Jeep Avenger review

Introduction

The Jeep Avenger could be seen as the air fryer of Jeep's model range: it’s small, compact and far easier to live with than the traditional – perhaps conventional oven-like – Wrangler.

Indeed, with its dinky small SUV dimensions and underpinnings shared with the Peugeot 2008 and Vauxhall Mokka, the Avenger is the most car-like Jeep you can buy. That might put off die-hard Jeep fans, but could tempt new buyers who like its modern design language but don't plan to go off-road.

New car deals

Best price from £20,990

What is What Car? best price?

The What Car? best price shows you the cheapest way to buy your new car, whether it's by choosing an in-stock car through our partner Autotrader or placing a factory order.

Available now from: £20,990

RRP from: £26,610

Available now

From £20,990

Leasing deals

From £245

About our price indicator

What Car? indicative Personal lease example (subject to status)

54kWh e-Summit SUV 5dr Electric Auto (156 ps)

Expected annual mileage	6000
Term months	48
Deposit months	12
Monthly payment	£245.16
Initial payment	£2,941.92

Step-by-step

Leasing works a bit like a long-term rental. You drive it, but you don’t own it.

• Choose your car, pick your terms and apply for lease credit online
• Pay monthly rental payments for your chosen term length
• Drive it, enjoy it, then give it back at the end

What you get

When you lease with Autotrader you get all of this:

• Full manufacturer’s warranty
• Road tax and roadside assistance included
• No admin fees
• Free returns within 30 days*

In partnership with

£2,942 initial payment, 48 month contract, 6000 miles p/a. Subject to status and conditions.

• Lower total monthly cost than PCP/HP
• No balloon payments
• Road tax included

Unlike many Jeeps, most versions of the Avenger have front-wheel drive rather than four-wheel drive – you'll need the Avenger 4xe to get that. Alternatively, you can check out our Jeep Avenger Electric review for the full EV.

Is the Avenger a worthy opponent to its mechanical cousins, as well as rivals including the Skoda Kamiq and Volkswagen Taigo? Read on to find out…

The What Car? Reliability Survey is live, tell us about your car now

Overview

There are more practical small SUVs around, but if rear-seat space isn’t a priority, the Jeep Avenger’s sensible price tag and smart interior make it an appealing choice. The lower trim levels represent the best value, while the e-Hybrid is a well-rounded option. If you plan to do a lot of off-roading, the 4xe will suit you best.

What's new?

• July 2026: Avenger is facelifted. It features tweaked styling, an updated entry-level petrol engine and a special 85th Anniversary trim
• July 2025: Avenger sales (all engines) hit 200,000 across Europe
• October 2024: Avenger 4xe on sale. Upland and Overland trims, plus The North Face Edition limited to 4806 units

Pros

• Good driving position
• Reasonably priced
• Small dimensions benefit manoeuvrability

Cons

• Tight rear leg room
• Disappointing safety rating
• Average to drive

What's new?

• July 2026: Avenger is facelifted. It features tweaked styling, an updated entry-level petrol engine and a special 85th Anniversary trim
• July 2025: Avenger sales (all engines) hit 200,000 across Europe
• October 2024: Avenger 4xe on sale. Upland and Overland trims, plus The North Face Edition limited to 4806 units

Trims available

---

Longitude

This is the entry-level model and comes with 16in alloy wheels, air conditioning, cruise control, automatic windscreen wipers and keyless entry. There are a few option packs available, so you can add your essential luxuries without stepping up to the next trim level.

Summit

On top of everything you get on the mid-level Altitude, range-topping Summit is limited to the e-Hybrid and pure electric versions and adds 18in wheels, rear privacy glass, heated front seats, a wireless phone-charging pad, and a powered tailgate.

New car deals

Available now

Leasing deals

Performance & drive

What it's like to drive, and how quiet it is

How fast is it and which engine is best?

The Jeep Avenger's engine range starts with a 1.2-litre petrol; it comes with a six-speed manual gearbox that slots into gear smoothly and has a short throw. The 99bhp power figure might sound a bit weedy but there’s enough grunt at low revs and it can get you up to motorway speeds without stress.

For a little more money, there’s the Avenger e-Hybrid, which has the same 1.2-litre engine but adds mild-hybrid tech and comes with a six-speed automatic gearbox. 

Again, acceleration is acceptable – just not stellar. On the gearbox front, it swaps cogs quickly and smoothly most of the time, but it can be a little sluggish when you need a sudden burst of pace.

