Can a very different type of Jeep live up to its Car of the Year billing on British roads?
WILL RIMELL
Having won the 2023 Car of the Year gong, the Jeep Avenger arrives in the UK already with much clout. Priced here from £35,700, it’s a car of firsts for the famed American brand: at 4.08 metres long, it’s Jeep’s smallest-ever car; it’s the first Jeep created solely for Europe; and, most importantly, it’s the brand’s first EV.
So, yes, this is an important car. But to fully understand it you need to forget what you think a Jeep is because, for all intents and purposes, it’s lacking in Jeep DNA.
It’s based on Stellantis’s e-CMP2 platform, which results in huge similarities both inside and on the road with various stablemates. This is no bad thing: it’s economies of scale that allow Jeep to build the Avenger profitably. It’s just that it doesn’t feel very… Jeepish.
Having previously driven the Avenger at its European launch in France, this is our first time testing it in the UK. Back then, we said it was the most capable car in the B-SUV class (owing mostly to its off-road credentials), rode relatively well and felt really compact without being compromised.
All that still rings true – mostly. On my mixed test route, the front-driven crossover felt solid, gave good visibility and provided as much oomph as needed from its 154bhp motor.
It also managed efficiency of 5.1mpkWh – much better than it achieved in
