Acura
Alfa Romeo
Aston Martin
Audi
Bentley
BMW
Buick
Cadillac
Chevrolet
Chrysler
Dodge
Ferrari
FIAT
Fisker
Ford
Genesis
GMC
Honda
Hyundai
INFINITI
Jaguar
Jeep
Kia
Lamborghini
Land Rover
Lexus
Lincoln
Lotus
Lucid
Maserati
Mazda
McLaren
Mercedes-Benz
MINI
Mitsubishi
Nissan
Polestar
Porsche
RAM
Rivian
Rolls-Royce
Subaru
Tesla
Toyota
VinFast
Volkswagen
Volvo
Convertible
Coupe
Crossover
Hatchback
Sedan
SUV
Truck
Van/Minivan
Wagon
HUMMER
Isuzu
Mercury
Oldsmobile
Plymouth
Pontiac
Saab
Saturn
Scion
Suzuki
smart
Electric
Hybrid
While the Jeep Renegade may not look like one of the automaker’s off-roading-oriented SUVs, the subcompact crossover is a lot more capable than it lets on. The brand’s entry-level model has a good amount of tech features, a large cargo area, and has a sense of humor that’s missing from the crowded segment. The Renegade hits a lot of the right notes for consumers looking to get into a small vehicle that has a lot of capability.
What's New for 2018
New tech features have been added to the list of features for the Renegade for the new year. A rearview camera is finally standard on all trims. Latitude, Limited, and Trailhawk trims get the automaker’s Uconnect 4 infotainment system, which adds a 7-inch touchscreen, along with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. The aforementioned trims are also available with an optional 8.4-inch touchscreen with navigation for 2018. Lastly, a redesigned center console with more front-seat storage has been added to the crossover.
Choosing Your Jeep Renegade
The Renegade is available with two powertrains. The standard one is a 1.4-liter turbocharged inline-four that generates 160 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. The 1.4-liter engine is paired to a six-speed manual transmission. A 2.4-liter inline-four is an option and generates 180 hp and 175 lb-ft of torque. The larger four-cylinder engine is matched to a nine-speed automatic gearbox.
Front-wheel drive is standard for both engines, but can (and should – this is a Jeep, after all) be replaced with an all-wheel-drive system. Opting for power to all four wheels costs an additional $1,500 on all trims, except the Trailhawk, which has all-wheel drive as standard.
Jeep only places its Trail Rated badge on the most off-roading-focused model, which happens to be the Trailhawk for the Renegade lineup. In order to earn the badge, the subcompact crossover has to pass traction, maneuverability, ground clearance, water fording, and articulation tests. The crossover also has features to help it traverse terrain, like a SelecTerrain traction control system, Jeep Active Drive Low, which adds a 20:1 crawl ratio, hill descent control, and hill start assist
As a subcompact crossover, the Renegade can hold a decent amount of cargo – up to 18.5 cubic feet of cargo with the second row in place and 50.8 cubes with them folded flat.
The Renegade is available in five different trims:
Sport
The base Sport trim costs $19,540 (prices include destination) and is a barebones trim with 16-inch steel wheels, a rear window defroster, a rear window wiper, black exterior mirrors, a body-color roof, and black door handles. On the inside, the Sport comes with a 3.5-inch TFT display in the instrument cluster, a outside temperature display, power windows, Bluetooth, and a five-inch center display with the Uconnect 3 infotainment system. Replacing the base 1.4-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder with the 2.4-liter engine costs an additional $1,330.
There are seven available packages for the Sport trim. The Sports Appearance Group ($695) adds 16-inch aluminum wheels, black side roof rails, and deep tint sunscreen glass. The Passive Entry Remote Start Package ($350) brings keyless go, passive entry, and a remote start system, but only on models with an automatic transmission.
The Uconnect 7.0 Group ($775) comes with a seven-inch touchscreen display running the Uconnect 4 infotainment system, dual-zone auto temperature control, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, and SiriusXM satellite radio. The Power and Air Group ($1,495) includes air conditioning, power and heated exterior mirrors, and cruise control.
