A day before the 2014 Geneva Motor Show, images of Jeep’s newest creation the 2015 Renegade have popped up online. Touted earlier to be called Jeepster, the four-door crossover christened as the Renegade SUV takes Jeep into a completely new territory competing against the Nissan Juke, MINI Countryman and the Kia Soul internationally. Jeep has aimed at giving the compact SUV a comfortable ride, good handling and optimal fuel efficiency.
Sharing its platform with the Fiat 500X crossover, the Jeep Renegade uses the Small Wide platform architecture jointly developed by Fiat and Chrysler. On the outset, the Jeep Renegade is funny looking SUV to be true. The Jeep grille is prominent up front and so are the circular headlight units. The side profile features an upright design but adding the bulk to the sides are the pronounced boxy wheel arches. The glasshouse too is large and should make the cabin look roomy as well. The flared hips at the rear enhance the masculine appeal while the rear feature quirky looking boxed headlights. The images showcase the Renegade with the trail-rated version that comes with black decal around the bumpers and wheel arches.
The trail-rated version will most probably also get a removable roof. The images also showcase a twin sky roof system. The design of the Jeep Renegade has a love it or hate it feel to it and is intended for a global appeal. The Renegade retains the Jeep DNA but looks a lot like a brawny Fiat Panda 4×4. The SUV will be a front-wheel drive while all-wheel drive will be offered as optional. The compact SUV will be powered by Fiat’s 1.4-litre turbocharged engine, 1.3-litre Multijet tubro diesel engine and the 0.9-litre TwinAir turbocharged engine (the vehicle is compatible with 16 engines from the Fiat-Chrysler stable). The same engine lineup with also be seen under the Fiat 500X crossover, the Fiat sibling of the Renegade. The engines will be mated to manual and conventional automatic transmissions.
Details are still scarce on the Renegade, but Jeep will officially unveil the SUV at the Geneva Motor Show on 4th March. The Renegade will most likely be launched in Europe in the summer of 2014, while sales of the SUV will begin in the US by end of this year. The Indian launch of the compact SUV is expected by 2015, after the Wrangler and the Grand Cherokee bow in the country later this year. The Renegade will be the cheapest offering from Jeep and will also be the first model from the company to be produced outside the US.
