Model review
The first time Jeep used the Renegade badge, it was attached to a rather different car than the compact crossover we see on the roads today.
Shown off at the 2008 Detroit Motor Show, the Renegade concept was almost beach buggy-esque in design, and was a diesel-electric hybrid.
This rather fanciful design was of no relation to the production car launched six years later, also wearing the Renegade badge.
The 2014 Renegade owed a lot to Jeep’s Italian stablemate Fiat, which also comes under the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) umbrella that owns Jeep. Surprisingly, base-spec cars didn’t come with four-wheel drive, despite Jeep’s off-road roots.
Styling-wise, the Renegade borrowed heavily from the typical Jeep styling language, but applied it to a more stylish, chic overall package than its sister cars.
Latest model
In 2018 a facelifted Renegade arrived, with updated front bodywork and LED headlights among the visible changes.
While there were minor alterations to the styling, it was beneath the skin where a majority of the changes took place. A 1.0-litre petrol engine was added to the range, with impressive fuel economy claims well above 40mpg. Meanwhile, the diesel range remained largely unchanged.
We don’t expect to see a second-generation Renegade for a few years, so rest assured that if you buy new today, it will be the current model for a little while yet.
Value for money
The Renegade is available from £19,705 new, which puts it a little way above most of its rivals.
Most notably, it is a little over £2,000 more expensive than the Fiat 500X, a car that it owes a good portion of its DNA to.
However, it does have some areas of capability that justify the price premium over rivals in certain scenarios; more on that a little further down this review.
The bottom end of the used market is just under the £7,000 mark for early models, some of which have less than 50,000 miles on the clock. Of course, there are higher-spec cars at the low, sub-£8,000 end of the market with more miles under their belt, but it seems that a 100,000-mile Renegade is a rare thing indeed.
Some sub-30,000 mile cars can be found for well under £10,000.
Meanwhile, post-facelift cars on 68 plates can be found for a shade under £14,000, with less than 10,000 miles on the clock. A £6,000 saving for a nearly-new car is very good value.
Looks and image
The character of Jeep is still evident in the design of the Renegade, even if it loses a lot of the typically expected ruggedness in favour of a smoother, city-ready shape.
Tell-tale signs that this car harks back to the Willys Jeep used so effectively by the U.S. Army include the signature grille and circular headlamps, as well as rear lights designed to mimic the design of the jerry cans that carried extra fuel on its wartime ancestor.
It’s a good mix of funky and referential to the brand overall, and certainly makes for a quirky alternative to its rivals in the sector.
As for its on-the-road performance, it does leave a little to be desired, particularly if you opt for the base 1.0-litre powertrain, which doesn’t really feel powerful enough for even the smallest of SUVs.
However, while it is not class-leading behind the wheel with some rather vague steering characteristics to its name, it does offer a decent amount of grip on the tarmac.
But the real revelation lies in the four-wheel drive models’ off-roading ability, which is second to none within the compact segment. Certainly, it’s not as a awash with off-road driving aids as your typical Land Rover, for example, but it will happily take on almost any terrain with aplomb.
Space and Practicality
It is fair to say that the Renegade is just about on par with its rivals when it comes to boot space.
With 351 litres of capacity, it’s roughly the same as the likes of Ford’s EcoSport and the Mazda CX-3. However, the boot lip is fairly pronounced, which can make loading the Renegade something of a hassle. Fold down the rear seats and 1,297 litres of room makes itself known.
In addition, the Renegade features a folding front passenger seat to allow for the carrying of longer items, should you need it.
As for the interior, it does sometimes prove to be quite a noisy place to be, with wind noise and road noise both fairly prominent. However, its boxy shape does mean fairly good headroom and overall space.
Some of the plastics used for the dashboard and interior plastics leave a lot to be desired from the perspective of quality, though the main section uses soft-touch plastics. There are some tell-tale signs that this car isn’t as all-American as its badge would have you believe, too, with a great example being the steering wheel, which has been donated from Fiat.
It’s also worth knowing that the Renegade is a safe space for passengers, having received a five-star rating for crash protection from Euro NCAP.
Engines
As of the 2018 refresh, the Renegade’s base engine is a 1.0-litre, 118bhp three-cylinder unit available with a six-speed manual gearbox. The other petrol is a 1.3-litre, which is speccable with an automatic gearbox, and delivers 148bhp.
On the diesel side of things, the engine line-up was not revitalised for the facelift, meaning that the 1.6- and 2.0-litre variants remain. The most powerful of these is a 167bhp version of the 2.0-litre – a 138bhp version is also available. Meanwhile, the smaller diesel has 118bhp on-tap.
Running costs
The economists’ choice in the Renegade line-up is the 1.6-litre diesel, as you may expect. However, even if it is specced with the more economical two-wheel drive, it is still only capable of 48.7mpg, which isn’t class-leading.
Both petrol engines are rated to achieve up to 39.8mpg.
Insurance groupings are fairly low for the Renegade; you can expect your car to fall into groups 8 through 15, depending on the spec of the car.
Jeep is fairly impressive when it comes to warranty, with a five-year or 75,000-mile warranty package. Please note when on the used market that this deal only went as far as 60,000 miles before July 2018, so older cars won’t be as well covered by their manufacturer warranty.
Things to look out for
Jeep hasn’t got a particularly solid reputation for reliability, and nor does Fiat, the American firm’s parent company and the source for much of the Renegade’s underpinnings.
On used models, check the service history for the following common issues on the Renegade; engine, engine electrics and brake systems.
Rivals
Rivals for the Jeep Renegade are almost too numerous to count, given the popularity of the compact SUV/crossover market. To name a few, the Ford EcoSport, Mazda CX-3, Peugeot 2008, Nissan Juke, Suzuki Jimny and Dacia Duster can all be considered rivals.
The Renegade is rather pricey compared to all of these, but if you are drawn to the style of the car, and want some serious off-road ability, then it may still appeal.
Depreciation
The used market suggests that depreciation on the Renegade is no laughing matter, with as much as £6,000 falling off a car worth just over £20,000 in its first year.
If you run your Renegade frequently for four or five years before selling on, you can expect the car to have lost approaching two-thirds of its new value.
