2018 Jeep Renegade Review – Compact Yet Capable

2018 Jeep Renegade Review

Car Tested: Jeep Renegade Limited 4×4; Road Test No. 975; Test Location: Shrewsbury, Massachusetts

Price: Rs. 13 – 18 lakhs (est.)

The Renegade is yet to go on sale in India and I have always wanted to drive one

So, while I was in the U.S., I decided to test it for you guys. The Renegade, at first sight, looks like a dwarf birth child of the coming together of the Willys Jeep and the Jeep Wrangler. Yet, it has its own personality like all the Jeep models and even looks quirky, almost like a misbehaving talented child that can pull up its socks when the time comes. But do the initial impressions match the Renegade’s on-road performance, let’s find out.

Exteriors – The Jeep Renegade is not as mean looking as the Jeep Compass or as boxy looking as the Jeep Wrangler. It sits right in between, not only in terms of design but also in terms of size. The Renegade’s exteriors have a nice flow to them with those perfectly round headlights flanking the front. The grille has been dipped in chrome and features the trademark Jeep design. The rear of the Jeep Renegade too is quite unique. The taillights are square shaped and have star-shaped design inserts for the reverse lights. The rear bumper is unfortunately not body-coloured but actually ends up flowing around the Renegade’s body to meet the front bumper, nice touch. Jeep has clearly tried to get a symmetry in the Renegade’s design and has achieved it very well.

Interiors – The model I tested is a 2018 one and it gets mildly altered interiors and an updated feature list. For starters, a reverse camera now comes as standard across all the variants and the mode selector has been repositioned to free up space at the front. A 7-inch infotainment system, which I think is now an industry norm comes with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support but sadly isn’t the most fluid or the most responsive. The most attractive feature, however, has to be the dual-panel sunroof that also happens to be on offer for the first time. You can also opt for Renegade’s My Sky Roof system that consists of two removable panels and will give you a semi-convertible feel.

The legroom in the Renegade is not segment leading but it’s not the worst either. Five people can sit fairly comfortably with the rear bench seating three of them. This can reduce to two if you decide to use the armrest that also houses the cup holders. The fit and finish of the cabin is decent but does degrade at some places making them unworthy of being in nearly a Rs. 18 lakh compact SUV. You do get heated seats and heated steering wheel which is required in a country that stays cold for nearly eight months of the year. For the audiophiles, the music system has been designed by a doctor that goes by the name of Dre and sounds really well.

Performance – The Jeep Renegade is offered in five trims and the one I tested was the Limited variant that sits just below the top of the line TrailHawk trim. The compact SUV comes in two engine options, a 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol and a 2.4-litre naturally aspirated petrol which also happened to be the one I tested. It outputs 180 HP and 240 Nm of peak torque which sadly don’t translate into good performance. The power delivery through the 9-speed automatic gearbox is sluggish and one has to really floor the accelerator to get the car going. Even in the manual mode, it takes its own time to respond which becomes irritating when you really want to drive it enthusiastically.

Part of the reason for this poor performance is also the weight of the car which further increases with the optional 4-wheel drive system. The weight also takes a toll on the mileage which is lower than the competition. The 1.4-litre motor can be a better choice as it comes with a 6-speed manual gearbox and also produces 5 Nm more torque compared to the 2.4-litre engine.

Driving Dynamics – Where the hefty weight of the Renegade really helps is in keeping it planted on the road. The feel and feedback from the steering is good and it weighs up well at high speeds. The body roll is surprisingly well contained but the composure is lost on bumpy patches which the Renegade’s suspension simply isn’t able to absorb. The brakes too feel rubbery but do provide the Renegade with good stopping power. The 4-wheel drive system is, however, the highlight here and even if you won’t use it, it will be comforting to know you have it.

Safety and After Sales Service – The Jeep Renegade, since it is sold in the U.S. comes with a decent safety net. This includes 7-airbags, ESP and disc brakes on all the four wheels. Systems like forward collision warning with active braking, lane departure warning and lane keep assist too are offered at an extra cost. Jeep’s after sales service in India is not the best yet but the company is working hard to bring it on par with manufacturers like Hyundai.

Verdict – The Jeep Renegade is a compact SUV that even with its basic design looks attractive thanks to its quirky styling and small size. It proves to be a good option for those who are looking for a compact car with a decent enough space inside it. The Renegade is loaded with features and can even go off-roading. The downer, however, has to be the performance from the 2.4-litre motor that is mated to the slow responding 9-speed automatic gearbox. It simply fails to process the sudden flooring of the throttle. The good driving dynamics kind of compensate though with controlled body roll and decent braking. India will get a less powerful engine and a shorter feature list to keep the costs down but will it translate into higher sales, we will know for sure in 2019 when it comes here.

What’s Cool

* The funky design
* Highway stability and steering feedback
* 4-wheel drive system
* Comes loaded with features

What’s Not So Cool

* Fit and finish in some parts of the interior is poor
* Low on power and mileage because of its weight
* Slow responding gearbox

Alternatives: Renault Duster, Hyundai Creta

Jeep Renegade Limited 4×4 Specifications

* Engine: 2.4-litre, 4-cylinder, petrol
* Power: 180 HP @ 6400 RPM
* Torque: 240 Nm @ 3900 RPM
* Transmission: 9-speed automatic
* 0-100 km/hr: 10.3 seconds
* Top Speed: 186.6 km/hr
* Range: 489 kms
* Suspension: McPherson Strut (Front), Multi-Link Suspension (Rear)
* Tyre Size: 225/55/18 (Front &Rear)
* Brakes: Discs (Front), Discs (Rear), ABS
* Safety: Airbags, ABS, ESC, LATCH ready child seat, Roll Over Mitigation

2018 Jeep Renegade Limited 4×4 Dimensions

* Overall length x width x height: 4231.64 mm X 1884.68 mm X 1689.1 mm
* Boot Space: 351-litres (seats upright), 1297-litres (seats folded)
* Ground clearance: 172 mm
* Wheelbase: 2570.48 mm
* Kerb weight: 1509.1 kgs

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