Jeep Renegade Review

A proper off-roader that looks the part, the Jeep Renegade is good on tarmac too

Strengths & weaknesses

  • Chunky looks
  • Hard-wearing, stylish interior
  • 4x4 models are mighty off-road
  • Expensive compared to rivals
  • Poor petrol fuel economy
  • Jeep brand ranks poorly for reliability

Jeep Renegade prices from £10,500   Finance from £210.08 per month

If you want to cut an adventurous dash on the high street you can't go far wrong by opting for a Jeep Renegade. In fact, some versions will cut a pretty good dash off road, too, thanks to their four-wheel drive systems, good ground clearance and boxy profile.

There’s plenty of nostalgia designed in, including the seven-slot front grille fitted to every Jeep since the 1940s, a rugged-looking dashboard, chunky ventilation surrounds and a cross on the rear lights that makes them look like mini jerrycans.

The option of US Army star transfers on the bonnet and doors won't be to all tastes, but they do help make the Renegade a car you might buy for its design alone. You wouldn’t believe that under that chunky bodywork, it shares mechanical parts with the curvy Fiat 500X.

An update in September 2018 brought a minor redesign (the newer cars have clear indicator lenses) and an upgraded interior. All cars apart from entry-level Sport now have a much larger 8.4in touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for easy control of your phone apps. New petrol engines are slightly more efficient, but still thirsty, so diesel is by far the most efficient choice - until a hybrid Renegade arrives next year.

Given its heritage and style, direct rivals to the Renegade are few. The quirky Citroen C3 Aircross would make a good alternative, while the Dacia Duster offers simplicity, greater size and rugged individuality, if not the same image and off-road ability as the Renegade. Among used cars, the Skoda Yeti is similarly rugged.

The Mini Countryman has heritage and style, plus the option of four-wheel drive, but is more expensive than the Jeep. Otherwise, you're looking at less distinctive options, including the Honda HR-V, Mazda CX-3, Renault Captur and, of course, the Fiat 500X.

Unlike those cars, however, the Renegade is actually better off-road than on. The more expensive four-wheel drive versions can heave through rough terrain that would leave most rivals standing, with different settings for surfaces like mud or snow. The bonnet and boot barely extend beyond the wheels, so there's very little to scrape on steep climbs.

Of course, all that’s important only if you’ll be taking the car on rough terrain. Rivals’ four-wheel drive systems should be adequate for the UK’s wintry weather or a muddy field.

On road, the Jeep Renegade is comfortable and settled in corners. It’s good but doesn’t smooth away bumps quite as effectively as the best rivals, such as the Mazda CX-3, Honda HR-V or Citroen C3 Aircross. Those three cars are also a little more fuel efficient than the Jeep.

The square shape of the Renegade creates noticeable wind noise at motorway speeds but provides a light interior, with good headroom for taller passengers. Adults will feel cramped by limited legroom in the back, where it’s a squeeze for three because of a small middle seat. Boot space is average compared with rivals: a baby buggy or weekly shop will use up most of the space.

If you’re mainly buying the Renegade for its rough and ready looks, rather than off-road capability, then it’s wise to opt for the cheaper and more efficient two-wheel drive version which costs from around £19,200 from new before any discounts. If you can live with a slightly smaller touchscreen, then earlier used cars start at around half that price.  The cheapest Jeep Renegade currently available from BuyaCar costs £10,500, or from £210.08 per month on finance.

New prices for Renegades with four-wheel drive start at around £24,000, bringing it into contention with mid-range versions of the Nissan Qashqai and Mazda CX-5. Unsurprisingly, at that price premium, few buyers choose the Renegade 4x4, so there's only a limited choice of used versions,  which start at £10,500 on BuyaCar, or from £210.08 per month on finance.

All versions come with air conditioning, Bluetooth phone pairing and a touch-screen display but models that come with more standard equipment are expensive. The Renegade has been independently crash-tested by Euro NCAP and received the top five-star rating.

 

 

Key facts

Warranty 3 years / 60,000 miles
Boot size 351 litres
Width 1805mm
Length 4236mm
Height 1667mm
Tax £160 to £500 in the first year, £140 thereafter

Best Jeep Renegade for...

Best for Economy – Jeep Renegade Longitude 1.6 MultiJet II 120hp

Real-world fuel economy of more than 50mpg makes this Renegade the most economical in the range. It's helped by not having a heavier and less efficient four-wheel drive system

Best for Families – Jeep Renegade Limited 1.6 Multijet II 120hp

Excellent fuel economy means that diesel power is best for Renegades; if you're buying used, avoid early 2015 cars, which don't comply with the latest Euro 6 emissions standard, as these will face future city emissions charges. There are plenty of well-equipped Limited models available at reasonable prices.

