Small SUV is now offered with mild hybrid petrol power and much lower price than the electric version On sale May Price from £25,300
Lawrence Cheung lawrence.cheung@haymarket.com
IF WE WERE to liken Jeep’s range of cars to cooking appliances, the Avenger could be the equivalent of an air fryer. It’s compact and far more convenient to use than the traditional oven that is the Jeep Wrangler. Now, after making its debut in fully electric form, this small SUV is available with petrol power and a much handier price tag.
In entry-level form, the combustion-powered Avenger has a 99bhp 1.2-litre petrol engine and a six-speed manual gearbox. For a little more, though, you can opt for this six-speed automatic e-Hybrid. It adds mild hybrid assistance to the mix, with the party piece of being able to cover short distances on electric power alone.
This isn’t always possible in mild hybrid cars, but Jeep reckons the Avenger’s 0.9kWh battery can propel it for more than half a mile at a time at speeds below 20mph. We found that it worked best on flat (or downhill) roads, with the driver’s foot gently pressing on the accelerator pedal. Naturally, a full hybrid Lexus LBX or Toyota Yaris Cross will travel much farther on electricity alone, but the Avenger e-Hybrid is at least a step in the right direction.
The e-Hybrid has the same 99bhp as the regular 1.2-litre Avenger (which we have yet to drive), and its official 0-62mph time of 10.9sec is beaten by those of the Peugeot 2008 e-Hybrid (with 134bhp and an 8.3sec time) or a Ford Puma 125 automatic (123bhp and 9.6sec). Even so, the Avenger has plenty of muscle available for everyday driving, with a consistent level of pulling power throughout the rev range.
The Avenger e-Hybrid’s automatic gearbox kicks down promptly enough when you need a burst of acceleration; it’s more responsive than the eight-speed ’boxes of the Citroën C3 Aircross and Vauxhall Mokka.
The Avenger’s stop-start system doesn’t activate as quickly or as smoothly as the Puma’s, and you feel some vibration through the floor during acceleration. However, the consistent response of the Avenger e-Hybrid’s brake pedal means stopping smoothly is much easier than in a 2008.
Meanwhile, a regenerative braking system recovers energy during deceleration and uses it to top up the battery. You can’t adjust it, but its effect is strong enough to reduce how often you need to use the brake pedal at urban speeds.
In fact, the Avenge