Latitude
The Latitude model carries a price tag of $22,940 and brings some welcome creature comforts over the entry-level Sport trim. For a start, it adds 16-inch aluminum wheels, automatic headlights, fog lights, and heated exterior mirrors.
The cabin adds dual-zone automatic climate control, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a remote USB port, sun visors with illuminated vanity mirrors, ambient LED cabin lights, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, SiriusXM satellite radio, and the larger seven-inch display with UConnect 4.
Upgrading to the 2.4-liter and the nine-speed automatic transmission costs $1,530 at this price point. There are a total of nine available packages for the Latitude trim, although a large portion are from the Mopar aftermarket catalog.
The Advanced Technology Group ($995) packs all the active safety equipment an owner can ask for – look for automatic high beam, forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning with lane-keeping assist, and rear parking sensors. The Safety and Security Group ($945) includes blind spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, HID headlights, rain sensitive windshield wipers, a security alarm, and a tonneau cover. This is a worthwhile package, as it replaces the Renegade's woeful halogen headlights.
The Cold Weather Group ($745) includes heated front seats and a heated steering wheel. The Popular Equipment Group ($595) brings a 115-volt auxiliary power outlet, a 40/20/40 split-folding rear seats, an eight-way power driver's seat with lumbar adjustments, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror. The Uconnect 8.4 Nav Group ($1,345) adds Uconnect 4 with an 8.4-inch touchscreen display.
The $695 Altitude Package is a style-focused option that adds black 18-inch wheels and gloss black exterior styling elements.
Trailhawk
The Trailhawk trim starts at $27,940 and comes with all-wheel drive as standard. As the most capable trim, the Trailhawk comes with various rugged features designed to get it further off-road than any of its competitors. Standard exterior features include 17-inch black aluminum wheels, off-road tires, a black painted roof, and hood decals. The interior of the Trailhawk features all-season floor mats, a seven-inch instrument cluster display, and a leather-wrapped shift knob as standard over lower-end trims.
The Trailhawk has a lot of the same packages as lower trims, but some are priced differently and have different features.
The Safety and Security Group ($895) adds blind spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, HID headlights, a security alarm, and a tonneau cover. The Cold Weather Group II ($645) includes heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and a windshield wiper de-icer.
The Unconnect 8.4 Nav Group ($1,245) includes a 8.4-inch touchscreen display running the Uconnect 4 infotainment software, as well as navigation, HD Radio, and SiriusXM satellite radio. The Premium Leather Group for Trailhawk ($1,695) adds a 40/20/40 split-rear seats, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, premium leather-trimmed bucket seats, a power eight-way driver’s seat, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and a windshield wiper de-icer.
Limited
The Limited trim is the range-topping model and costs $26,740 and comes with the 2.4-liter inline-four and nine-speed automatic gearbox as standard. The outside of the trim comes with 18-inch aluminum wheels, a black painted roof, bright side roof rails, windshield wiper de-icer, and a chrome exhaust tip as standard.
The interior features a 40/20/40 split-folding rear seat, an eight-way driver’s seat, a 115-volt auxiliary power outlet, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, the seven-inch instrument cluster display, a heated steering wheel, and a leather-wrapped shift knob as standard.
The bulk of the Limited's packages are identical in price and content to the Trailhawk and Latitude, including the Advanced Technology Package, Safety and Security Group, and UConnect 8.4 package.
For consumers that aren’t interested in going off-roading, the Trailhawk trim might prove to be a little too rough for daily use. The Latitude trim is well priced and comes with a lot of options, allowing owners to outfit their Renegade as they see fit without breaking the bank. Getting all-wheel drive is a must, while choosing an engine boils down to what kind of transmission you want. The Advanced Technology Group, Cold Weather Group, and the Popular Equipment Group are packages that are worth looking into.