The 4xe is similar to the e-Hybrid up front – there’s a 1.2-litre petrol engine and an electric motor. However, the 4xe adds a second electric motor, this time driving the rear wheels, making it four-wheel drive. Its extra power can be felt around town, but at higher speeds, acceleration still feels a little lacking. 

If you're gentle with the accelerator, any mild-hybrid Avenger will cover short distances on electric power alone. The Lexus LBX and Toyota Yaris Cross – with their regular hybrid systems – can run on electric power alone for longer and are more economical, especially around town.

Is it agile and is the ride comfortable?

The Avenger feels most at home in urban environments, where its small dimensions and relatively tight turning circle make it a doddle to drive. Beyond the urban sprawl it handles well enough, but the steering doesn’t build much weight at speed and there’s more body lean than there is with the Ford Puma, which is a sportier, sharper handler.

Ultimately the Avenger puts comfort ahead of dynamics, and it does indeed ride comfortably, being more forgiving than the Puma’s firmer, busier setup. Mind you, the Avenger still doesn’t rank as a small SUV class leader here. Take a look at the Skoda Kamiq for a proper smooth ride.

Every Avenger comes with Hill Descent Control, which uses the brakes to manage downhill speeds without the driver having to touch the pedals. There are also Sand, Snow and Mud drive modes to maximise traction. It had little trouble dealing with a small rugged track when we took it off-roading.

The 4xe feels the most capable off-road, with 10mm extra ground clearance compared with the front-wheel-drive versions (which have 200mm), and protective cladding. It’s no Jeep Wrangler, but the 4xe can hold its own when faced with somewhat tricky terrain. 

Is it quiet and how easy is it to drive smoothly?

Again, the Avenger is a bit so-so here. Wind noise creeps up on the motorway, the engine can seem a bit gruff at times and you do feel some vibration through the pedals.

What’s more, the entry-level car’s stop-start system isn’t particularly smooth – that's not a problem in the e-Hybrid and 4xe thanks to their mild-hybrid tech. Rivals like the Skoda Kamiq are more relaxing.

Interior

The interior layout, fit and finish

What does the interior look like and is it well made?

The Jeep Avenger’s interior, like its exterior, has a pretty boxy design. At first glance, it all looks a bit rough and ready – perhaps a bit cheap and cheerful – but for 2026, Jeep has added more soft-touch material to the dashboard and doors. It hasn’t suddenly become a match for the luxurious Lexus LBX, sure, but we’d argue the Avenger has firmly overtaken the Vauxhall Mokka for material quality. 

The 4xe version gets largely the same interior as other Avengers, but with a couple of extras, including rubber floor mats and a more robust fabric on the seats. Arguably, build quality is even more important with the off-road-focused 4xe compared with other versions, but thankfully, all Avengers feel solid inside. 

Is the driving position comfortable and is it easy to see out?

Forward visibility is mostly impressive thanks to the Avenger's tall side windows and slim front window pillars. However, the view over your shoulder isn’t as impressive due to wide rear window pillars. Rear parking sensors come as standard to ease parking manoeuvres, while all-round sensors and a rear-view camera are fitted to high-spec Summit trim cars.

With lots of adjustment in the seat and steering wheel, you’ll find it easy to get comfortable behind the wheel. The only disappointment is that adjustable lumbar support for the driver's seat is optional on all versions of the Avenger – by ticking the box or going for top-spec Skyview trim, you do also get a massaging function, though.

Are the dashboard and infotainment system easy to use?

All Avengers have a digital driver's display: you get a 7in screen with entry-level Longitude trim, or a 10.3in unit with a wider choice of lay-outs in other versions.

In the e-Hybrid and 4xe, the speedo turns blue when you're running on electricity. You also get gearshift paddles on the steering wheel so you can be in control of the automatic gearbox – although due to the (strange) omission of a rev counter the paddles feel a bit redundant.

The Avenger's 10.3in infotainment touchscreen is high on the dashboard to make it fairly easy to glance across at while driving. It’s straightforward to use with an intuitive operating system and quick responses to prods.

You have to pay extra for sat-nav on all Avengers, but we wouldn’t bother because you get wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay so you can sync up your phone and run navigation apps through the screen.

Like in the Nissan Juke, the Avenger's climate controls use physical switches, making it less distracting to use while you're driving than the touchscreen-based systems in the Ford Puma and Peugeot 2008.

Passenger & boot space

How it copes with people and clutter

How much space does it have for people?

The Jeep Avenger is diminutive, even by small SUV standards, so it's not the most practical car in this class. Still, space in the front is impressive and there’s lots of head and leg room so two six-footers can get comfortable easily.

