Review of the Jeep Avenger Electric

The Jeep Avenger is the American manufacturer's first fully electric car. A small and practical SUV, the Avenger comes with a square exterior, a well-built interior, and a load of kit coming as standard.

Rivals to the Jeep Avenger include the Kia Niro EV, Peugeot e-2008, MG ZS EV, and Vauxhall Mokka Electric.

Our Jeep Avenger review covers:

• Square exterior with wide front grille and a sudden declining rear end
• Class-leading interior storage 
• 341-litre boot 
• One 54kWh electric engine available
• One trim level available, the First Edition

Pros:

• Lots of equipment as standard
• Versatile in a range of settings
• Class-leading interior storage

Cons:

• Only one trim level available in the UK
• Lacking premium materials
• Just one engine available

The first thing you'll notice about the Jeep Avenger is its blocky design, which makes for an impressive road presence. Regardless, it's good-looking, coming with Jeep's seven-slot front grille, a sudden drop at the boot, and 'X' shaped rear taillights.

The Avenger has plenty of room up front for two adults, while two children or teenagers will easily fit in the rear. However, adding a third rear passenger will be a bit of a stretch as there's limited legroom, thanks to a hump on the floor.

For storage space, the Avenger is way ahead of its rivals. There's a tray that runs across the dashboard which is handy for your phone and wallet, and a deep hole just below the dash for the bulkier items.

Boot space for the Avenger comes in at 341 litres, which can be extended to 1053 litres with the rear seats dropped down. This is better than the Vauxhall Mokka Electric but falls short of the Peugeot e-2008.

Inside the Avenger, you'll find a simple and practical interior. There's no denying that the materials used don't feel premium, but they've been built to last and nicely designed into the cabin. The fabric seats are comfortable, which makes it easy to find a suitable driving position.

On the dashboard, you'll find two 10.25-inch screens. The first is the touchscreen infotainment system which displays sharp graphics and is reactive; it comes with all your usual features, including sat-nav, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The driver display is the same, displaying clear graphics which are easy to read when behind the wheel.

Jeep has provided just one trim level for the Avenger, the First Edition. It comes with 18-inch diamond cut alloy wheels, heated front seats, a wireless charging pad, heated door mirrors with a power-folding function, LED lights, privacy glass, adaptive cruise control, 360-degree parking sensors, keyless enter and go, and a mode three charging cable.

There's only one electric engine available for the Avenger. The 54kWh battery unit comes with front-wheel drive, has a maximum power output of 154bhp, returns up to 249 miles of range, and has a maximum charging speed of 100kWh.

Three driving modes are available for the Avenger: Eco, Normal, and Sport. The lease-powerful 'Eco' drops performance to a minuscule 82bhp; this is bettered by 'Normal', which increases power output to a respectable 109bhp, while the most-powerful 'Sport' comes with 156bhp and a top speed of 93mph.

You'll want to drive in 'Normal' or 'Sport' mode when on the road. Both return pretty decent performance, making the Avenger easy to drive when driving around town. It's also effortless in start-stop traffic and can quickly switch through the gears to get up to motorway speeds.

Suspension also fits the bill, tackling bumps in the road with ease. Steering could do with a bit more accuracy, but this doesn't impact the Avenger too much, thanks to its small size and square exterior.

Prices for the new Jeep Avenger start from £35,745.00 OTR* or to lease from £430.12 per month.

Looking to lease the Jeep Avenger? Nationwide Vehicle Contracts is one of the UK's leading car leasing brokers and has a range of leasing deals available to suit your every need.

Leasing may prove cheaper than an outright purchase thanks to a low initial deposit, fixed monthly payments, and a range of benefits included in the lease deal, including road tax and breakdown cover.

*' On the road' price correct at time of publication and includes one year's road fund license, DVLA first registration fee and number plate fee. Prices are subject to change, always check with your nearest retailer.