The Avenger is electric, which is another Jeep first, but it won’t be sold solely as an EV. When we first drove it, the UK was only going to take the electric Avenger, but there’s now also a 1.2-litre petrol version with a manual gearbox coming to bring the entry price point down by about £8500, as well as a mild hybrid.
For launch, though, the Avenger remains electric-only, and it’s offered in three trim levels: Longitude (£35,700), Altitude (£37,400) and Summit (£39,600 and what we have here, each adding progressively more toys: Each model is front-wheel drive and uses a 154bhp electric motor.
The battery pack is 51kWh and offers an official range of up to 249 miles. The crucial heat pump is standard and the charging speed is up to 100k. Our test car has some options, among them striking yellow paint and leather seats, which, along with the infotainment pack, push the price north of £42,000.
This suddenly feels pretty punchy, and it’s a good £10,000 more than the starting price that was talked about back on the original test drive in late 2022. At the time, the mooted price gave extra weight to the praise the car received, but it looks like even the petrol version is going to be £10,000 more than a Renault Clio.Still, prices can be cut, discounts negotiated, deals structured.
What can’t be quickly changed is the underlying quality of a car that you’re getting in return for your money. Early indications show that the Avenger could at last be a Jeep to give the brand lift-off in Europe, a market in which less than one in 100 SUVs sold wear a Jeep badge. There’s much to learn about this Avenger – not only how good a car it can be but also how far it can take the Jeep brand.
Second Opinion
I was eager to drive the Avenger. It looks fantastic, but my worry was that style would win over substance. Yet it was just so… normal: more comfortable, sensible city cruiser than what its rugged, go-anywhere look promised. In my short time with the Jeep it felt easy to live with. Let’s see if it is. W
Will Rimell