Jeep is supposed to be one of the tough guys with the Jeep Wrangler being my favorite vehicle in their product line. The all-new Jeep Renegade on the other hand, has more of a “cute” effect and not much of it looks tough. Small SUV’s and crossovers are quite popular so it might have a chance at survival in Europe, but in the USA?
The 2015 Jeep Renegade made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show and will go toe-to-toe against vehicles such as the Nissan Juke. The brand’s first small SUV is said to be designed in the USA and made in Italy. Compared with the Juke, the Jeep Renegade certainly looks tougher and should have no issues out shining the Juke in terms of off-road capabilities. The Renegade has been designed to accept up to 16 powertrain combinations such as the Multiair petrol engines, Multijet diesels, flex-fuel capable units, one dual clutch, two manual, and even a nine-speed automatic transmission which is a first for this segment of vehicles.
The Renegade will also share the same underpinnings as the existing Fiat 500L and the upcoming Fiat 500X. In North America, the Renegade will be available in a 1.4-liter turbocharged four cylinder producing 160hp and 170 lb-ft of torque which will be paired to a six-speed manual. The 2.4-liter four-cylinder will produce 184hp and 177 lb-ft of torque and this will feature the nine-speed automatic.
The Europeans will get a wider range of engine options to choose from with three petrol and two diesel options. The Jeep Renegade will be available in two different all-wheel drive systems. The first is the full-time Active Drive which sends up to 100 percent of torque to either of the axle when necessary, and the second is the Active Drive Low which comes standard on the Trail Hawk edition. This version adds a low range with a 20:1 crawl ratio in first gear, while also featuring hill-descent control and Selec-Terrain traction control with modes such as Auto, Snow, Sport, and Sand/Mud. The Trail Hawk version also features a bonus mode, Rock 4×4.
The vehicle also comes with two optional My Sky open-air roofs. One can be removed manually or the more fancy which features power tilt/slide honeycomb fiberglass polyurethane roof panels which can be stowed in the cargo area.
The Jeep Renegade will be the first Jeep model which will be exclusively produced outside of the US and will be built alongside the Fiat 500X. No word yet on pricing and all of the available tech/features.
This looks like a really good daily commuter for me and my wife. Any solid date on release for sale to the public?
No updates yet but most likely late this year. You can sign up for updates via jeep.com