Jeep Avenger review
The Jeep Avenger is the 4x4 brand’s first step into the electric age, and one of the most anticipated EVs of recent times
Pros
- Circa 250-mile range
- Chunky 4x4 looks
- Surprisingly practical
Cons
- Only one mode for the regenerative braking
- Lacks performance at times
- Missing AWD at launch
| Car type | Range | Wallbox charging time | Rapid charging time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electric | 245-248 miles | 7hrs 30mins (0-100%, 7.4kW) | 24mins (20-80%, 100kW) |
The new, fully electric Jeep Avenger is arguably the most important model the American 4x4 brand has launched for a decade. It’s not only Jeep’s first-ever EV, it’s a car engineered and designed for Europe that'll be produced here, too.
On sale now with three trims to choose from, the first customer cars will arrive in the summer. We’d previously been given a taste of the electric SUV at the Jeep’s test track in Italy, but now we’ve driven a production model on European roads. And despite the car’s un-Jeep-like ingredients, first impressions are very good indeed.
Instantly recognisable as a Jeep, the Avenger’s chunky, off-road-ready look incorporates pronounced wheelarches, plus large black plastic bumpers and side cladding. Up front, there’s a blanked-out version of the brand’s iconic seven-slot grille and the blue ‘e’ badging already worn by the maker’s plug-in hybrid models. The rear, meanwhile, gets a set of X-shaped tail lights and a flat boot lid that’s distinctively Jeep.
The Avenger will be the entry point in Jeep’s line-up, and is based on a new version of the e-CMP platform that underpins the Peugeot e-2008, Vauxhall Mokka Electric and recently facelifted DS 3 E-Tense – all from parent company Stellantis. However, Jeep appears to have shrunk the Avenger – it measures 216mm shorter than the e-2008 – making it one of the smallest cars in this class.
Yet that doesn’t seem to affect practicality; there’s enough space inside for four adults, with noticeably more knee and legroom in the rear than a DS 3 or Mokka Electric offers, although any taller individuals who sit in the centre seat might struggle for headroom. The boot is a decent size at 380 litres, and the adjustable floor uses a washable material on one side, ideal if you plan to use your Avenger to go for walks with your dog.
There are three driving modes designed for the road: Normal gives you 107bhp and 220Nm of torque to play with, while switching to Eco drops the power to 81bhp and 180Nm, and makes the Avenger feel a little lethargic. We’d avoid this setting if you’re not trying to eke out every mile of range possible pottering around town or in the city.
We did try one of the off-road modes as well, specifically ‘Mud’ which allows the front wheels to spin a little more than usual in a bid to clear them of sludge and find better traction. Admittedly, the few puddles we could find didn’t allow us to push the Avenger to the extremes a Jeep should be able to withstand, but the front-wheel drive SUV proved it could cope with slippery, wet conditions no problem. The increased ride height (up to 200mm) over its Stellantis sister cars helped avoid ground obstacles that would ding the underside of its rivals, however. The other drive modes in the Jeep are ‘Sand’ and ‘Snow’ – and there’s also a hill-descent control system as well.
But it’s on the road where this new SUV needs to really perform. We drove the electric Jeep Avenger on some fairly demanding roads in the south of Spain, and came away impressed by its breadth of ability. The Avenger uses Stellantis’s latest battery (51kWh usable capacity) and motor (154bhp/260Nm) technology, and in daily use feels sprightly and responsive.
TrustpilotDespite a 0-62mph time of 9.3 seconds, it moves off the line with urgency, and only when pulling onto motorways or overtaking does it feel like it could do with a little more performance. The rigid chassis and tough suspension means body control is good – the Avenger stays admirably flat while cornering – but never at the expense of comfort.
Refinement is another plus point. So much so, this small electric SUV appears almost as well suited to longer motorway journeys as it does pootling around town. It is largely quiet even at 70mph, while at slower speeds the 10.5-metre turning circle makes parking a doddle.
We’d have liked a little more strength or different modes for the regenerative brakes – no one-pedal driving here – but Jeep claims it’s strong enough to send sufficient power back to the battery to extend the car’s range from around 245 miles to as much as 360 miles if you drive solely in a stop-start urban environment. We couldn’t test this on our route, but the range readout proved largely accurate – suggesting we were averaging well over 4.0mi/kWh.
That’s very competitive, and makes the 100kW maximum fast charge speed less of a concern. Some rivals will top up quicker, but even so, Jeep claims you can recharge from 20-80% in 24 minutes. A full charge is doable overnight via a 7kW home wallbox in around 7.5 hours, or 5.5 hours if you’ve access to a faster three-phase (11kW) electricity supply.
Inside, all models feature a 10.25-inch touchscreen complete with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The user interface is pretty slick, while the central display is quick to respond. You can edit it to your liking using tiles and widgets, too – bringing key functions to the fore.
The dashboard design is neat and simple, but also intuitive, thanks to the use of physical buttons for the drive-selector and climate controls – even the three-spoke steering wheel features proper switches and buttons. You also get some body-coloured inserts that help brighten the cabin and some patterned textures rather than boring grey plastics. Deep cubbies means you’ll not be left wanting for storage up front.
Early customers were treated to a flashy 1st Edition specification, which featured a generous amount of standard kit, including 18-inch alloy wheels, all-round parking sensors, dual 10.25-inch displays, ambient lighting, a wireless smartphone charger, heated seats and a heated windscreen, plus adaptive cruise control, lane centring, traffic jam assist and a powered tailgate with hands-free gesture control – all for around £36,500.
That trim is probably most comparable with the top-spec Summit version, which now costs almost £3k more. Still, a cheaper Jeep Avenger Longitude is now available, and still features LED headlights, 16-inch alloy wheels, climate control and that big central screen. The digital instrument cluster shrinks to seven inches on this version.
Avenger Altitude costs the same as the 1st Edition, but isn’t quite as well equipped. These cars get the bigger digital dash, 17-inch wheels and keyless entry, plus a power tailgate among other bits and bobs. We drove an Avenger Summit, which for £39,100 (at the time of writing) featured everything from the two big screens, to the biggest 18-inch wheels, wireless phone charging and heated front seats.
Beyond the standard trim levels, Jeep offers a relatively simple selection of option packs and a choice of seven colours. But customers will then be able to customise their cars further at their dealership, by applying graphics to everything from the front grille to the roof.
During our time in the Jeep Avenger, we found the compact electric SUV was practical, composed and surprisingly refined. It also features the chunky 4x4 looks and functional touches that Jeep buyers like, as well as a splash of charm, which is something you don’t find in every EV. Purists will scoff at the thought of a front-wheel drive, pure-electric Jeep sitting alongside the legendary Wrangler in dealerships, but the brand’s ‘go-anywhere’ spirit is still present in the Avenger. And if you really want a mini-4x4, then an all-wheel drive Jeep Avenger 4xe with an additional motor on the rear axle, will be available from 2024.
