Jeep, the iconic American brand of off-road vehicles, has achieved a remarkable feat in Italy: it has become the best-selling SUV brand in the country, surpassing its rivals in a highly competitive segment. How did Jeep manage to pull off this success? And what are the factors behind its popularity among Italian customers?
The Jeep Avenger Effect
One of the main drivers of Jeep’s success in Italy is the launch of the Jeep Avenger, a new compact SUV that combines the ruggedness and versatility of a Jeep with the style and comfort of a Fiat. The Avenger has a distinctive Jeep identity, with a seven-slot grille, round headlights, trapezoidal wheel arches, and a range of off-road features.
The Jeep Avenger compact SUV was introduced in Italy in October 2022, and it quickly became a hit among customers, especially young and urban ones. According to Stellantis, the parent company of Jeep and Fiat, the Avenger sold more than 20,000 units in Italy in 2022, accounting for more than 40% of Jeep’s total sales in the country. The Jeep Avenger also helped Jeep increase its market share in Italy from 4.8% in 2021 to 6.2% in 2022, making it the leader of the SUV segment for the first time ever.
The Avenger’s success is due to its attractive design and features and its competitive pricing and marketing strategy. The Jeep Avenger starts at €19,900 ($22,500) in Italy, which is lower than most of its competitors, such as the Volkswagen T-Roc (€21,900 or $24,800), the Peugeot 2008 (€20,900 or $23,700), or the Renault Captur (€20,300 or $23,000). The Avenger also benefits from a strong advertising campaign emphasizing its dual nature as a Fiat and a Jeep, with slogans such as “From Avenger to Jeep” or “The first Jeep that speaks Italian.”