Since it was launched in Europe in October 2022, the Avenger has filled a trophy cabinet with awards, including European Car of the Year 2023, Electric Car of the Year in TopGear.com Electric Awards 2023, and Best Small Car at Autocar Awards 2023.

Now, the first fully electric vehicle (EV) from Jeep has arrived Down Under, ready to do battle with likes of the Hyundai Kona Electric, MG ZS EV, BYD Atto 3, and a raft of new Chinese models including the Smart #1 and Chery Omoda E5.

Straight off the cuff, the compact Jeep SUV has its work cut out, stepping out as it does with a price tag of $49,990 (plus on-road costs) for the entry-level Avenger Longitude, rising to $54,990 for the Avenger Limited, and $60,990 for the top-of-the-line Summit.

By way of comparison, the MG ZS EV starts from a lower $43,202, and rises to $49,442, while Hyundai will sell you a Kona Electric from $54,000.

Neither of these is a Jeep, however, and the Avenger trades heavily on its heritage by incorporating various familiar Jeep styling cues throughout its compact body.

Its designers say they set out to create a Jeep for the electric vehicle age, one that younger buyers would see as “cool” and “hi-tech,” terms not often associated with Jeep’s more rugged off-road-oriented offerings.

The resulting compact SUV looks the part, perched up as it is on 17- or 18-inch wheels and tyres, with muscular flared guards and a lookalike Grand Cherokee front-end featuring Jeep’s trademark seven-slot grille. Other notable design elements include trapezoidal wheel arches, and a similar floating C-pillar as seen on the Grand Cherokee and Grand Wagoneer.

Like these models the Avenger has been designed to incorporate some key off-road oriented attributes, despite being front-wheel drive only. This includes short front and rear overhangs, good approach (20 degrees), breakover (20 degrees) and departure (32 degrees) angles, and a minimum 200mm of ground clearance.

Unfortunately, inclement weather during the launch in northern New South Wales didn’t allow us to test the limits of its capabilities, with the planned off-road route cancelled due to heavy downpours.

It may not drive all four wheels but the Avenger boasts hill descent control and various select terrain driving modes (including mud and sand modes) for buyers who dare to head bush. For now, that’s more likely to be surfers accessing a sandy beach track than adventurers tackling the Simpson, but Jeep has shown off a rugged 4x4 plug-in hybrid concept overseas that may eventually make it to production.

Dimensionally, the Avenger is classified as a Light SUV, meaning it’s about the size of Toyota Yaris Cross. Translating this into numbers, Jeep’s smallest ever model is 4,084mm long, 1,797mm wide, 1,534mm tall, and rides on a 2,557mm in wheelbase.

Jeep says the Avenger is designed to offer a roomy and versatile interior capable of accommodating five people and luggage. That’s correct, provided the front-seat occupants don’t have their seats all the way back, and provided the rear seat occupants are on the small side. The back seat really isn’t wide enough to seat three adults comfortably, although head and leg room are decent in both rows.

All Avenger variants offer up to 355 litres of cargo volume with the second row of seats in the upright position, and a reasonably low 720mm sill height. A tyre inflator kit is supplied in lieu of a spare wheel.

Elsewhere inside, the Avenger features a 10.25-inch infotainment screen matched by a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster.

All models feature twin 10.25-inch colour screens, one being the digital driver display and the other the infotainment system.

The central touchscreen is equipped with a TomTom navigation system with live traffic updates, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus a range of other features.

The Avenger complements its screens with functional buttons, which are a welcome change from the growing tendency to move most switchable functions to the vehicle touch screen.

However, the climate control switches aren’t the most intuitive to use and some of the in-screen controls are confusing and initially not easy to operate.

Search and compare new cars

The car is also internet-enabled so you can remotely lock, unlock and perform a range of other functions from your phone.

There are plenty of handy storage nooks and crannies throughout the interior with all variants having an open, horizontal storage area in the dashboard which is handy for smaller items such as phones but not big enough to accommodate your correspondent’s sunglasses.

We drove only the top-spec Summit variant which shares with its lesser siblings such features as push-button start, a rear-view camera, keyless entry, wireless phone charging (Limited and Summit only), and satellite navigation.

Over and above its stablemates. the Summit scores 18-inch alloys, projector LED headlights, sunroof, leather-accented seats, hands-free tailgate, leather-accented power-adjustable massage driver’s seat, front seat heating, a black contrast roof and more.

On top of this the Summit comes loaded with safety features including rear parking sensors, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, lane-centring assist, front and side parking sensors, blind-spot monitoring, autonomous emergency braking with vulnerable road users (pedestrian and cyclist) protection, automatic parking and 180-degree rear camera with drone view.

