What It Is: An entry-level Jeep that will be positioned slightly below the Compass and the Patriot. The cutesy Jeepster, which is the likeliest of monikers, is based on a raised front-wheel-drive platform and offers enough ground clearance for many an off-road foray. Of course, its true domain will be the city, and it will offer contemporary telematics solutions. Fiat-Chrysler is using the 500L as a test mule, which gives a good sense of the size and proportions of the upcoming Jeepster, which will share much with its sister model, Fiat’s 500X.

Why It Matters: If you think the Jeep brand couldn't be stretched any further downmarket than where Compass resides, think again. Being owned by Fiat provides Jeep significant compact componentry to combat the ever-expanding niche segment of awkward compact crossovers. The Jeepster will give the brand a much more youthful and contemporary appearance, and much of its development will be carried out in Italy.

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Platform: The Jeepster will make use of Fiat’s Small U.S. Wide architecture, which underpins the 500L—variations of this platform are shared with GM, and serve as the foundation for nearly a dozen European-market Fiats and Opels. It’s relatively lightweight, simple, cost-effective, and can easily accommodate this small Jeep. In the past, Fiat has successfully engineered small, all-wheel-drive vehicles, which handle off-road situations with suitable aplomb—look no further than the Panda 4x4.

Powertrains: U.S.-market Jeepsters will be powered by a 1.4-liter turbo four, while European markets will receive an option of a 1.3-liter turbo-diesel and potentially Fiat’s 0.9-liter Twin Air two-cylinder. A six-speed manual will serve as the standard transmission in base-level Jeepsters, but a six-speed dual-clutch automatic will handle shifting duties for the volume models. Front-wheel drive will come as standard, but all-wheel drive will be available, too.

Competition: Kia Soul, Mini Countryman, Nissan Juke.

Estimated Arrival and Price: The Jeepster should come to market in late 2014 as a 2015 model. Prices will begin below the $20,000 mark, right in the neighborhood of where today’s Compass starts.

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