Seven day test: Jeep Avenger Summit – too much fun or just too much?
A few debuts for you here. The Jeep Avenger is the hairy-chested brand’s first EV, and Australia’s first full electric offering in the “Light SUV” segment.
Light SUV means small. Real small. The city-specific Avenger will soon be joined by Hyundai’s Inster in this diminutive EV class, no doubt with a significantly lower sticker price.
This tiniest of Jeeps ain’t cheap, you see.
An entry-level Longitude is $49,990, followed by a $54,990 Limited, then range-topping Summit for $60,990, all before on-roads.
We spent a week with the Avenger Summit, testing it as a city slicker and school holiday family car. Can it justify its price tag?
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Day 1: It’s hip to be square
The wife likes it, so do the kids.
“Cute!” my daughter shouts after greeting the bright red boxy little Avenger with its blacked-out signature seven-slot Jeep grille and moody dark headlights.
Just the way of the world, I tell myself. If I wanted cute I’d buy an old Fiat 500 and pet bunny. I want my Jeep to have diff locks, fat tyres, hose-out interior and a compass pointing towards massive mountains.
My wife mumbles something about toxic masculinity, then our family of four with overnight bags attempt to squeeze into this ickle Jeep.
We manage. Just. The boot’s a fair size for a light SUV, but with a charging cable under the false floor and no frunk to speak of, things are tight. No spare wheel, either.
I climb into the Avenger’s cabin and if not for the Jeep badge, I’d insist I was in a Peugeot.
No bad thing, but it’s just not very Jeepy. The Avenger’s built on the same platform as Peugeot’s e-2008, and being under Stellantis’ giant umbrella means the cabin layout and some switchgear feel identical to the French brand’s.
With 437km range showing on the digital driver display, I pull into Brisbane traffic and it’s rather serene. Quiet drive, fair pep from the electric motor and cushiony suspension, with the odd harsh bump felt through low-ish profile tyres.
You’d not believe the Avenger EV and a petrol-sucking hardcore Wrangler could possibly come from the same company.
Day 2: Picking holes
After 24 hours, I’m ready to get picky.
This Avenger Summit’s the flagship grade, costing $66,900 for me to drive away in Queensland.
I could be in traffic in an ex-demo giant Jeep Gladiator Night Eagle for less. Apples with oranges I know, but dropping that sort of coin brings expectations.
Not passing muster are the Avenger’s hard dash and door plastics, no space for two takeaway coffees in the centre console, the doors don’t close with a satisfying thunk, and the electric motor’s performance underwhelms.
I’m first to argue an EV doesn’t need to be an acceleration monster, but for this money I’d want a bit more vim.
It’s zippy enough off the mark, but nine seconds to 100km/h is glacial these days. A Volvo EX30 EV – a larger car than the Avenger – manages it in 5.3 seconds with its 200kW/343Nm rear motor.
Said Volvo is also a grand less than this Summit grade Jeep, which sends its lesser 115kW/320Nm through the front treads.
Pragmatic performance helps economy though. Our city trip returns 14.9kWh/100km; well under the quoted 15.8kWh figure, despite the air con cranked up in the summer heat.
I’m appreciating aspects, no doubt. The 10.25-inch infotainment with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto’s a good one, with excellent resolution for the reversing camera, including a birds-eye view.
Also pleasing are a 10.25-inch digital driver’s display, wireless phone charger, hands-free tailgate, small sunroof and leather-accented seats.
Front chairs are heated, but bizzarely, as with Peugeots, you can’t turn them on if the outside temperature’s over a certain number. If you have an aching back (show me a middle age parent who doesn’t), a bit of heat therapy’s welcome even on warm days.
I’ve latterly discovered the driver’s seat has a massage function too. I never saw a button for it, as it was doubtless through the touchscreen along with the heated seat functions. Why? Physical buttons are always quicker and safer to operate.
Day 3: Handling test
EVs are normally lardy lumps with the agility of a muddy gum boot. But hang on. This Avenger’s not half bad.
It weighs only 1520kg, which isn’t far off what a combustion small SUV tips scales at. Steering has reasonable feel in Sport mode, it changes direction neatly and balance and grip are really good. I start barrelling into roundabouts with the same enthusiasm as my hot hatch days.
But the brake feel’s terrible. There’s dead air, then it comes on too strong. Sadly, it’s the way of too many EVs; there’s little in the way of linear, progressive braking delivery.
There’s a panel at the base of the dash to select gears. It’s space saving, but takes some getting used to. There’s a ‘B’ button by the ‘D’ which brings a bit of regeneration into play, but not much.
I’d prefer some paddles to offer different levels of regen for the urban drive, with it coming to a complete stop without needing a brake pedal. Sadly, not offered here.
Blessedly, the driver aids like lane keep, driver attention warning and traffic sign recognition aren’t fussy, keeping their bongs silent unless you really start to stray.
Day 4: Not a family car
It’s 35C in Brisbane and the children aren’t happy.
Being older kids (12 and 9) they need a bit of rear space, and it’s not huge. But of course it isn’t; this is a city-sized SUV.