The Avenger recently received a disappointing three-star rating from ANCAP, with the independent vehicle safety authority stating the Jeep missed the five-star threshold in all areas of assessment.

ANCAP said the Avenger was limited to three-stars through its performance in the Vulnerable Road User Protection and Safety Assist assessment areas, demonstrating Marginal performance in pedestrian, cyclist, and motorcyclist AEB scenarios.

Out on the road the Avenger shows why it’s been the recipient of so many awards. Road holding, ride, handling and steering feel are all excellent, with good feedback through the sporty steering wheel.

The drivetrain consists of a 51kWh battery and front-mounted electric motor that sends 115kW/260Nm to the front wheels on all variants.

Power delivery is impressive, with the instant torque of the electric motor quickly and easily shifting the Avenger’s 1520kg kerb weight. Power output can also be adjusted on the fly, too, with choices between Sport (115kW/260Nm), Normal (80kW/220Nm) or Eco (60kW/180Nm).

Range is a claimed 396km (WLTP) on the Longitude and Limited with their 17-inch wheels, or 390km (WLTP) on the Summit with its 18-inch hoops.

A 400-volt electrical system enables fast-charging capabilities, allowing the battery to be charged from 20–80% in 24 minutes on a 100kW DC fast charger.

The Summit and Limited can accommodate 11kW AC home charging, while the Longitude charges at a lower 7kW. All three variants come with a CCS Combo type-two charger.

The Avenger’s pleasingly tight 10.5m turning circle and compact dimensions also make it and easy companion around town, with good vision and manoeuvrability.

It also looks and feels impressively well put together with a clear European flavour that no doubt stems from it being Italian-designed and built in Poland.

Speaking of design, the Avenger includes several small surprise-and-delight features dubbed ‘Easter eggs’ throughout its interior and exterior, which are intended for buyers to find and enjoy.

Jeep has made these hidden symbols part of its design ethos on various models since the late 1990s and among the ‘Easter eggs’ spotted on the Avenger are a small ladybug on the roof, and a mountain outline and a cityscape on the car's rear windows.

There’s also a compass and the coordinates of Turin, Italy, where the electric SUV was designed near the grille, plus a few more that you’ll have to look for yourself.

Donning our black hat, the interior is characterised by a lot of hard plastics; there’s no full block-out screen for the large sunroof, no rear air-conditioning vents, and foot room in the middle rear seating position is hindered by a transmission tunnel-like hump.

A regular selling point of dedicated battery electric cars is their flat floors, due to the location of the electric motors directly at the axles, meaning there’s no need for a driveshaft and transmission tunnel.

The Avenger is built on the Stellantis Group's eCMP platform, which also underpins the DS 3 E-Tense, Peugeot e-2008 and Vauxhall Mokka Electric, so it's reasonable to assume it would forgo the need for a transmission hump.

However, the Avenger is sold in other markets as an ICE and a mild hybrid, so it’s been built to accommodate all three powertrains.

Jeep hasn’t ruled out bringing these other powertrain options to Australia in the future, but says it’s focused solely on the EV for now.

Jeep thinks the Avenger will attract new buyers to its brand, something we agree is entirely possible given its attractive looks, decent range and quality driving dynamics.

The flood of new Chinese brands, many with affordably priced EVs, will be arguably the biggest challenge in establishing this new model.

Unlike these brands, however, the Avenger comes with distinctive styling that could only come from Jeep, and with the backing of an established brand with a rich heritage.

How much that counts for in the showroom battle, only time will tell.

The Avenger comes with a five-year/100,000km warranty on the vehicle, and an eight-year/160,000km warranty on the battery.

Service intervals are every 12 months or 12,500km, and there’s capped-price servicing available, with lifetime roadside assistance included if you service the vehicle through Jeep dealers.

Key stats

• Price (MRLP): $60,990 (MRLP)
• Warranty: Five -years/100,000km (vehicle); eight years/160,000km (high voltage battery)
• Powertrain: 51kWh lithium-ion battery, single electric motor, front wheel drive (115kW/260Nm)
• Range (WLTP): 390km
• Energy consumption (WLTP): 15.8kWh/100km
• ANCAP crash rating: Three stars (2024)
• For: Looks great, drives very well on-road, quiet, decently powerful, energy-efficient.
• Against: Relatively high price, front-wheel drive only, limited range, tight rear seat packaging, no spare wheel (inflator kit), infotainment system not immediately intuitive.

Review by Joel Tucker

Let us do the work finding your next new car