Jeep will take the Grand Cherokee off sale in Europe this year – and the Wrangler is also potentially in the firing line.
The moves come as Jeep continues its push of new EVs, with the all-electric Wagoneer S – a similar size to the Grand Cherokee – next to arrive, at the end of this year.
Eric Laforge, who has led the brand in Europe for the past two years, confirmed to Autocar at the Brussels motor show that a switch in Jeep’s model range will take place when the Wagoneer S arrives.
Such a move makes sense, given that Jeep’s volumes lie in smaller models in Europe, such as the Avenger. This means offering two large SUVs is unnecessary, and of those two, the Wagoneer S will better help contribute to CO2 and EV sales targets because it is all-electric.
A similar scenario could also play out for the Wrangler when the Recon EV is launched, because both are hardcore 4x4 models with similar positioning.
“That’s not decided at the moment, but Recon will be a strong alternative to Wrangler,” said Laforge. “The Recon is a small brother to the Wrangler and can do a lot off road, although the king of the mountains remains the Wrangler.”
Jeep is now preparing for the launch of the new Compass, which like the Avenger will be designed, engineered and manufactured in Europe.
Unlike the Avenger, it will be exported to other markets and built in other global factories as well. However, the car’s significance and opportunity in Europe is why Jeep has chosen to develop it here.
“We have huge expectations for this ‘second leg’ to reinforce Jeep in Europe,” Laforge said in reference to the Compass. “We have an expertise in developing compact cars in Europe. We are credible here and can propose our offer to the rest of the world.”
Laforge confirmed that the car will offer multiple powertrain options, including electric and hybrid.
He added that the new Compass will also be slightly bigger than the current model. This will put some distance between it and the Avenger to create more room for the replacement of the car that sits between this pair: the Renegade.
A replacement for the Renegade won’t come before 2026, but Laforge said it will follow the Avenger and Compass in being multi-energy.
Despite a focus on smaller models, Laforge said Jeep will always strive to be the most capable brand for all-terrain ability in its chosen segments. While that may not always mean Jeeps are hardcore off-roaders, it reflects the brand’s desire to offer safe, stable all-wheel-drive models.
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