Talk of a new Jeep crossover smaller than even the Renegade dates back several years and now we have details on where it may be built.
Citing people familiar with the matter, Automotive News (subscription required) reported last week that the new baby Jeep will enter production in 2022 at a Stellantis plant located in Tychy, Poland. The plant is currently home to production of the Fiat 500 and Lancia Ypsilon.
The baby Jeep will reportedly ride on a version of Stellantis' CMP front-wheel-drive platform which supports plug-in hybrid and battery-electric powertrains, and was originally developed by PSA Group. For all-wheel drive, the baby Jeep could end up using an electric motor to spin its rear axle.
A Jeep executive in a 2019 interview said the baby Jeep will measure just over 13 feet in length, which would place it in the minicar segment. In comparison, the subcompact Renegade stretches close to 14 feet in length.
According to Automotive News' sources, Alfa Romeo and Fiat crossovers related to the baby Jeep will be launched in 2023 and likely built at the same plant in Poland. All three of the crossovers will reportedly offer battery-electric powertrains.
The Alfa Romeo crossover isn't to be mistaken with the upcoming Tonale, which was previewed as a concept in 2019. The Tonale, which will also use the CMP platform, is a compact crossover that's due to start production at a Stellantis plant in Pomigliano, Italy, later this year.
The baby Alfa Romeo could end up being called a Brennero, taking its name after an Italian mountain pass just like the Tonale and Stelvio.
Sadly, the baby Jeep (and baby Alfa Romeo) will likely be off-limits for the United States because of its diminutive size. It wouldn't be the first Jeep to skip the U.S. The brand also sells the three-row Grand Commander exclusively in China. It's a reflection of Jeep's further transformation into a global brand.