Even so, when a few grand more buys a Tesla Model Y RWD with acres of rear seat and boot space, it’s clear the Avenger’s not going to be a popular choice for anything but singletons and couples.
In my duty as car reviewer, I trade rear seat places with my son.
He was correct to grumble. The doors are big slabs of plastic with no cup holders in them, there’s no centre arm rest, head rests are hard and there’s a single USB-C port to fight over.
Biggest crime on such a scorching day is no rear air vents, so it gets pretty stuffy in the back of the Avenger.
Learning this baby Jeep has a three star ANCAP rating also makes it a questionable family car.
Seems the Avenger’s auto emergency braking didn’t perform well when up against pedestrians and motorcyclists, while in its physical crash test, Adult Occupant Protection at 79% and Child Occupant Protection at 71% isn’t great.
The aforementioned Volvo EX30 managed 88% and 85% respectively on its way to a five star result.
Day 5: Home charging
Economy’s been impressive. We’re down to 14.5kWh/100km, way below the official energy use, and that’s despite a 150km motorway trip.
It charges at 11kW with the included Mode 3 cable for a home wall box (I’ve not got one), taking roughly 5.5 hours from 0-100%.
Potential owners should reckon on forking out the extra for a wall box. Jeep doesn’t include a portable Type 2 charger (about $300 for those), so I had to borrow one to home charge using a normal power socket.
This way, empty to full takes roughly 26 hours. We just plug the Avenger overnight, and the battery fills at 12km/h. Quick maths for you, a ten hour plug-in bought us 120km. Fine for everyday commuting.
Positively, there were no home charging hiccups, which can’t be said of every EV we’ve tested. The car accepted charge straight away, didn’t cancel unexpectedly, and handed back the charge cable as soon as power was turned off. As it should be.
Disappointingly, there’s no Vehicle-to-Load capability (V2L), so no handy power point within this EV.
Day 6: Off-roading, really?
Good ol’ Jeep. They know they’ve got to stay true to their roots by giving its products some off-road ability.
But it’s a front wheel-drive little SUV with not much power, so it’s a big ask.
Regardless, the Avenger’s got six-mode Selec-Terrain: Eco, Normal, Sport, Sand, Mud and Snow settings.
And fair play, there’s reasonable 200mm ground clearance, 20 degree approach angle and 32 degree departure angle thanks to the short overhangs.
Look, I’ve been stuck before trying to test little SUVs claiming off-road ability, and during summer school holidays I didn’t want a repeat. My “off-road” test involved a dirt road, and then a tiny bit of soft sand, but I was not about to go deep adventuring in a 2WD EV.
The Avenger’s traction control system did a good job of controlling wheelspin, although steering feel off the bitumen was particularly lifeless in Sand mode.
With a decent set of all-terrain tyres it’d be a cool little unsealed road camping car for two. If Jeep looked to the Hyundai Inster and its fully flat-folding four seats, that’d boost its adventurous potential.
A 4xe Avenger dual-motor 4WD would be interesting, and Jeep’s already teased one at the 2022 Paris motor show.
Day 7: Not public charging
One thing I’ll miss is the Avenger’s indicator noise. It’s something like a drum and bass background, rather than annoying tick-tocks. Nice touch.
Before returning the baby Jeep, I try to do the right thing by adding charge and testing its 100kW DC charging speed.
There’s one charging station en route, and wouldn’t you know, it’s out of service. Every single charger at the Evie site is down.
It’s becoming all-too common and frustrating, our charging infrastructure. I had the Toyota bZ4X a few weeks prior, and it failed to charge at two separate stations.
I’m not about to hunt down another charge station in the hope it’s operational, so head back to the city drop-off on the electric equivalent of vapours.
Fortunately, the Avenger’s done a superb job on the economy front. We finish with just 14.3kWh/100km used. That’s up there with the best I’ve managed in any EV, suggesting a 400km range is achievable.
My conclusion? The Avenger’s a great fun and capable little city SUV, with surprisingly good handling and – choppy roads aside – ride comfort too.
It’s not brimming with EV sophistication, the cabin space is too tight for families, and for the money, some of the plastics are decidedly rental car-spec.
It’s a good looking little Jeep, range proved reliable and having a smidge more off-road ability than most EVs is a point of difference.
The Avenger’s a niche offering, but a charming one. However, the value equation doesn’t stack up for this Summit grade.
The entry-level Longitude’s the pick. It still has the twin screens, key safety equipment, Selec-Terrain modes and same battery, motor and DC charging performance.
At under $50k, it’s the baby EV Jeep that makes most sense.
2025 Jeep Avenger Summit price and specifications
Price: $60,990 plus on-roads
Basics: EV, 5 seats, 5 doors, SUV, FWD
Range: 390km WLTP
Battery capacity: 51kWh
Battery warranty: Eight-year/160,000km
Energy consumption: 15.8kWh per 100km
Motor: 1 front, 115W/320Nm
AC charging: 11kW Type 2 plug
DC charging: 100kW, CCS combo plug
0-100km/h: 9.0 seconds
