► Our final verdict
► A funky EV, but also in hybrid and petrol
► Read month 1
I was struggling to sum up my time with the Jeep Avenger until I had a chat with my mother, who has also driven the Jeep over the last few months. Her verdict? It’s… adequate. She’s right. It’s okay. No more, no less.
She reckons the exterior looks like a ‘plastic’ version of a ‘real’ Jeep, and has even more to say about the interior, and the lack of perceived quality: ‘There was no luxurious feel to it at all. The seats felt hard and inside it was very, very basic.’ A bit harsh, I thought, given the Jeep’s young looks and punchy price point.
She thought legroom was fine in the back and front while the infotainment (via CarPlay) was easy to use. But it felt too flimsy: ‘The doors just didn’t shut in a satisfying way with a proper thunk.’
I am more understanding than her of the necessary compromises on quality, but I agree with her criticism of the cubbyhole cover. Cheap-feeling and prone to hiding the transmission buttons in some configurations, it’s a low point.
But we’ve both enjoyed the Jeep’s linear acceleration, quick, easy steering and quiet operation. Rapid enough to give a microdose of adrenaline exiting roundabouts and junctions, the EV powertrain is smooth and much less lurchy than the confused gearbox of the Alfa Romeo Tonale I ran before.
The Avenger’s relatively fast steering makes it easy to dart through London traffic, and when combined with a high driving position, makes it easy to park and manoeuvre through tight spots.
The EV powertrain has some drawbacks, but how big a deal they seem varies with the user. Whereas my mother used it for social events and errands close to home, my main use was the 100-mile journey between home and work.
Rather than giving me the bad news on range upfront, the Jeep would deliver it piecemeal, occasionally forcing an unscheduled stop. On the motorway-heavy work commute, the Jeep would chomp a mile and a bit out of every mile travelled. In contrast, my mother’s short journeys at urban speeds were much less draining.
So… ‘adequate’ it is. Not interesting or surprising like the Smart #1 I borrowed from my colleague Jake Groves a few months back, nor basic but fun like the petrol Avenger I tried. It’s far from terrible, but also far from great. It’s alright.
Logbook (month 7: Jeep Avenger EV)
Price: £39,600 (£42,125 as tested)
Performance: 50.8kWh battery, e-motor, 154bhp, 9.6sec 0-62mph, 93mph top speed
Efficiency: 3.9-4.0 miles per kWh (official), 2.7 miles per kWh (tested), 0g/km CO₂
Range: 249 miles (official), 221 miles (tested)
Energy cost: 11.2p per mile
Miles this month: 1375
Total miles: 5310
Count the cost
- Cost new: £42,125
- Part exchange value: £24,345
- Cost per mile: 11.2p
- Cost per mile (including depreciation): £3.46