

That represents another 30 per cent sales decline on a 2022 that was already almost 15 per cent down on the year before. Selling less than 5000 cars puts Jeep behind the likes of Chery, Skoda and SsangYong. However, only two years ago, in 2021, the brand notched 7762 sales, so there’s still room for hope.

Sales of the Gladiator have dropped sharply in ‘23 (down nearly 43 per cent), while the perennial Wrangle has also slipped (down 16 per cent year-to-date in November). Reviving the fortunes of those two staples should be a priority for management in 2024. 

Jeep will also need to hope that the messaging around the more premium Grand Cherokee, plus the introduction of the 4xe variant will pave the way for its next generation of vehicles and reverse its sales decline. Because if buyers can’t be wooed by hybrid power, then all-electric models are going to be a nearly impossible sell.