ON FRONT PAG E N O R T H E AST V I C TO R I A , A L P S A N D H I G H CO U N T RY
MAY 27 - JUNE 2, 2016
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JEEP RENEGADE 2WD: It combines rugged looks with urban convenience.
Jeep Renegade:
everything old is new again THE Renegade nameplate is one that Jeep has used frequently in the past on variants of its heavy-duty Wrangler models. It’s now been resurrected as a model in its own right principally targeting the blossoming 2WD soft-road SUV market but with some Wrangler characteristics in its 4WD Trailhawk variant. We reviewed the Trailhawk recently so will concentrate on the urban models (Sport, Longitude and Limited) here. While Renegade isn’t the company’s first venture into the 2WD market it certainly beats its two predecessors, Compass and Patriot.
By ALISTAIR KENNEDY Externally there’s no doubt the Renegade is a Jeep with that iconic square styling and seven-slot grille. Yet under the surface it’s very Italian, being partly designed and also built there, a consequence of the GFCfuelled collapse of the Chrysler-Jeep company and its subsequent purchase by the giant Fiat group. Renegade is built in Italy alongside the closely-related Fiat 500X. Inside the Renegade there are plenty of reminders of Jeep’s WWII origins with a little silhouette on the side of the windscreen and “Since 1941” above
the multimedia touchscreen. The latter somewhat ironic given that Jeeps would have been all over Italy for the following four years. Even the ‘X’ shaped taillights that distinguish Renegade from its rivals have history, being based on the military fuel cans used on the original Willys Jeep. The Renegade’s tall shape provides good interior space, with plenty of headroom at both front and rear. There’s good legroom for adults in the rear seats although its narrow width effectively makes it the same two-adult / three-children proposition as its competitors.
At 351 litres the luggage space is acceptable. The rear seatbacks fold flat in three sections, allowing load-through in the centre with the front passenger seat also folding flat to allow for even longer items to be carried. There’s also a dual floor setup for hiding items where necessary and a space-saver spare wheel beneath. Sensibly, the 4WD Trailhawk gets a fullsized spare. ENGINES / TRANSMISSIONS The Italian influence extends under the bonnet with a very un-American 1.4-litre turbo-petrol engine powering three of the four 2WD models. Continued page 2
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