Stays above Avenger
The Jeep Renegade has been updated and for its tenth anniversary it will receive digital instruments and a new infotainment system. It’s about time, because the car is now old in human years.
Ten years and still no successor to the Renegade, isn’t that crazy?
Jeep is proud of the tenth anniversary of the Renegade, but the question is whether that is justified. After all: on average, one generation of a car model lasts about seven years. The Renegade is now far beyond that. Even its last facelift from 2018 is almost a complete car life old. But here too, the Jeep Renegade apparently continues where others give up.
Isn’t the Avenger the successor to the Renegade?
Since the arrival of the Avenger, the Renegade is no longer the smallest Jeep, but compared to its American forefathers it is still a small one. This is because this Jeep shares its technical basis with the Fiat 500X. And although hardcore Jeep fans may not be happy with this, the advantage is that you can drive a Jeep for a relatively low entry fee. In the United States they are less impressed by the Italian-built Renegade, because the updated model is no longer available there.
Is the appearance still possible?
On the outside, the car – which came on the market in 2014 – still looks fresh and fruity. You have to love the almost square black wheel arch edges, but it certainly looks adventurous and relatively timeless. The dashboard gives you a real Jeep feeling and that also applies to the upright windshield and window pillars, which immediately give the car an adventurous character. The passenger handle in the dashboard and the design of the rear light, which is reminiscent of the jerry can that used to hang on the back of a Jeep, also enhance the atmosphere. Just like the iconic Jeep grille and headlights, of course. The rectangular body also means that you can easily reach the back seat and have sufficient headroom there. The legroom is also sufficient for a car of this caliber. The almost square luggage compartment, with a capacity of 351 liters, is no larger than average.
And the interior?
We see a relatively large amount of hard plastic inside and the entire dashboard is a bit shiny, which gives away its true age. But the new central screen does improve things considerably. The large buttons on the dashboard match its sturdy appearance. The gear lever feels less solid than hoped and that somewhat detracts from the feeling of quality. It is striking that there are no different driving modes to choose from. So putting it in D is the motto. The car takes care of the rest. For its tenth anniversary, the Renegade receives, among other things, the chic steering wheel from big brother Compass. Behind it we see a digital instrument cluster with a diagonal of 10.1 inches. The infotainment system will also be renewed. We now find a 10.25-inch screen centrally in the dashboard. You can connect both your iPhone and your Android device wirelessly to Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Also new: the reversing camera now shows images in HD quality on the screen.
How does the Renegade drive?
The funny thing is that in the not so big Renegade you still have the feeling that you are driving a hell of a car. This is of course due to the high seating position, but also due to the structure of the body, which means that the windshield is far away from you. The handling is better than expected, especially in the bends. However, driving forces can be felt relatively often in the steering. The switch from electric to petrol is sometimes slow, making the acceleration a lot less smooth than that of the more modern Avenger e-Hybrid. Furthermore, the Renegade rarely drives purely electrically. The Renegade can theoretically do this at speeds of up to 30 km/h, but the petrol engine kicks in when you leave your neighborhood.
It’s a mild hybrid, right?
You would expect that from a ‘mild hybrid’, but this Renegade is less ‘mild’ than expected. The e-Hybrid is equipped with two electric motors: one is the starter/generator that combines starter motor and alternator and is connected to the crankshaft via a belt. This ensures the engine start and supplies power during braking. The seven-speed automatic transmission also contains an electric motor, which is powered by a 48V battery with a power of 15 kW/20 hp and can fully propel the car in a Prius-like manner.
Is he frugal?
For a car with an angular body like this Renegade, the average consumption according to the manufacturer’s specifications is exemplary at 5.6 liters per 100 kilometers. Our test consumption was well above that, but the test route with its high highway content offered the Renegade little opportunity to excel here. Conclusion: this Jeep benefits from nice technology, but in practice the coordination between the three power sources could be better. The last known new price was €39,905, the new starting price has not yet been announced.
Specifications Jeep Renegade 1.5T e-Hybrid
Dimensions (lxwxh) 4.23 x 1.80 x 1.67 m
Powertrain Combustion engine, mild hybrid
Combustion engine 1.5-liter 4-cyl. turbo
Max. assets 96 kW/130 hp at 5,500 rpm
Max. couple 240 Nm at 1,500 rpm
Top speed 191 km/h
0-100 km/h 9.7 sec
Consumption avg. 5.6 l/100 km
Co2 emissions 126 gr/km
From price Nnb
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl