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Jeep has long had a reputation for producing seriously rugged off-roaders, but the American car maker has also proven it has a playful side with the inclusion of 'Easter eggs' on many of its models.
Jeep's Easter egg tradition started in the late 1990s when then-Jeep designer Michael Santoro included an outline of a small lizard on the interior of a 1997 Jeep Wrangler TJ.
Since then, the brand has included hidden symbols throughout its cars, delighting owners who often happen upon them by accident.
Andy Bowman, Jeep's Head of Global Communications, told Drive: “Oftentimes even some of the designers kind of mess with the other designers in a fun way to see if they can catch some of the Easter eggs.
“[They] might go through an entire vehicle launch, be at the showroom and be like ‘I had no idea and I designed that thing'. There’s a lot of fun had in that regard,” he added.
Following the Australian arrival of the all-new Jeep Avenger small SUV – the brand's first foray into full electrification – Drive had the opportunity to ask Jeep's Head of Design, Daniele Calonaci, whether the Avenger keeps the Easter egg tradition alive.
The Italian designer shared a personal touch he incorporated into the electric car's design: the silhouette of a little boy on the Avenger's windshield, which Calonaci explained is a heartfelt tribute to his own son.
“This little kid is actually a profile of my son, so I dedicated this vehicle to [him]," he told local media.
The little boy is looking up at another Easter egg – a constellation of stars located at the top left of the Avenger’s windshield.
Additionally, the Italian designer said the Avenger features “10 [to] 11 Easter egg [designs]”.
He revealed another one of them relates to the brand's new 'X-Camo' pattern, which he said is derived from Jeep's military history.
Calonaci explained the 'X' portion is inspired by the design of the jerry cans soldiers would attach to their vehicles, with the X-shape also previously seen in the Jeep Renegade's front and tail-lights.
This time around, Colanci said Jeep designers used “a modern approach” with the X signature, turning it into a camouflage pattern that is seen throughout the Avenger.
“We merged it together, the camouflage that comes from the military history of the Jeep and the X [lights]. On the Avenger, you will have many different areas [of the vehicle] with this pattern,” he told local media.
The X-Camo pattern can be seen on the Avenger's hood sticker, lamp bezel, and the centre console cover.
Despite Calonaci hinting at two hidden designs, various overseas media outlets have started showcasing other Easter eggs spotted on the car maker's latest model.
According to photos published by Spanish news outlet Periodismo Del Motor, the electric Avenger also features familiar Easter eggs like Jeep's trademark seven-bar grille design, which has been shrunk and embedded on the Avenger's front, under the grille and the front right rim.
Located next to the mini seven-grille is a plastic cover etched with a compass and the coordinates of Turin, Italy, where the electric SUV was designed.
Continuing with pulling inspiration from Jeep’s off-road DNA, the designers also included a small ladybug on the electric SUV's roof, while a mountain outline and a cityscape are visible on the car's rear windows.
Although hidden motifs and symbols have been a part of Jeep's history for close to two decades, social media has placed a bigger spotlight on the tradition, with Jeep owners previously sharing what they've found on online platforms like TikTok.
As reported by Drive in 2020, one TikTok user kicked off an online frenzy when they discovered a spider with a speech bubble that read, “Ciao baby!” located on the refuelling lid of their Jeep Renegade.
The original video invited a range of other Jeep owners to share the Easter eggs they'd found in their cars, which included small lizards, jeep grille motifs, and even a pair of thongs.
The 2025 Jeep Avenger electric SUV is available in Australian showrooms now and comes in three grades, starting from the base-spec Avenger Longitude (from $49,990 before on-road costs), mid-trim Avenger Limited (from $54,990) and the flagship Avenger Summit (from $60,990).
Ethan Cardinal graduated with a Journalism degree in 2020 from La Trobe University and has been working in the fashion industry as a freelance writer prior to joining Drive in 2023. Ethan greatly enjoys investigating and reporting on the cross sections between automotive, lifestyle and culture. Ethan relishes the opportunity to explore how deep cars are intertwined within different industries and how they could affect both casual readers and car enthusiasts.
