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Budd Stanley photos
2015 Jeep Renegade
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Budd Stanley photos
2015 Jeep Renegade
The Renegade's interior is both very functional and fun
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Budd Stanley photos
2015 Jeep Renegade
Don’t knock the Renegade's small CUV stereotype; this is a proper little 4WD.
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Budd Stanley photos
2015 Jeep Renegade
The Trailhawk comes equipped with proper skidplating, tow hooks and a matte black hood decal to soak up the suns reflection.
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Budd Stanley photos
2015 Jeep Renegade
30.5-degree’s of front clearance helps the little Renegade over some impressive obstacles.
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Budd Stanley photos
2015 Jeep Renegade
The Renegade can also ford 483 mm of water, we figure with enough momentum, it can handle even deeper crossings.
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Budd Stanley photos
2015 Jeep Renegade
The course Jeep had set up was pretty impressive, if you weren’t worried about a bit of scraping, the Renegade is capable of much more.
Story & photos by Budd Stanley
Return of the Mini 4WD - Will the 2015 Jeep Renegade be the Suzuki Samurai of the 21st century, or just another cute brick in the CUV wall?
I'll be honest, when I heard that Jeep was going to build a new subcompact 4WD that would be built off a Fiat platform in Italy, I wasn't exactly getting excited. When Jeep promised me that it would be a proper 4WD, I started to think a little more about the concept. A proper mini 4WD… could Canada finally see a replacement for the Suzuki Samurai and Sidekick? Now I was eager to see what this Renegade might be all about.
If there is one thing we don’t cover in this publication, it’s the ever growing, painfully annoying popularity of the Crossover Utility Vehicle. If anything, we are the anti-CUV automotive publication; hey, it’s in our name. But when Jeep came calling about the new release of their smallest vehicle yet, my curiosity got the better of me. They are Jeep after all, they take this off-road thing rather seriously and I was promised that the new Renegade is not an AWD, but an honest to goodness 4WD…ish vehicle and that its off-road credentials would not disappoint.
I’ve seen many photos of the little Renegade, and while the design looked pretty good, to see the little mite up close and personal, I’ve really taken a liking to what Jeep has done here. The Renegade looks like a proper little 4WD, quite boxy and sporting all the Jeep specific trademarks that make its older brothers stand apart. Large headlights, large grille and large fender flares on such a small vehicle really does give it a lot of character. You can almost hear it saying, “I’m going to be a Wrangler one day, just you wait and see.”
Adding to the fun, Jeep has once again placed little Easter egg’s all over the Renegade, with little Willy’s flat fenders in the windshield and 7-post grille and headlight logos plaster anywhere the designers could hide them, there’s probably a couple underneath on the skid plates if I looked. Another design feature is the embossed “X” that is found just about everywhere else. This is lifted from the reinforcement you would find on a Jerry Can, to help give the little Renegade a more utilitarian look.
However, utilitarian the Renegade is not. The interior looks absolutely brilliant, the materials are both high quality and soft to the touch. This has to be one of the best interiors in terms of build quality I've experienced in a Jeep, and one of the most fun and attractive I’ve ever seen in a mass produced vehicle. However, some of the trim around the rear doors could be mounted a little firmer. Very cool colour combinations are used, HVAC vents rise out of the dash and there is even a proper “Oh Sh!t” handle built into the dash. The Trailhawk has topographical maps of Moab inlaid into the seats and cubby pockets and there is a respectable amount of storage with a 524L cargo area. But more than anything, it’s just a fun place to be.
Then there is the My Sky power retractable and removable sunroof. This is a stroke of genius, making use of two lightweight panels that can either be electrically retracted back like a regular sun roof or be taken straight out and stored under the rear cargo tray. The operation of taking them out is simple and both panels weight less than 5 kg (10 lb), probably one of my favourite features.
There will be two power options for the Renegade. The 2.4L Tigershark feels right at home in such a small vehicle. Matched with the 9-speed transmission, this is all the engine you will ever need. The power and the acceleration left more than a couple V-6’s standing at the stop light. However, what really surprised me was the 1.4L Turbo. Mated to the 6-speed manual gearbox this engine does not feel like you are in a lower equipped vehicle what so ever. With the turbo spooled up, the little 1.4L is a cheeky little bugger that only gives up 20 hp to the Tigershark and actually pumps out 9 lb-ft more.
Now I know, I’m really giving the Renegade the full thumbs up here, but there are a couple of things that scare me. The steering, while nicely weighted and sporting a quick ratio, does have a bit of a mind of its own. Like the Cherokee, it always seems to want to be in control more than the driver. Jeep also decided to use an electric E-brake rather than a hand brake. Yes, it makes more room for cup holders but I hate these things, and if you’re going to use this vehicle in the wilds, the added control of a manual handbrake is something I find essential. Finally, the Renegade makes use of the same 9-speed transmission that you will find in the Cherokee. Lets just say that there have been a lot of teething issues with this transmission. Whether these issues will equate to the lighter Renegade will yet to be seen but at least there is a 6-speed manual option for the 1.4L. Unfortunately, the Trailhawk only comes equipped with the 9-speed auto.
