Should you buy one?

That all depends on what you want from your car. If all you want is a funky small electric car with a modicum of off-road ability, then the Jeep Avenger could be perfect for you. However, if you value a sharp driving experience, or you have a family to cart around, we think you’ll be much better served by one of the Avenger’s many rivals.

Don’t get us wrong, the Avenger isn’t a bad car. It just trails the best in its class. It trades on its looks and it can’t offer enough practicality or performance to drag buyers away from more well-rounded alternatives such as the Kia Niro EV or Smart #1. We even prefer the rather humdrum Hyundai Kona Electric.

To add insult to injury, the cheapest Smart #1 costs is only marginally more expensive than the cheapest Avenger – but the Smart is undeniably the better car. Their base prices are separated by just £250, which we think is money well spent for a car that drives better, has more space inside and offers a more attractive technology suite.

The Avenger is, at least, a marked improvement over Jeep’s previous small cars, the Renegade and the Compass. Its infotainment technology is vastly improved and it’s noticeably more refined at speed. When the four-wheel drive Avenger arrives in 2024, we expect it’ll be able to match both cars’ performance off-road, too.

What we like

Jeep knows its audience – and it’s styled to Avenger to appeal to them. It’s a striking-looking thing, which goes a long way in this class. It’s also about the same size as a Vauxhall Corsa, which means it’s a doddle to potter around town in. Plus, it’s a lot more capable off-road than you’d expect – on a greenlane, it’ll leave the likes of the Peugeot e-2008 and Vauxhall Mokka Electric trailing in its wake.

What we don’t like

Apart from its off-road ability (which, if we’re honest, isn’t particularly relevant to compact SUV buyers these days), the Jeep Avenger doesn’t excel in any area. The Smart #1 is faster and better to drive, the MG ZS EV is cheaper and has a longer real-world range, while the Kia Niro EV has more space inside for passengers and luggage.

There are even better options from within Jeep’s parent company Stellantis. If you want something that drives like an Avenger and you don’t need the off-road capability, we strongly recommend you check out the Fiat 600e. It’s based on the same platform as the Avenger, but its suspension is more comfortable, it has a slightly bigger boot and it’s £2,700 cheaper.