Jeep® Avenger Earns Disappointing Three-Star Euro NCAP Safety Rating

The Jeep® Avenger (JJ), Jeep’s first fully electric vehicle (EV) and a compact B-segment utility vehicle (UV) designed for the European market has quickly made a name for itself since its release in early 2023. With its distinct design and eco-friendly ambitions, the Avenger captured the attention of families and critics alike, winning several prestigious awards, including the 2023 European Car of the Year and Best Family SUV at the Women’s World Car of the Year Awards. Despite these achievements, the Avenger’s recent performance in Euro NCAP safety tests has raised concerns, with the UV receiving a disappointing three-star rating.

Breakdown of Euro NCAP Results –

In a world where many new vehicles easily earn five-star safety ratings, the Jeep Avenger’s three-star score is surprising, particularly for an SUV aimed at families. Euro NCAP, Europe’s leading independent car safety evaluation body, released a detailed breakdown of the Avenger’s safety performance:

• Adult Occupant Protection: 79%
• Child Occupant Protection: 70%
• Vulnerable Road Users (pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists): 59%
• Safety Assist: 53%

These numbers reflect a gap in performance compared to other modern vehicles in its class. Most notably, the Avenger showed weaknesses in child occupant protection, with poor chest protection for a 10-year-old in the side impact test. The absence of a child detection system, which is standard on several competitors, also contributed to the lower score.

Key Areas of Concern – 

Despite its awards and popularity, the Euro NCAP tests identified a few critical safety concerns. The Avenger’s frontal collision warning system was deemed ineffective, with its audio alert failing to meet safety expectations. Although Jeep has since addressed this issue by improving the system in current models and offering updates to existing owners, the initial performance left room for improvement.

Another area of concern was the Avenger’s performance in protecting vulnerable road users, including pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists. The SUV struggled in crash prevention tests, failing to meet the high safety standards expected in this area. This shortfall is notable given Europe’s increasing emphasis on pedestrian and cyclist safety.

Stellantis’ Response and Future Considerations –

The Jeep Avenger’s safety rating not only poses challenges for Jeep but also casts a shadow on Stellantis, the parent company. Michiel van Ratingen, Secretary General of Euro NCAP, commented on the situation: “The test results show a lack of ambition on the part of the Stellantis group for innovation. Security is an area where manufacturers should never cut corners.”

This safety underperformance may be a wake-up call for Stellantis as they prepare to release closely related models like the Fiat 600 and Alfa Romeo Junior UVs. Whether these vehicles will score better when tested remains to be seen, but the Avenger’s results suggest that improvements will be necessary.

2024 Jeep® Avenger e Crash Test Image Gallery:

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