Jeep Renegade: The Little Brother Of The Range

The North American manufacturer Jeep launches its Renegade model as a compact off-road vehicle. With this vehicle it makes direct competition to cars of other formats such as the Renault Captur or the Nissan Juke.

Like other models, like the Cherokee, the Jeep Renegade leads its competitors in off-road spirit. Especially with its Trailhawk version. The Renegade is consolidated as a true 4 × 4 vehicle, in this case with a smaller model.

The smallest of the Jeep models

At 4.23 meters in length, the Jeep Renegade is the smallest vehicle in the Jeep range. To suit the less adventurous, Jeep offers front-wheel drive versions and a more urban format.

On the other hand, the 4 × 4 option incorporates two different traction systems, depending on the off-road use that you want to give it.

The Renegade is made in Italy, along with the Fiat 500X. It shares platform and monitoring with the Italian model, only with different positioning.

Interior design

Following the Jeep philosophy, the interior of the Renegade is comfortable and attractive. It has good quality materials and several distinctive Jeep details.

All the controls are at the pilot’s hand and have good finishing details. In addition, the driver’s position is somewhat elevated, although it is not uncomfortable.

The problem with the interior of the Renegade is the lack of space in relation to other vehicles of this format. The rear seats are narrow and the boot has 350 liters, falling behind some competitors such as the Peugeot 2008.

Even with this, the interior is still comfortable for all passengers, with plenty of space between the seats and the roof. In addition, there are several useful handles for offroad trips and the possibility of incorporating the MySky sunroof.

This extra makes the Renegade more expensive by 1,660 euros, although it comes standard in the 75th anniversary edition. This option allows the front roof panel to be opened, letting in the breeze and giving a pleasant open-air driving sensation.

The Renegade features

This compact off-roader exists in a wide range of diesel and gasoline engines, with powers from 110 hp to 170 hp. In gasoline, the lowest model is a 1.6 E-TorQ with 110 hp. This is a naturally aspirated engine that is somewhat fair in performance.

Below are the 1.4 MultiAir Turbo options of 140 and 170 hp. The latter adds Jeep’s Active Drive all- wheel drive system . The two less powerful options incorporate a 4 × 2 traction, although the 140 hp engine has a 6-speed dual-clutch gearbox.

As for diesel, the most basic option is a 1.6 MultiJet 120 hp. Then there are the 2.0 MultiJet variants of 120, 140 and 170 hp. The 2.0 engines have a 4 × 4 option available, while the 1.6 is limited to 4 × 2 traction.

All 4 × 4 versions offer the option of a nine-speed automatic gearshift, ideal for off-road driving.

In addition, the traction systems can vary between the aforementioned Active Drive , and the Active Drive Low . Both systems have an electronic locking option and power distribution systems. This allows to adapt the driving to different surfaces: sand, mud, snow …

The Active Drive Low option is only available with the 140 and 170 hp engines. This system has the particularity of incorporating a hill descent control system, further improving offroad driving .

The best off-road option with the Renegade Trailhawk

For the more adventurous, Jeep offers the Trailhawk version . This is only available with the 170 hp 2.0 MultiJet engine, Active Drive Low traction system and 9-speed automatic gearbox.

It also incorporates some aesthetic additions, and a 1 cm higher height above the ground. In addition, it has off-road tires and bumpers with special protections. All of this contributes to better off-road driving.

The Renegade range of finishes

The standard Renegade trim versions can be the Sport, Longitude and Limited . The first version incorporates the most basic equipment, which may be somewhat scarce. It has air conditioning, hands-free with Bluetooth connection and a 5 ″ central screen.

The Longitude version adds a cruise control, a new tire design and an air conditioning system. In addition, the special Dawn of Justice and 75th Anniversary versions add even more standard equipment and cosmetic details. All these improvements make the vehicle more expensive, with the Trailhawk variant being the most expensive in the range.