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Small Fiat rebadged and on its way (maybe).

New diesel Jeep?
Posted September 18 2009 10:59 AM by Phil Howell_4Wheel Drive Magazine Editor-in-Chief 
Filed under: Editorials

With Fiat now involved with Jeep, we might be seeing a number of interesting things happening.

A few months ago, many reported that the Fiat Panda Cross might get a facelift and come here as the Jeep Phoenix. Why Phoenix? Because, writers said, Jeep was "rising from the ashes".


While I think Phoenix is a poor name as Jeep doesn't need to rise from the ashes, the Fiat Panda Cross is interesting.

The little crossover gets almost unanimously positive reviews across the pond and owners are reported to always smile. While some Pandas are grocery getters, the Panda Cross gets a locking differential, 1.3 liter turbo diesel engine and some body protection.

This would be a great start for Jeep to offer some smaller vehicles that are still trail-capable. While the Panda is AWD and doesn't have a low range, YouTube videos show it going all over the Earth, even racing in the Paris to Dakar race! Added pluses are that it returns about 54 mpg city/highway and that it costs about $11,000.00 in Europe.

Jeep could start by offering this vehicle to North American buyers, then design a small, economical flatfender-size utility vehicle using the Panda's diesel. What a seller that would be!

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