Can the Renegade Make 2015 Even Bigger for Jeep?

With so many SUV owners and shoppers looking for the smaller vehicles to offer what they need in an SUV, Jeep had to answer the call with a subcompact SUV of their own. Enter the Jeep Renegade which is all new for 2015 and gives Jeep loves a smaller model to full enjoy. The Renegade features a front look that is classic Jeep and a size that is made to excite those who want an SUV that will easily maneuver anywhere on the road. This is the Jeep that allows city dwellers to fully enjoy the features and benefits of driving a Jeep while still being about to move about the city with ease.

Not only do shoppers want a subcompact SUV for maneuverability, but also to offer them some exceptional fuel efficiency as well. With other models such as the Honda HR-V, Mazda CX-3 and Chevrolet Trax showing off some excellent efficiency, the Renegade makes it way to the foray with terrain taming ability, a great base price, enjoyable technological features and exciting fuel efficiency. For those who are clamoring for a Wrangler but want a vehicle with better road manners, the Renegade makes a great choice as an alternative to the trail beast that the Wrangler is built to be.

Making use of a unibody platform the Renegade offers a driving feeling of comfort and agility on the road. This makes this small SUV a great choice for taking a canyon ride as it features a highly dynamic suspension system that keeps it well planted along with a responsive steering system that is almost intuitive in its overall performance. Even though the Renegade is a smaller SUV, it does offer great off road capabilities as well to ensure it can truly call itself a Jeep and allows owners to enjoy some awesome off road fun.

As with most Jeep models, the Renegade offers the choice of two engines for owners to enjoy and a few different model options. Even though the Renegade is the smallest Jeep SUV on the market, it does offer a towing capacity of 2,000 pounds making it a great vehicle to take some fun equipment out on the trail.

The first engine offered for the Renegade is the 1.4-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine that offers up 160 horsepower and 184 lb.-ft. of torque. This engine is only offered with a six-speed manual transmission, which does limit the list of owners who will want to drive this model to those who enjoy the manual control. This powertrain can be set up in either front-wheel drive or four-wheel drive to make it a vehicle that performs to what an owner wants.

The second engine found in the Renegade is the 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder engine. This engine shows up with 180 horsepower and 175 lb.-ft. of torque. This is the engine of choice for those who want an automatic transmission as it is attached to a nine-speed automatic which performs beautifully. Once again this powertrain can be set up as either front-wheel drive or four-wheel drive, allowing owners of the Renegade to have the performance they desire.

Subcompact SUVs aren’t always known for having great room inside for passengers, but the Renegade has plenty of space for five. This is due mostly to the blocky shape, which gives it a bit more space and allows excellent legroom in both rows of seats. Behind the rear seat is 18.5 cubic feet of cargo space which can reach as much as 50 cubic feet with the rear seat down. Many smaller SUVs offer a fantastic amount of tech up front and as an all new model, the Renegade is no exception to this. With some awesome equipment aboard, the Jeep Renegade offers a great ride for all to fully enjoy.

On the outside this is one Jeep that is fully unmistakable. Even though it’s not quite as boxy as the Wrangler, it does appear to be a smaller version of the long time namesake with its signature grill and round headlights. To add more Jeep to the mix, the Renegade offers smooth panels and a seriously functional roof rack and the capability to fully engage in off road trail riding or to easily navigate city driving. The Renegade offers some cool Jeep features like removable roof panels and some higher ground clearance in order to take trails very seriously. The addition of skidplates and red tow hooks give the Renegade a look of a beefy and brawny off road beast that looks and performs at the top of the market.

The Jeep Renegade shows up with four trim levels to choose from, Sport, Latitude, Limited and Trailhawk. At the base model, Sport, the standard equipment shows up with an audio system with USB input, a six way adjustable driver’s seat, power windows and door locks and 16-inch wheels.   Because price was the consideration, trying to keep this one of the lowest price Jeeps on the market, the base model doesn’t come with features that are necessary such as air conditioning, Bluetooth connectivity, a rearview camera or fog lights. Just moving up to the Latitude adds all these features along with a five-inch Uconnect touch screen infotainment system, making this model much more livable than the Sport.

Optional features include four-wheel drive for each model, although its standard on the Trailhawk. The larger engine is optional and brings the automatic transmission with it, which is more of necessity for some drivers than others. Other optional features include blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning, leather seats, and a navigation system, a 506-watt premium audio system with nine speakers, the My Sky removable roof system, dual zone climate control and rear parking assistance. The four-wheel drive models have a terrain select system to optimize traction with settings such as snow, sand mud and rocks (the last one is only on the Trailhawk models).

For the very basic Sport model of the Renegade the starting price comes in just under $19,000 but doesn’t really offer much to an owner. The Latitude shows up in the mid-$20,000 area and offers additional necessary features, previously mentioned. A loaded Trailhawk model will demand a price over $30,000 but offers a huge amount of great features and equipment to fully enjoy.