2015 Jeep Renegade: Meet the new small Jeep

 

 Neither Jeepster nor Laredo, a Renegade bows at the Geneva motor show

Meet the 2015 Jeep Renegade, arriving today at the Geneva motor show. The Renegade marks Jeep's latest attempt at a small SUV, following the widely panned Caliber-based Compass and Patriot; both are expected to die shortly.

Overall appearance suggests a sort of ruggedized Kia Soul/Nissan Cube, with a combination of sharply angular and rounded forms competing with one another. Jeep calls it “Tek-Tonic,” and while some elements like the taillights come off cartoonish, there's no denying it's a far more attractive machine than the dumpy Compass.

New is the My Sky open roof option, offered in a base manual removable configuration or an upgraded removable with power-tilt/slide setup. A nod to the Wrangler's Freedom Top, My Sky consists of honeycomb fiberglass polyurethane roof panels that can be yanked off and stowed in the cargo area during nice weather. The same X motif found in the taillights makes its way into the My Sky panels, debossed into the material.


But the big question: Is it a Jeep?
We'll have to wait for the first drive to confirm its capabilities, but on paper the Renegade should slot in comfortably above the Patriot and Compass but below the Cherokee Trailhawk. The new ute shares its basic architecture with the upcoming Fiat 500X, itself a 500L platform modified for all-wheel drive. Two-wheel drive is offered, but like the Cherokee, Renegade has two available 4x4 systems: Jeep Active Drive is a standard full-time AWD system Jeep says can deliver 100 percent of engine torque to any wheel; Active Drive Low adds a 20:1 crawl ratio for low-speed shenanigans.

Jeep
The Jeep Renegade Trailhawk will get additional ground clearance and standard Active Drive Low 4-wheel drive system.

 

Up to 8.7 inches of ground clearance is available, with 6.7 and 8.1 inches of front and rear suspension articulation, respectively. Both ends use struts, with the front getting a MacPherson setup and the rear a Chapman design (separating the spring from the damper) with two lateral links and an isolated cradle for improved on-road manners.

Both 4x4 systems come with the Jeep Selec-Terrain controller, letting drivers choose from auto, snow, sand and mud modes plus hill-descent control; Trailhawk models also get a rock mode. The rear axle of 4x4 models disconnects when not needed to save fuel, and the Renegade also comes with a power take-off unit – we expect a full complement of Mopar lawnmowers, log-splitters and manure spreaders by next year's Detroit auto show.

About that Renegade Trailhawk: It is, as expected, Trail Rated, though the company isn't saying which trail exactly. Trailhawk models get standard 4x4 with Active Drive Low. Ride height jumps almost an inch over standard Renegades and skid plates and tow hooks adorn the body. Standard 17-inch all-terrain tires help the Renegade Trailhawk claim 19 inches of water fording ability, and there's 2,000 pounds of towing capability when the 2.4-liter I4 is selected.

Jeep claims the new Renegade will be sold in 100 countries around the globe; to that end, there are 16 different powertrain combinations depending upon sales location. United States buyers get either a 1.4-liter Multiair turbo four-cylinder or 2.4-liter Tigershark naturally aspirated I-4. The smaller engine is available with a six-speed manual transmission, while the Tigershark gets coupled exclusively to the corporate nine-speed automatic transmission. Expect 160 hp and 170 lb-ft of torque from the 1.4 engine, while the larger 2.4-liter offers 184 hp and 177 lb-ft of torque. Two- and four-wheel drive models are available with both.

Jeep
Black on Ruby Red identifies this Renegade interior as a Trailhawk; three other interior trim combinations are available on the new small Jeep.

Like the exterior, the interior design straddles the line between clever and caricature, though we'll give Jeep points for throwing all their ideas at the Renegade. The Tek-Tonic theme reappears in the form of protective “clamps” surrounding touchscreens, bezels and trim, along with a dash top getting its inspiration from sports goggles. Additional features include a rubber console tray with a topographic map of Moab molded into the material and a mud-splatter gauge-cluster graphic.

Soft-touch materials are used throughout, and seats come in either fabric or leather trim. Jeep also touts its “segment-exclusive 360-degree heated steering wheel,” which we're assured refers to heated circumference rather than temperature potential.

Design motifs include:
-- Tresspass Black: Black monotone interior with Moroccan sun finishes and contrasting dual-tone stitching.
-- Sand Surfing: Black and warm sand two-tone interior with satin chrome accents.
-- Trailhawk: Black monotone interior with ruby red anodized finishes and stitching, plus Trailhawk graphic.
-- Free Falling: Bark brown and Ski gray two-tone interior with anodized orange finishes.

From a practical standpoint, Jeep claims 12.4 cubic feet of cargo area is available behind the second-row seats, or 30.7 cubic feet with the rear seats folded flat. A 60/40 split folding second row is standard with 40/20/40 configuration available.

Jeep
Jeep Active Drive Low is standard on Renegade Trailhawk models; a nine-speed automatic transmission is offered.

As expected the Renegade gets a full complement of electronic safety acronyms hurled at its window sticker. Options include forward collision warning, lane departure warning, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-path detection, in addition to the usual stability control systems and collection of airbags.

Though components are sourced globally, all Jeep Renegades are assembled in Melfi, Italy alongside the SUV's Fiat 500X counterpart. According to our resident Jeep historian, that makes the Renegade the first consumer Jeep model manufactured solely outside the U.S.

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2015 Jeep Renegade: Meet the new small Jeep