Electric Avenger Jeep Test: Successful bet, except for the price

When the time comes to hit the road, this little avenger is doing pretty well. Like gradually all of its cousins, the SUV is equipped with the new electric motorization of the group. This is a 115 kW (156 hp) engine that offers up to 260 Nm of torque. It is not a vehicle that is intended to be specially dynamic. His performances stick perfectly to his size: neither too much nor too little.

Jeep Avenger Electric: Unpleasant surprises, prices are already increasing (and strongly)

Avenger, the first electric model, is about to reach the concessions. And before even arriving on the roads, this small urban SUV is a success. Jeep has already recorded more than 20.000 orders in Europe. But if you were waiting to see him in a showroom before deciding, you may have a bad surprise.

By going around the configurators as part of our promotions inventory on electrified models, we have seen that the prices of the Avenger have already been modified compared to those of the launch, which were still those communicated in early April. And Jeep had a heavy hand.

The basic “Avenger” version is no longer 36.€ 500, but is now announced at 39.000 € ! Hop, 2.€ 500 in addition to a sudden, barely the vehicle launched ! With this increase, the Avenger loses largely the advantage of its attractive base price, even if it remains (a little) less expensive than the other electric urban SUVs in Stellantis, especially since it is launched directly with the new autonomy of 400 km.

For longitude and altitude versions, it’s 2.000 € more. Which gives prices of 40.000 and 42.000 €. The high -end Summit has taken 1.000 €, which is now 43.500 € !

Obviously, you had to decide quickly. Besides, the special series of the start, with equipment similar to Summit, was 39.500 € !

Old and new prices

Starting price	New price in May 2023
Avenger	36.500 €	39.000 €
Longitude	38.000 €	40.000 €
Altitude	40.000 €	42.000 €
Summit	42.500 €	43.500 €

The finishes and main standard equipment

• Avenger : LED headlights, line alert with line with correction, drowsiness detection, panel recognition, rain and brightness sensor, automatic air conditioning, 10.25 inch touch screen, 7 inch digital instrumentation, heat pump, three -phase on -board charger 11 kW.
• Longitude : Avenger + 16 -inch rims, reversing radars, disgusting retro.
• Altitude : Longitude + 17 inch rims, 10.25 inch digital instrumentation, Electric tailgate hands -free function, adaptive cruise control, hands -free start/startup
• Summit : Altitude + 18-inch rims, two-color silhouette, 360 ° parking radars, 180 ° reversing camera, semi-autonomous driving, induction charger, multicolored room lighting, front heating seat.

Electric Avenger Jeep Test: Successful bet, except for the price

For its first 100 % electric vehicle, Jeep bet on a new model in the range. This risk taking is overall successful. But even if we fall for the style of the model, we will have to exceed a few brakes, on the price and efficiency side.

In January 2023, Jeep received for the first time in its history the European price of “car of the year” for its first 100 % electric vehicle. This is a good introduction to the Jeep Avenger in the middle of the range electrification strategy. It is also a welcome spotlight to launch the model that will have to ensure a good part of the brand’s sales in Europe.

Behind her very Jeep style, is the brand of the brand really preserved ? Or is it more than the platform developed by the Stellantis group ? Through this essay, we tell you concretely what we thought about it.

This baby jeep has style !

There is no doubt that at first glance, the new model is perfect in the Jeep range. He looks like a little Jeep Compass, but well rooted in tune with the times. During the flight of the first photos of the model, and without having its final name at that time, the model was spontaneously named “Baby Jeep” by the whole of the press. The grille takes up the spirit of the 7 -slit grid from the brand. Body protections: bumper, wheels and door protection, also reinforce this 4 × 4 side dear to the manufacturer.

At the first discovery of the model on the Paris World Cup, it was difficult to imagine that it was only 4.08 m long. It is smaller than the Renagade Jeep (4.26 m), but also shorter than its DS3 (4.12 m) cousins, Opel Mokka-e (4.15 m) and Peugeot E-2008 (4.30 m )). The Avenger makes the same length, the same length as a Peugeot E-208, but with an appearance of a rather nice adpector SUV. Jeep designers have achieved a good trompe-l’oeil exercise.

It is the first model of the brand to rely on a common platform (E-CMP) developed by Peugeot, Citroën and DS. Except that no element of external design makes it possible to identify it as such. We even find the signature of Jeep, which consists in integrating several winks into the brand hidden in details of the bodywork. On the other hand, inside, perception is a little different.

A basic interior, but practical

If you are not a fan of hard plastics, the Jeep Avenger is probably not for you. We find in the Avenger the spirit of the interior of the most adventurous jeep machinery, the Wrangler. An interior that is not afraid of being sali and therefore easy to clean. Materials thus play on the robust side, more than on the cocooning spirit of other models.

Under the short dashboard, a storage-like-to-peak storage, which helps out well. Central storage, with its iPad cover closure, is quite clever too, it hides the induction charger for vehicles that are equipped with it. Despite its small size, the Avenger multiplies the small practical storage, it is really a positive aspect of the model.

Jeep chose to keep a majority of physical buttons for its main orders. A good approach that will appeal to people who do not appreciate all touching that is imposed in more and more cars. Among these command elements, we will find parts drawn from Peugeot, such as the driving mode selector, but also in other models of the group. It becomes a classic in vehicles of large groups.

This jeep can officially accommodate up to 5 passengers, but for everyone’s comfort, it is rather up to only 4 adults. The rear seats do not offer much space, but this is not surprising for a vehicle the size of a city car. The Avenger has a 355 -liter trunk, and can reach up to 1,250 liters with the folded back seat. No need to look for a trunk under the front cover, there is none, the engine takes up all the space.

