Jeep Avenger vs BMW XM

What's the difference?

The Jeep Avenger is a strong move for the brand as a city-focused offering, and particularly as its first EV.

The styling and easy driving experience should be a draw, but its price in an increasingly competitive small SUV (and electric car) market could be a turn-off for some - even if it is only few thousand dollars more expensive than the slightly larger Compass.

Despite a couple of small flaws and a lacklustre safety rating overseas, the Avenger is ultimately one of the best-driving cars the brand has put out in years, and deserves a look if you’re keen on a practical but stylish EV.

It’s pretty obvious the XM is designed to impress people with big wallets and an appetite for a techy experience that’s also not without a few green credentials. The ability to motor around as a fully-electric vehicle for up to 80km or so is a big plus and the electric-ballroom interior vibe is hard to ignore, as well.

But from our perspective, the full-fat, twin-turbo V8, while offering startling performance, is perhaps a lost opportunity to follow some of BMW’s competitors into the engine-downsizing space. Then again, when you floor the throttle and 2700kg hurtles forward like a big dog on a short chain, you can see where BMW is coming from.

Perhaps the biggest letdown is the ride quality – or lack of it. While it’s understandable BMW wanted the most dynamic version of the XM it could manage, the end result plays against the vehicle’s otherwise long suit of hyper-luxury. Doubtless, BMW would argue that to soften the chassis would have been to introduce a chink into a no-compromise product. But, perhaps, sometimes a sensible compromise is the way forward.