The new Avenger is a most unusual Jeep. First, it’s not available in the USA. Second, it’s not four-wheel-drive. Third, it’s electric.

The Avenger’s story is one of the complexity of the modern car industry. The huge Stellantis group is a merging of the Fiat Chrysler group of companies (Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Abarth, Maserati, Lancia, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and RAM) with the Peugeot group PSA (Peugeot, Citroen, DS, Opel and Vauxhall). Plus there’s a slice of some Chinese brands involved too – Dongfeng and Leapmotor…

The Fiat Chrysler group of companies were in enormous trouble, having had terrible management making poor decisions. Only Jeep was making money for the group. And very little of that was outside the US market.

A small Jeep Renegade model which shared its platform and Italian manufacture with a Fiat model had been moderately successful in Europe. So when the decision to replace it with a new electric model came about – it’s one that just about every one of the Stellantis brand names has a car based-on, a Jeep was obvious. So far, only Abarth, Maserati and RAM have not got a car on this platform.

Each has its own characteristics, styling inside and out, but shared technology and much of the structure and running gear. The Jeep model, built in the Polish factory which used to build the incredibly popular 500 (which unbelievably Fiat somehow managed not to have a direct replacement for), the Avenger is aimed primarily at the European market. There a Jeep doesn’t have to be as big as a truck or have the capability to climb Mt Rushmore.

So the electric Jeep is a compact, front wheel drive model – and Australia gets the Avenger as its smallest Jeep. It’s quite a tidy design, harnessing the Jeep look without appearing unnecessarily aggressive or utilitarian.

Inside, it’s clear some of the systems and tech are familiar from other Stellantis brands, it mostly comes together pretty well. It handles nicely, with sure-footedness, and has decent performance.

It’s just as well the Avenger isn’t aimed for rough work and long country drives, because that’s where electric vehicles are at their most inept. As an around town compact family car, it does quite well. Electronic aids are nicely calibrated and unobtrusive – other makers could learn from this…

There are three versions starting at $49,990 for the Longitude, but the base model is lacking in features. The Limited is set at $54,990 and the Summit $60,990. All are comfortable and fit five easily despite the compact exterior dimensions.

If we got the all-wheel-drive and engine-driven versions that Europeans car buy, sales of the Avenger would undoubtedly be stronger, given the Australian market for EVs has yet to get to ten percent.

Paul Blank