Ripping through California's lovely twisting mountain roads, the Renegade handled itself admirably considering it is a 4WD. It is one of a fledgling number of fun to drive new vehicles and through the tight and twisties it was a blast. The ride soaked up imperfections beautifully and was surprisingly smooth on the highway with a frequency selective damping (FSD) front and rear strut system designed by Koni. However, you don’t want to hear about that, you want to hear about the Trailhawk and how it tackles the trail.
Most of you are going to look at this little Jeep and scoff at what its abilities may be. But let me stop you there and proclaim this little trail terrorist to be punching well above its weight class. Yes, there is a Fiat 500X somewhere under that skin, but the Renegade was designed and engineered by Jeep in Michigan, and for the package they are working with, I think they have done a magnificent job.
The Trailhawk is the model you want, even if it is only $4,225 away from a proper Wrangler Rubicon, which is pretty much the best out of the box 4WD sold in Canada. It’s nearly the most expensive of the Renegade clan at $31,145 ($19,995 for Sport, $25,995 for North Edition and $31,995 for the Limited) but this is the one that will get you where you need to go. The Trailhawk comes equipped with a slight lift (.8-in), full-length skid plating, 215/65R17Goodyear SR2 all-terrain tires, a full size spare (very nice), forged steel tow hooks ready to handle twice the Renegade’s GVW and trim specific bumpers that increase clearances to 30.5-degrees front and 34.3-degrees rear angle. Inside you will also get a trim specific interior, the aforementioned Moab topo map theme and of course Jeeps Active Drive Low 4WD system and Selec-Terrain Traction Management System, much like that found on the Cherokee Trailhawk.
Rolling into the Hollister Hill Recreational Area (think of it as a ski resort for 4WD's), Jeep had some suitable challenging trails set up for us to drive. Nothing that would give a Wrangler any trouble, but some good climbs, descents and a technical section that would likely cause several thousand dollars worth of damage to your average Cute Ute.
With 4-low engaged and the "Rock" mode selected, the computers won't allow first gear to shift until nearly redline to make the most out of the traction, however the 20:1 Crawl ratio was not quite as impressive as it sounds on paper as we clipped along at 12kmh at only 1,500 rpm. Regardless, the little Renegade attacked rough terrain quite happily, climbing up a 20-deg grade, lifted its wheels on the technical sections, flopped into a mud bath and handled all challenges with relative ease, other than a little tire slip. But never was the Renegade held motionless.
Rolling over a steep embankment and crawling down a 31-deg slope was not as simple as it should have been though. The Hill Descent keeps the Renegade at a painfully slow 4kmh and with only a split seconds warning, the gauge cluster announced that the hill descent system was overheating, then promptly shut itself off, sending me into manual mode. To the Renegades defense, journalists had been hanging off this sheer drop for the better part of the day for the last week, so I can't say I blame it. It would just be nicer to have a little more warning when your lifeline decides to snap.
Despite this short shot of adrenaline, the Trailhawk’s off-road prowess really did impress me, and Jeep actually went easy on all the inexperienced journo's who don't hang a 4WD up on two wheels all that often. With a good set of rock rails and not worrying about a bit of scuffing on the bumpers, the Renegade could easily give many of the new 4WD's we test a run for their money.
So, is the Renegade the answer to the long extinct Suzuki Samurai? Is it the proper mini 4WD that we have been without for over a decade? Well, yes and no. The Renegade is not going to be able to conquer terrain that the Samurai can handle, however it will come quite close. On the other hand, the Renegade also adds much more versatility with four doors, four proper seats for adults, and a myriad of on-board features that an old Suzuki could never provide. The Renegade is comfortable, quiet and efficient yet gives you the same fun and open-air experience.
To properly gauge the Renegades place in the modern world, you must look at today’s small 4WD’s. There really isn’t much competition, only the Renegades older brother, the Cherokee, and the Land Rover Evoque. I like this vehicle more than both of these bigger 4WD’s, it supremely capable for its size (and era), even better I think that the Evoque and maybe the Cherokee Trailhawk, and can be had for a fraction of the upscale Land Rover’s price. The Renegade is just what the Canadian market needs, a small, fun and affordable mini 4WD with real capabilities.
SPECIFICATIONS:
- MSRP: $19,995
- Price as tested: $31,145 (Trailhawk)
- Engine: 1.4L Turbo Inline 4-cylinder, 2.4L Inline 4-cylinder
- Power: 180 hp, 175 lb-ft (2.4), 160 hp 184 lb-ft (1.4L)
- Transmission: 6-speed manual, 9-speed automatic
- Curb Weight: 1,583 kg (3,490 lb)
- Wheelbase: 2,570 mm (101 in)
- Ground Clearance: 220 mm (8.7 in)
- Approach Angle Deg: 30.5 (Trailhawk)
- Departure Angle Deg: 34.3 (Trailhawk)
- Ramp Breakover Angle: 25.7 (Trailhawk)
- Wading Depth mm (in): 483 (19) (Trailhawk)
- Tow Capacity: 907 kg (2,000 lb) (2.4L)
- Fuel Efficiency (L/100km): TBD