Where the Avenger comes up a little short is in the rear seats, where space is tight. Six-footers get enough head room and space to tuck their feet under the front seats, but their knees will be wedged up against the seats in front. What’s more, there’s very little storage in the back. The Skoda Kamiq and VW T-Roc are much more accommodating.

How much room does it have for luggage?

There’s plenty of storage space in the front, including a big cubby with a magnetic lid at the bottom of the dashboard, two cupholders and a cubby beneath the centre armrest. There’s also a long storage tray running across the dash below the air vents, but it’s only large enough for small items like your phone, and it doesn’t hold them in place very well.

Front-wheel-drive petrol Avengers have 380 litres of boot space, which trails the Ford Puma, the Peugeot 2008 and the Kamiq but should be enough for a family weekend trip away. The e-Hybrid in Altitude trim or above has a height-adjustable boot floor.

The four-wheel-drive Avenger – the 4xe – loses quite a lot of boot capacity to its second electric motor, ending up with 325 litres. The Jeep Avenger Electric beats that, with 355 litres, and most petrol small SUVs give you more space.

The Avenger's rear seatbacks split and fold in a 60/40 format so you can extend the boot. You don’t get a sliding rear bench – as you do in a VW T-Cross – or a ski hatch (which you get in a VW T-Roc).

Buying & owning

Everyday costs, plus how reliable and safe it is

How much does it cost and what equipment do you get?

The Jeep Avenger’s pricing is more reasonable than it is attractive or compelling: as of writing, its starting list price is around £27,000. That’s about what you’d pay for an entry-level Ford Puma, but the Avenger is more expensive than most Dacia Dusters and Renault Capturs. 

You’ll have to pay slightly more for the e-Hybrid version than the entry-level petrol, and quite a bit more for the 4xe. Upgrading to the e-Hybrid improves official fuel efficiency from 49.6mpg to 57.6mpg.

If you're looking for a company car we'd recommend looking at the Jeep Avenger Electric instead – it will attract much less BIK tax than any petrol car.

The Avenger is predicted to lose its value more slowly than all its main rivals, which should lead to attractive monthly payments if you buy one on a PCP finance deal. You can check for the latest offers using our New Car Deals pages.

Entry-level Longitude trim comes with 16in alloy wheels, air-conditioning, cruise control, automatic wipers and keyless entry. We think it's the best choice, and you can select option packs if there are other luxuries you want to add.

Upgrading to mid-spec Altitude will get you a smarter interior with silver trim finishers, a faux-leather steering wheel, 17in alloys, adaptive cruise control and climate control.

There’s now an 85th Anniversary trim – to celebrate Jeep's 85th birthday. It has 18in wheels, an illuminated grille, a dedicated seat design and plenty of 85th Anniversary badges. 

Then there’s Summit and range-topping Skyview. The former has heated front seats, while the latter adds a panoramic sunroof, leather upholstery and massaging seats. 

The 4xe gets its own bespoke trim levels: Upland, 85th Anniversary and Overland. We’d recommend sticking with Upland, which comes with everything you need, including the off-road enhancements we’ve spoken about. 

Is it reliable, and how long is the warranty?

We don't have recent reliability data for Jeep. Last time the brand appeared in our What Car? Reliability Survey was in 2022, when it finished bottom out of 32 brands. If anything were to go wrong, the Avenger is covered by a three-year, 60,000-mile warranty. 

How safe is it, and is it easy to steal?

Despite its rugged looks, the Avenger didn't do very well when it was tested for safety: Euro NCAP gave it a disappointing three stars out of five. Its scores for protecting vulnerable road users and safety assist were just 59% and 53%.

You get plenty of safety aids on the Avenger as standard, including automatic emergency braking (AEB) with cyclist and pedestrian detection, lane-keeping assist, traffic-sign recognition and driver attention monitor.

Every Avenger has an engine immobiliser, volumetric interior monitoring, and perimeter alarms to deter break-ins. It integrates with the central locking system, triggering an audible siren if doors or the bonnet are forced open. Keyless models use encrypted signals to mitigate tracking and relay-theft attempts.

Buy it if…

- You like boxy, rugged-looking small SUVs

- You want the choice of petrol, mild-hybrid or fully electric power

- You want some genuine off-road ability (the 4xe)

Don’t buy it if…

- You want super sharp, fun handling

- You’d like a rock-solid reliability record and a class-leading warranty 

- You need lots of interior or boot space

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here