Driving Impression

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On paved roads, the Renegade feels adequately refined. We like the combination of the 1.4-liter turbo engine with front-wheel drive in the city, even with its manual gearbox. It’s lighter and more direct than the 2.4-liter.

The Trailhawk feels ponderous around town where handling is tight, because of its additional weight.

Off road, the Renegade is no Wrangler, but with its modes for Mud, Sand and Snow, it’s quite remarkable. We drove it up steep and rutty hills, nearly 45 degrees, and back down again using the hill descent control to control the speed, and grip at each wheel. The little Jeep will cross streams and climb boulders almost as tall as its wheels. No worries about getting it muddy, or getting to the other side of the bog.

The Trailhawk has one inch more ground clearance and bumpers that allow steeper approach and descent angles. There’s also a Rock mode, which enables the Trailhawk to crawl along at less-than-walking speed, a great feature.

Walk Around

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The Renegade is short in length, but relatively tall, exaggerated by sides that are flat and vertical. It has a spunky kind of distinction, or a distinctive kind of spunk. Details flaunt the fact that it’s a Jeep, from the seven-bar grille to the big round headlights. The black fender flares are oversized, making the tiny Renegade look tough. The taillamps have an X shape in them, intended to suggest jerry cans strapped to the rear, as a reminder of Jeep’s WWII heritage.

Interior Overview

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Imagine a bulked-up subcompact, and you might see the Renegade interior, with its big round knobs and center vents in a pod on the dash.

The front seats are comfortable and well bolstered, with good shoulder room. But in the rear, the subcompact size comes back with seriously limited legroom. For there to be reasonable comfort for back-seat passengers, the front seats have to be slid forward.

The rear seats fold flat, and so does the front passenger seat, creating a ton of cargo space for the Renegade’s size.

In short, Renegade is better for two plus their cargo than it is for four adults.

Summary

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The Jeep Renegade is a solid small utility vehicle, with a suspension and two-speed transfer case that add capability over rugged terrain. Excellent powertrains, especially the fuel-efficient 1.4-liter turbo, make the Renegade compelling. The manual transmission keeps the Jeep real. Comfortable front seats. Big cargo room for the tiny size, thanks to rear and front passenger seats that fold flat.

Sam Moses contributed to this review, with staff reports.

Model Lineup

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The 2018 Renegade comes in Sport ($17,995), Latitude ($21,495), Altitude ($22,190), Limited ($27,195), Trailhawk ($26,895), and Deserthawk ($28,390). (Prices are MSRP for 2017 models and do not include destination charge.)