Practical experience Jeep Renegade: this is how the renegade likes it

Not only did Jeep enter a new segment with the Renegade, it also took some getting used to for those who associate the brand with powerful engines. The entry-level 1.6 E-Torq only produced 110 hp. Those who wanted more powerful could opt for the well-known Fiat 1.4 MultiAir with 140 hp or diesels with 120 (1.6 MultiJet) or 140 horsepower (2.0 MultiJet). The 1.4 MultiAir and 2.0 MultiJet were optionally available with all-wheel drive. Why do we write all this in the past tense? If you go for a Renegade, you will be faced with completely different engines. You can now choose between a mild hybrid 1.5 turbo or the plug-in hybrid 4xe. And if you think that the curtain will fall on the Renegade soon? Think again, because Jeep recently gave it an update, which included revising the infotainment.

Practical use and seating comfort

When browsing through the user reviews, it quickly becomes clear that the brand image and appearance are important reasons for purchasing. Practical matters are only discussed much later or not at all. We quickly assume that the car will be suitable for most users. The following driver also does not necessarily find his Renegade too small, but is simply used to more: “The trunk is not really large, smaller than my previous car (Fiat 500L), but these are things that you can clearly determine in advance.” A 1.0T driver would prefer to see his interior more flexible. “The designers can still learn a lot from the Skoda guys with regard to the usability of the car, for example storage compartments in doors and under seats, movability of rear seats, removability of the rear seats, etc..”

Users are not so enthusiastic about the front seats. “The seats are reasonable, but could really be better. They are not really suitable for long journeys,” writes one owner about his 2015 Renegade 1.4 MultiAir Limited. “The leather-covered seats look nice, but do not provide enough support, especially on longer journeys,” says the driver. a 2018 Renegade joins him. The driver of a Renegade 1.4 MultiAir Limited: “The leather-upholstered seats are comfortable and provide sufficient support, although the lateral support could be better. Fortunately, you are sitting in the seat and not on it.”

The owner of a Renegade 1.4 MultiAir Opening Edition is, as an exception to the rule, happy. “I sit very comfortably, the seat is easy to adjust to the right position and the view all around is excellent, but you have to be careful with the enormous A-pillar.” We often read that comment about the blind spot. “The car is very difficult to see,” notes another driver. “I have an alarm for reversing and a camera, but no aid for the front. That really has to happen. The length of the nose of the car cannot be estimated.”

On the road with the Renegade

Does this Renegade prove its genes in handling? “You don’t actually realize that you are driving a Jeep,” writes the owner of a 2016 Renegade 1.4 MultiAir AWD. “The car has fairly sporty suspension and exceptionally good road holding.” The following 1.4 driver also thinks so: “The Jeep still drives fine, slightly more comfortable on 17-inch wheels than on the 18-inch ones. Steering is really great, direct and with a small, thick steering wheel, really very pleasant. You don’t hear the chassis, the suspension comfort is mature and firm and therefore inspires confidence.”

An owner who also drives the Renegade in the city is also satisfied. “The suspension comfort is good and I can even go over speed bumps quite quickly; that’s a plus for someone who lives in Amsterdam. The car drives very maturely and (almost) does not lean in bends.” Another enthusiastic response: “The important plus is the driving pleasure. I drive a lot of other cars, but this one is my favorite. Because the Jeep steers directly and does not lean, it is an ideal car for small roads. The car was also very good for winter sports.”

Then a bit off-road, with an owner who went abroad looking for the plug-in hybrid 4xe in rugged Trailhawk trim. “Many off-road vehicle owners look down on the Jeep Renegade and Compass,” he notes, “but are surprised to see how far they can go off-road. This is partly due to a well-thought-out four-wheel drive system and a lower net weight. You can tell when driving that they are built and programmed like Jeep.”

Jeep character in transmission

After these positive notes, the above Trailhawk driver writes something else: “Don’t expect the finesse with shifting that you have in many other SUVs in this segment. You can just feel the gear shifting when you’re driving on petrol.” A second 4xe driver also noticed this. “The automatic transmission works fine, but is not sensitive (when overtaking quickly or when you ask for power). Then he takes the resistance very rudely. That suits the car, but could have been a bit smoother.”

This feature appears not to be reserved for the plug-in version. “The automatic transmission remains a point of attention,” notes the driver of a 2019 Renegade 1.3 Freedom DCCT. “It sometimes shifts a bit slowly and with slight jerks. Driving slowly is the solution. If you press the kickdown, the automatic transmission is activated. You can switch gears yourself, but it is not really an improvement.” That ‘remaining point of attention’ applies to his previous Renegade, a 1.4 MultiAir with the same transmission. This also did not perform smoothly under all conditions. The owner of a 2019 Renegade 1.3T is also not completely happy. “What really bothers me about this car is the automatic gearbox, which responds rather vaguely and slowly to the accelerator pedal. Sometimes it also waits a long time before upshifting and gets stuck at high speeds. Even in semi-automatic mode, it listens very poorly to my actions. It feels like you have no connection with the engine or the drive.”

Maintenance, malfunctions and irritations

We’ll stick to the transmissions for a moment, because the owner of a 1.4 MultiAir from 2015 actually seems to have a problem. “Unfortunately, the automatic still does not want to go to ninth gear and I will report the problem again, but after the gearbox has now been fitted with new software and relearned twice, I do not have the feeling that this will be resolved quickly.” Ultimately, the responses reveal what the problem is: a final drive that is too long ensures that the engine is not strong enough to use ninth gear…

The MultiAir engine appears to have another special feature, according to at least one other rider. “Last February I had two engine failures, these were exactly those days with the cold front. The engine went into limp mode and I drove slowly to the dealer. There were exactly four people there that day with the same complaints, all the 1.4 MultiAir.” The solution? “Jeep suggested that the solution be to clean the crankcase. Because the Dutch models do not have a crankcase heater, moisture sometimes remains behind, which can crystallize.” We suspect that this owner means the crankcase ventilation, but the fix seems to have helped. “Never had this problem again,” he concludes.

Weekly reset

Other Renegades also appear to be not entirely flawless. For example, the driver of a cheerful yellow Renegade encountered problems while on holiday, causing the car to no longer respond to the accelerator pedal. “It was clearly something with the electronics. Installing a new potentiometer for the accelerator pedal and checking all cables (including plugs) and the problem was solved,” he writes. Apart from a minor repair to the sliding/tilting roof, the Renegade fortunately remained without any major problems. However, the infotainment system resets itself approximately every week, after which the language must be reset and the interior temperature is set to 28 degrees Celsius…

Fortunately, things often go well, as another 1.4 MultiAir driver indicates. “After more than three years, the Renegade is performing really well. No breakdowns, hardly any rattles (the trunk lock rattles slightly on bad roads), all electronics still work fine. No excessive wear anywhere, the car drives just fine.” We conclude with two experiences from 4xe riders. “I went through a period when the car would no longer charge. This was resolved with a software update,” said one of the PHEV drivers. And then, finally, the plug-in hybrid Trailhawk: “In terms of maintenance, except for one thing, only standard maintenance has been carried out. Last year the multi-belt was replaced under warranty because it squeaked when the petrol engine started.”