The Avenger offers the highest finish a 10.25 inch screen in very elongated format. It takes up a new generation of the UConnect system, which is likely to disorient the brand’s regulars. The system accepts Android Auto and Apple Carplay. Embedded technology is generally correct, but will not revolutionize the automotive industry.

Two elements inside the Avenger have particularly caught our attention: the comfort and maintenance of the front seats, and the particularly original sound of the indicators. This second detail can smile, but the flashing tick-tac illuminated our test (imagine a deaf battery line of a piece of annoyed techno, and you are there).

Road behavior: good student

When the time comes to hit the road, this little avenger is doing pretty well. Like gradually all of its cousins, the SUV is equipped with the new electric motorization of the group. This is a 115 kW (156 hp) engine that offers up to 260 Nm of torque. It is not a vehicle that is intended to be specially dynamic. His performances stick perfectly to his size: neither too much nor too little.

The steering is quite pleasant and sufficiently precise. Roulis takes is felt when you push the Avenger a little in its entrenchments. When the driver adopts a cooler look, the car is very well maintained and stable. We find a little Peugeot’s know-how in the matter. Another positive element is its robbery diameter, rather short with 10.5 m, to facilitate maneuvers and half-tours.

Comfort is also rather well balanced by the Avenger. It is in any case softer than the settings from Peugeot, a little too firm overall. The slowders, not too brittle, pass without being noticed too much. Even off the beaten track, this little jeep SUV is a good surprise on the comfort side.

Sound comfort is not so good. It’s still quite noisy in terms of rolling noises, even when the coating is not too degraded. We also hear a few sounds of air, but light, and noise of furniture. This is not catastrophic for this type of vehicle, but it is clearly not on this point that the Avenger will stand out.

Some appreciated “offroad” capacities

Even if we will have to wait for the 4 -wheel drive version, scheduled for the end of the year, to tackle on this subject, this traction version is already doing honorably. To take photos, and because the GPS has made fun of us, the test of the Avenger made us go through a lot of stony paths. Despite well -deformed coatings with sometimes significant slopes, the Avenger is quietly passed.

Driving modes for sand, mud and snow may seem anecdotal, but they bring a little more motor skills in these situations. The Avenger even has a descent help. It is a real little jeep, which will however climb the sidewalks of cities more often than the mountains.

Plastic protections on the low parts of the model may seem superfluous, but in any way, they take all their meaning.

Autonomy & consumption: Bof !

On the first generations of cousins ​​(Peugeot E-208 / E-2008, DS 3, …), autonomy and efficiency were not really the strong models. The new generation of engine, associated with the new 51 kWh NMC battery (useful), must do better. This is in any case the promise of the group which announces up to 400 km of WLTP autonomy for the Avenger. According to them, various elements contribute to this increase in autonomy:

• +5 % for the new engine (M3)
• +12 % for the new battery (NMC811)
• +8 % on the aerodynamic work of Avenger

In reality, the Avenger and the other models of the group are neither good nor bad, when we approach the subject of efficiency. They can display good consumption on their favorite field: the city, but be completely in the cabbage in other situations.

It will not be surprising to have an average consumption of 19 kWh/100 km on mixed journeys, not really favorable to ecoconduite. Which is far too high for a vehicle of this template with this type of engine. On the highway, consumption can even exceed 22 kWh/100 km. On the other hand, the model can also be much more reasonable in the city, and on journeys more favorable to recovery.

The conditions of the trial, the course too short, and models not yet torn, do not really allow you to make a clear opinion on the consumption of the Avenger. With 15.7 kWh/100 km at the end of our course, the result is neither good nor bad. This gives an estimate of 385 km of autonomy, if we rely on the on -board computer. This is almost what is announced by the manufacturer. We are still above what we have observed on the tests of Renault Mégane or Kia Niro EV, while we have a smaller and less powerful model here.

For recharging, Jeep Avenger reaches maximum load power of 100 kW in direct current. To carry out a load of 20 to 80 % under these conditions, it takes approximately 24 minutes. The on -board charger offers 11 kW by alternating current.

Price & Competition: On the edge of the off -topic

If the ecosystem of the electric car was only made up of models from the Stellantis group, Jeep Avenger would be a good compromise with a first price starting at € 36,500 (before bonus). This entry-level finish places it cheaper than Peugeot E-2008, Opel Mokka-e or that DS3. Besides, to listen to the leaders of Jeep, during the press conference, the Avenger is even ” very affordable »». It must be said that Jeep promises a long -term rental (LLD) from € 199/month over 25 months for 20,000 km, it’s coherent.

Except that appearances are misleading, because the entry -level version is particularly stripped. It is even delivered with 16 -inch steel rims. It should therefore attract only few buyers, who will rather watch the higher higher finishes. A model in the high -end “Summit” finish, like our test model, starts at € 42,500. A price to which there are still a few options: Sun + the black roofing at € 1,250, the navigation pack at € 500, the leather upholstery at € 1,000. It is then a budget of € 45,250 that must be expected for an equivalent to our model.

Concretely, for the same price, the customer has the choice between a Jeep Avenger and a Tesla Model Y Propulsion. Jeep’s proposal may bring a strong capital sympathy and a practical aspect by its urban format and backpacker of 4.08 m, it is difficult to find arguments in favor of the Jeep model. No gentlemen, the leaders of Jeep, the Avenger is nothing an electric model affordable, in any case not with these technical characteristics and more than average efficiency. It would take € 5,000 on the bill (before bonus) to start being more attractive on the electric vehicle market.

Faced with him, there are also slightly larger and more versatile models: Hyundai Kona, Kia Niro EV, Renault Mégane E-Tech or MG4 that can be recommended before this model.