If you though that Jeeps wouldn’t get any smaller, Edmunds has just posted a report which says that the Fiat-controlled builder of off-road vehicles is, in fact, getting ready to add a sub-compact SUV to its range.
The new model will reportedly be built on a Fiat platform, in Italy, and will address a global audience, trying to woo buyers with its Ford Fiesta-esque dimensions, infused with all the brand-specific qualities that they would look for. It is set to be launched some time in 2014.
The unnamed model will measure 4.2 meters (165 inches) in length, yet it will provide “the utility that you will get in an SUV in terms of cabin space and everything else,” while “from a ride and fuel economy perspective, it will be competitive.” The information comes courtesy of Jeep CEO Mike Manley, who also explained that their smallest model would be sold around the world, and in Europe most are expected to get diesel power, an option that will be unavailable for US buyers.
Said model, like the latest Cherokee, will be based on a front-wheel drive platform of Fiat origins, though it has not been mentioned if it’s going to get all-wheel drive as standard, optionally or not at all. Now, while Edmunds retains the Jeep CEO’s size comparison to the Fiesta, which is a conventional hatchback, I think a model which is closer in philosophy to what Jeep is trying to do is the EcoSport, also from Ford.
By Andrei Nedelea
Note: 2014 Jeep Cherokee pictured below
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