Jeep Avenger long-term test
The Avenger is Jeep's first electric SUV, but can it tempt a new wave of buyers to consider the iconic American brand? We're living with one to find out...
The car Jeep Avenger Summit Run by Mark Pearson, used cars editor
Why it’s here To see if the trendy Avenger can successfully forge new ground for Jeep and to see how it stacks up against its many polished electric SUV competitors
Needs to dispatch commuting, work and family life without any range anxiety issues and cope with a wide variety of everyday duties
Miles covered 4522 Price £39,600 Target price £39,017 Price as tested £42,125 Official range 244 miles Test range 163 miles
14 May 2024 – Putting the boot in
On paper, my Jeep Avenger Electric’s boot is quite modestly sized. Its official capacity is 355 litres, which puts it above its main rival, the Smart #1, which has a weeny 273 litres, but some way below the likes of the Hyundai Kona Electric (466 litres) and the Kia Niro EV (475 litres). So a recent trip to the tip, to dispose of not only the usual household items but also a no-longer-wanted and awkwardly shaped swivel armchair, was approached with some trepidation.
On my top-spec Summit-trimmed car, the tailgate can be opened remotely and closed by pressing a button, which meant I didn't have to fumble with the chair to get the boot lid open. The Avenger’s floor is not quite flat with the rear seats down, but there's only a small lip at its entrance to haul things over and the boot opening is broad and square, and the space available inside certainly looks promising. The various boxes went in first, followed by an awful lot of plasterboard and wadding from a recently flooded garage ceiling. Finally, the armchair, with some careful manipulation, went in too. Job done.
Importantly, even fully loaded I could still see out of the car well enough to drive. The visibility to the front and sides is good in the Avenger anyway, although the wide rear window pillars impede the view aft a little.
Luckily, parking sensors and a useful rear-view camera are standard on my car. This is one of those fancy 360deg rear-view cameras that offers you a traditional image of the approaching wall or garage door as you reverse towards it, as well as an overhead view (Jeep calls it a 'drone' view) to see where your car is in relation to everything else. I've found this useful not only for going backwards but also when parking generally, especially where it's difficult to gauge exactly where a menacing kerb may be.
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