Jeep Avenger e-Hybrid (2024 - ) review

The Jeep Avenger e-Hybrid lays claim, officially, to fuel economy of nearly 60mpg, while its tailpipe emissions are low, too. This means it shouldn’t cost the earth to either tax or run it, and as a bonus, with a full tank of fuel the car’s trip computer reckons it can do more than 400 miles before you’ll need to visit a petrol station again. Bear in mind the Avenger Electric will more likely say about 200 miles to a charge, and it costs almost £10,000 more model-for-model than the e-Hybrid, so you can see there are clear benefits to opting for the hybrid version. Admittedly, we saw more like 40-45mpg from the Jeep when testing it, but we weren’t on the most fuel-efficient routes, so on balance it should prove to be a reasonably cheap car to run.

Jeep doesn’t have the greatest record when it comes to reliability, certainly when considering recent customer satisfaction surveys. That said, the Avenger is a brand-new product using the latest chassis, engines and equipment from the wider group that Jeep is part of, so it is fitted with tried-and-tested technology. It’s also not particularly complex from a mechanical point of view, meaning it should hopefully prove to be a dependable car. There are signs that other brands in the same group as Jeep, such as Fiat, Citroen and Alfa Romeo – none of which have traditionally had the most stellar reputation for reliability – have improved their products in this regard in recent years, so the hope is that this trend translates to Jeep as well.

At the time of writing, the Jeep Avenger hasn’t yet been evaluated by Euro NCAP. It would be a massive surprise if it didn’t pick up at least a four-star rating, though, or even the full five stars, as some older cars which use its mechanicals – such as the Peugeot 2008 – have recorded the top rating in recent years. For peace of mind, even a base-spec Latitude model of the e-Hybrid is fitted with autonomous emergency braking, traffic sign recognition, lane keep assist, driver attention alert, hill descent control, rear parking sensors and cruise control as standard, with various bundle packs offering more advanced driver assist safety systems for modest additional fees.

The seating position in the front of the well-appointed cabin of the Jeep Avenger is good, in that the driver sits with a commanding view of the road ahead, without feeling too high relative to the body of the car. The seats themselves are supportive and comfortable too, and if you specify a certain upgrade pack then they’re also heated and fitted with a massage function for the driver’s chair. There’s not as much space in the rear of the Avenger, though, with limited kneeroom available behind taller front-seat occupants, so it’s maybe better that only children and smaller adults sit in the back of the car for any great distances. As standard, base cars have 16-inch alloy wheels, rising by one inch at each trim grade to the 18-inch items fitted to the flagship Avenger Summit. And yet, even on these big wheels with low-profile tyres, the Jeep rides well. It smothers lumps and bumps with grace and dignity, its composure only upset by the very worst ridges and holes in the road surface. It’s also a quiet car to travel in, with a hushed passenger compartment at speed and a smooth, six-speed automated gearbox helping to make the Avenger feel more sophisticated than its diminutive frame and affordable purchase price would have you expect.

Jeep will sell the Avenger e-Hybrid in the same three-tier specification tree as the petrol and electric models found elsewhere in the range, which means entry level is the Latitude. Above that sits the Altitude model, while the top trim grade is called, appropriately, Summit. One of the key features of the Avenger’s attractive cabin is its twin digital displays, which both measure 10.25 inches across the diagonal – there’s one for the instrument cluster in front of the driver, and another in the middle of the fascia for the infotainment. However, base-spec Latitudes only have a seven-inch TFT display for the cluster as standard so if you want this enhanced digital interface, you’ll need to buy at least an Altitude or, alternatively, spec up a Longitude with the infotainment and convenience pack. Otherwise, there’s a good level of equipment provided on all models, with the Summit cars featuring desirable luxuries such as full LED exterior lighting, heated front seats, keyless entry, a wireless smartphone charger, full 360-degree parking sensors with a 180-degree rear-view parking camera, and a powered tailgate, among more.

The drivetrain fitted to the Jeep Avenger e-Hybrid is not particularly powerful – in fact, the company claims no better horsepower and torque outputs for this part-electric model than it does for the basic petrol car, which is fitted with the same engine minus all the hybrid gear. But the small electric motor, which is housed in the Jeep’s gearbox, helps that turbocharged petrol at low revs – assisting the car with acceleration from lower speeds thanks to its electrical power. This means that the Avenger e-Hybrid never feels anything less than agreeably willing, as it can nip about in city traffic with the best of them. It also doesn’t feel utterly lost out on open roads, with the engine and gearbox able to serve up ample performance for a car of this class and size. Even better, the 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine makes an interesting noise, and while the Avenger e-Hybrid is designed to be smooth, quiet and comfortable first and foremost, it proves to be quite capable and enjoyable on more challenging roads. This last facet of its character is down to the fact it's a light car amongst its peers, although the pure-petrol Avenger is even lighter still.