Best for Performance – Jeep Renegade Trailhawk 2.0 Multijet 170hp 4WD Auto

The top-of-the-range Renegade has a powerful diesel engine designed to haul it through ravines. It also provides the fastest on-road acceleration, but if that's what you really want, you could have a sports car for the same money (more than £30,000 from new)

One to Avoid – Jeep Renegade 1.6L E-torQ 110hp (2WD)

There's a reason why this engine was replaced in September 2018: the weedy petrol motor is the least powerful of the bunch but it's also less efficient and slower than the smaller yet more powerful petrol engines on offer.

History

  • 2015 Jeep Renegade is launched
  • 2016 Special edition of 500 Dawn of Justice Renegades launched to coincide with the Batman vs Superman film. There’s a choice of grey, black or red paint and specification is similar to Longitude cars, with 18in alloy wheels, Dawn of Justice badging and sat-nav.
  • 2016 Limited edition 75th Anniversary 4WD models launched to celebrate 75 years of Jeep. Based on Limited models, they are available with Jungle Green paint, bronze wheels and panoramic sunroof
  • February 2017 Limited edition Desert Hawk 170hp 2.0-litre MultiJet 4WD launched in choice of colours and with leather trim and 6.5-inch touchscreen and sat nav.
  • April 2017 Limited edition Tough Mudder 140hp 2.0 MultiJet auto in orange and black and with Trailhawk’s front bumper.
  • September 2018 Updated Renegade goes on sale, with styling tweaks, improved dashboard screens and new 1-litre petrol engine.

Understanding Jeep Renegade names

Engine 1.0 GSE T3 120 HP

The latest petrol Renegade engines are badged GSE. T3 indicates that this engine is made up of three cylinders. Older petrol models are labelled E-torQ or MultiAir II. All diesel engines are badged MultiJet. The size of engines is given in litres (1.0 in this case) and their power is given in horsepower (120hp as shown).

Gearbox MT

Cars with a manual gearbox may be badged MT, "Auto" or "ATX" cars have a conventional automatic gearbox. Some are available with a DDCT automatic gearbox, which can pre-select the next gear for faster and smoother changes.

Driven wheels 4x2

Cars labelled 4x2 or FWD use the engine's power to drive their front wheels only. These are cheaper and more efficient. 4x4, or 4WD cars send the engine's power to all four wheels for more grip. Beware: you may see a Jeep Renegade being described as a 4x4. This term can be used to refer to its design - like an off-roader - and may not mean that it has four-wheel drive.

Trim Longitude

There are four trims in total (Sport, Longitude, Limited and Trailhawk). Each higher level means more equipment and a larger price.

Jeep Renegade Engines

Petrol: 1.0 T3 120hp, 1.3 T4 150hp
Diesel: 1.6 MultiJet  II 120hp, 2.0 MultiJet II 140hp, 2.0 MultiJet II 170hp

Petrol-powered Jeep Renegades appear extremely appealing and not just because of widespread concerns over diesel. They are the cheapest versions of the car that you can buy and appear reasonably economical too. Unfortunately, the official figures of up to 46mpg are some way off from what you might expect by driving normally.

Figures based on real-world driving, estimate that you can expect no better than 33.5mpg from the smaller 1.0-litre, 120-horsepower petrol engine and 31.5mpg from the larger 150hp motor, which is only available with an automatic gearbox. Efficiency aside, both of these engines are ideal for a family car. They are rapid enough to keep up with traffic, without ever feeling sporty, and extremely quiet at steady speeds - much like the 1.4-litre petrol engine that was available before September 2018.

However, most people will be better off with a diesel Renegade. Apart from a few cars that were first sold before September 2015, all comply with the latest Euro 6 emissions regulations, so won't be subject to city centre emissions charges.

The 1.6-litre 120hp MultiJet engine is a good choice, with real-world economy of 53.1mpg, which isn't far off the official figure, and better than a Mini Countryman. This engine is available with a manual or automatic gearbox, and provides steady performance, with plenty of pulling power for heavy loads. 

For four-wheel drive, you'll need one of the larger 2-litre diesel models with more power for improved off-road performance - and faster acceleration on the road. The price is higher fuel consumption. "Low" models come with a low-ratio gearbox for improved low-speed pulling power.

