Jeep Avenger review: Compact EV gets mini off-roader treatment

The front-wheel-drive Avenger shares its electric platform with the Peugeot e-2008, Vauxhall Mokka and Citroen e-C4, but ramps up the character thanks to chunky, outdoorsy styling and the ability to do some (admittedly rather light) off-roading.

It also has a decent interior with lots of handy cubby holes and a good amount of tech in flagship Summit trim, including wireless phone charging, a powered tailgate and LED lights all round. The Avenger is rather slow by today’s speedy EV standards, although at almost 250 miles the quoted range will be enough for most drivers, and the battery charges quickly enough.

But, despite being distinctive and striking the right balance between touchscreens and tactile controls, the interior has slightly too many cheap, hard plastics for our liking, and rear legroom is limited for what could otherwise be a good, affordable family car.

I spent a day driving the Jeep Avenger around the Cotswolds. The route included country roads, town driving, dual-carriageway and a spot of light off-roading.

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Independent rating: 7/10

The Jeep Avenger can be bought as a petrol, hybrid or full-electric car. The latter has a 54 kWh battery pack and a maximum claimed range of 248 miles. Despite the chunky looks, this is a single-motor, front-wheel-drive car and not a fully-fledged off-roader, although a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive model is coming in late-2024.

The Avenger can charge at up to 100 kW, which Jeep says is enough to fill the battery from 20 to 80 percent in as little as 24 minutes. The motor produces 154 bhp and accelerates the car to 62 mph in a leisurely 9.0 seconds. This isn’t quick by any stretch, but the distinctive Jeep looks and interesting interior are more than enough to put a smile on your face. Easy to drive, the Avenger handles nicely for a compact crossover but isn’t the last word in refinement on broken road surfaces.

The Avenger’s interior couldn’t be described as luxurious, but it has a charming honesty to it. It’s practically and well-appointed, with an aesthetic that fits the miniature off-road vibes of the exterior. There’s a fair share of hard and scratchy plastics in here, unfortunately, but the visuals are elevated nicely by the body-coloured dashboard of higher trim levels, and there’s a lot of storage on offer.

Plenty of physical, tactile switchgear too, including buttons on the steering wheel and toggles across the centre console for adjusting the climate control. Space in the rear is at a premium, but you can still fit a couple of 6ft adults back there for short journeys without too many complaints.

At 355 litres, the boot capacity is pretty good for a car of this size (remember, despite the Tonka toy looks, this is actually a pretty small city EV at heart), but there’s no additional ‘frunk’ storage under the bonnet.

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We like how Jeep hasn’t gone all-in on the touchscreen. In a world where other brands save costs by deleting physical switchgear, the Avenger’s 10.25-inch touchscreen is primarily for navigation and media, not adjusting the wing mirrors. The screen is clear and sharp, with a simple and uncluttered user interface.

Navigation by TomTom is optional, but we reckon most buyers will plug in their phone and use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto instead – and both are available in wired and wireless form on all models of Avenger. A second display sits ahead of the driver for speed, range and other key readouts. The standard-fit, six-speaker stereo sounds fine, but sadly Jeep doesn’t offer the option to upgrade it for something punchier.

Thanks to the simple user interface and sensibly designed physical controls, the Jeep Avenger is an EV you can jump into and drive right away, without having to re-learn the fundamentals of how a car works – and that’s something that can’t be said for some pricier, more tech-focused alternatives.

At £34,999 (or about £340 a month on finance from Jeep), the Avenger feels like decent value for money. It isn’t the big 4x4 it appears, but it’s a small EV that’s packed full of character. It’s a genuine member of the Jeep family and will be well-received by fans of the brand who want to go electric and potentially down-size at the same time.

There’s just one battery size available, and the dual-motor model isn’t out yet. So it’s just a case of picking between the three trim levels, called Longitude, Altitude and Summit. The fully-loaded Avenger Summit comes with loads of tech, including wireless phone charging, a heat pump, powered tailgate, LED lights all round and body-coloured trim that elevates the interior design. At £38,899 or about £370 a month we reckon it’s an upgrade worth saving for.

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The Avenger can only charge at up to 100 kW, but since the battery isn’t massive it’ll fill from 20 to 80 percent charge in as little as 24 minutes when using a fast public charger. Plug into a wallbox at home and it’ll fill from near-empty in about eight hours.

Anything under £40,000 for an EV feels like good value these days, so at £38,899 for the fully-loaded Summit trim, the Jeep Avenger comes across well. That said, the hybrid version starts at just £26,000.

Like almost all manufacturers, Jeep includes a battery warranty with the Avenger that lasts for eight years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first. If the battery breaks, or fails to charge sufficiently, in that time, it’ll be fixed without cost.

I quickly warmed to the Avenger, mostly because of its mini-4x4 styling and how it’s quite nice to drive. I just wish it were as practical as it looks.