 

 

Fuel

Fuel economy

Power

Acceleration (0-62mph)

Top speed

1.0 T3 120hp

petrol

44.1mpg

120hp

11.2sec

115mph

1.3 T4 150hp

petrol

46.3mpg

150hp

9.4sec

122mph

1.6 Multijet II 120hp

diesel

58.8mpg

120hp

10.2sec

110mph

2.0 Multijet II 140hp

diesel

45.6mpg

140hp

9.5sec

113mph

2.0 Multijet II 170hp

diesel

42.8mpg

170hp

8.9sec

122mph

Jeep Renegade Trims

Sport, Longitude, Limited and Trailhawk

There's little sporty about the cheapest Sport model, which comes with the smallest 16in alloy wheels, the smallest 5in touch screen with DAB radio and Bluetooth, and basic cloth seats. Electric windows, and six airbags do come as standard but it’s not available with four-wheel drive.

Upgrading is expensive. Longitude models cost over £2,000 more than Sport models for some routine but you'll probably want much of the equipment that this brings. It includes a much larger and crisper 8.4in touchscreen with sat-nav, as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Rear parking sensors; an automatic braking system that’s effective at preventing you from running into the back of another car; climate control, 17in alloy wheels and front fog lights are part of the package too.

You’ll need to part with almost £2,700 more to get a Limited model with its leather seats (heated in the front), 18in alloy wheels and front parking sensors. Adaptive cruise control adjusts the speed of the Renegade to keep a safe distance from any car in front, and there's a colour display behind the steering wheel and between the dials, to provide clearer information, including sat-nav directions. Four wheel drive is available with this version

Serious off-road enthusiasts should choose the Trailhawk edition, which adds panels underneath the car to protect parts like the fuel tank from scrapes. It comes with the most powerful diesel engine and an Active Drive Low system, with a lower gear to help the Renegade pull itself out of steep ruts or sticky bogs. Chunkier tyres, a tow hook and hill descent control, which stops the car careering down a steep slope are all standard. Oddly, for an off-road version, it doesn’t have a spare wheel. Like the rest of the range, it has a repair kit that can only mend small punctures.

Jeep Renegade Reliability and warranty

The Renegade doesn’t appear in the most recent Auto Express Driver Power survey, but the car that it's based on, the Fiat 500X, does. It's not good news. The Fiat was worst for reliability out of all 75 cars in the survey (dozens of others weren't included due to a shortage of responses). Owners mainly complained about electrical faults with one in five experiencing some sort of issue.

Quality has either improved on the latest cars, or Jeep is willing to foot the repair bill. Since the arrival of the revised version in 2018, the Renegade is now available with Jeep’s 5-3-5 offer, which consists of a five-year warranty, a three-year servicing programme, plus five years roadside assistance.

Older models only have a three year warranty that's limited to the car's first 60,000 miles. If you're buying one of these cars and the warranty is due to end soon, it's worth at least considering an extended warranty.

Used Jeep Renegade

Few Jeep Renegade buyers bothered with the entry-level Sport version which, until the September 2018 update, lacked useful equipment such as cruise control, rear parking sensors and a speed limiter.

This means that there's a larger selection of better-specified models to choose from, with mid-range Longitude and Limited cars - which come with leather seats - making up most of the used market.

Current BuyaCar prices start at £10,500, with finance from £210.08 per month.. You won't find any Apple CarPlay or Android Auto software on the dated-looking touchscreen display of these older cars, but sat-nav is included (except for Sport), and you can connect your phone via USB or Bluetooth for music streaming and handsfree calls.

Diesel engines have changed little during the Renegade's lifetime, and offer good fuel economy. They were updated in September 2018 to make them cleaner, but most earlier models still comply with the latest Euro 6 emissions standard: avoid the cars built before September 2015, which don't comply, as these will face future emissions charges.

Look out for 75th Anniversary models, which add extra equipment, including bronze wheels, "jungle green" paint and a panoramic sunroof, on top of Limited specification. These four-wheel drive cars don't just look the part - they can tackle tricky conditions too.

A sharp drop in the value of new Renegades as soon as they are registered to their first owner helps to make some of the more expensive models more affordable, quite quickly.  . These have a list price that starts at £24,400.

 

Jeep Renegade: latest used prices

1 year old

2 years old

3 years old

Best for economy
Jeep Renegade Longitude 1.6 MultiJet II 120hp

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Best for families
Jeep Renegade Limited 1.6 Multijet II 120hp

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Best for performance
Jeep Renegade Trailhawk 2.0 Multijet 170hp 4WD Auto

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