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Our friends at Jalopnik published the first decent photo of the new Jeep Renegade – which shares a platform with the Fiat 500X and replaces the Jeep Patroit/Compass – but kudos to Autoblog for publishing tiny thumbnails of the Trailhawk’s rear end (above is the Trailhawk) and the standard model’s front end. Both are in the gallery below. UPDATE: Two more photos added.
Our sources tell us that North America will get a 1.4T powered version with a 6-speed manual as the sole transmission option. The other engine will be the familiar 2.4L 4-cylinder with a 9-speed automatic. Reports claim that some kind of removable roof will be an option as well.
161 Comments on “2015 Jeep Renegade: 9-Speeds And A Manual-Only Powertrain...”
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Uh-oh looks like the Cherokee has some competition…. wait a minute…
That’s going to be a cute little toy.
I love cute little toys…
:)
This vehicle is the size of a Chevrolet Sonic/Aveo, minus the Chevy’s front overhang.
Cute toys are fine for city use.
This little thing should be able to do anything the original Willy’s jeep could do. Just because the newer Jeeps can do a whole lot more–when modded–doesn’t mean the old ones could–without modding.
Aimed at TRDbaru like a Predator drone. Jeep goes worldwide right into JapanIncs wheelhouse. The Anvil Blue paint is a nice touch. Pittsburghs Southside, Towson MD,Yankee exurbs and college campuses around the nation will soon be bumper to bumper with these new Jeeps.
Please give the USA a diesel version.
Mopar Uber Alles indeed!
….could “big is better” be giving way?
I saw the 500L at an event before it was released, quite small IMO. If this is a carbon copy of it, I’d wager its even smaller than the current Compass/Patriot is now. This may not play well with Jeep buyers who like Compass/patriot.
Maybe not with the Compass crowd, but as a driver of JK Wrangler who does not utilize its entire capability, I’m quite interested. I am fine with the size. Actually I think getting back to CJ format sounds nice. For me, the following will be deciding:
– price price price – of the fully capable version, not just a stripper special
– what the low gear is like, because that’s essential – more important than frame and live axles
– predicted, or better yet, demonstrated reliability – a few trails I run take me 60 miles away from nearest human settlement
I will not buy anything that has the suspicion of FIAT quality hanging over it. Unfortunately for Sergio, I have have enough connections outside of the U.S. to know what junk they sell. But I am willing to see if Chrysler side of FCA can fully internalize the platform and make it run for 100k miles.
“I will not buy anything that has the suspicion of FIAT quality hanging over it. Unfortunately for Sergio, I have have enough connections outside of the U.S. to know what junk they sell.”
Oh, please share with us!
Not quite 100k but my 2012 Fiat 500 is at 63k and not even a hiccup so far from the powertrain and I abuse the heck out of the little thing (engine braking, stop and go traffic, etc.)
My 04 Grand Cherokee has 158,000 miles on it and it still runs strong.
I plan on putting another 100k on it.
150,000 is the minimum requirement for durability these days. Every car should get there with fluid changes and scheduled maintenance only.
100k miles is the new bar?
Oh, I see…for FCA it is actually an accomlishment.
Then again, it may play better if it still has 4WD. I actually like the Trailhawk version. This is getting back into Suzuki Samurai territory.
I liked the Samurai too but it didn’t seem the last long in the US. Wikipedia claims these were still sold in the US and Canada through 1995 but I don’t ever recall seeing them new even in the early 90s.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzuki_Jimny
I had the pleasure of driving a Samurai. I had to pull over, I was laughing so hard. 1st gear would redline at 10 mph! And you had to floor it just so it’d move. It was pretty rough for a daily driver. By the early ’90s you could by a used one for $1,500 and low miles. So would anyone buy one new?
Of course you’d laugh, DM, you were driving a creeper, not a racer.
Oddly though, they were quite popular in their day–after all, they cost about half the price of the Jeep CJ of the day.
@Denvermike: Are you sure you didn’t have it in 4lo? Early Japanese 4×4 transfer-cases were very counter-intuitive from my experience. What ‘feels’ like neutral is actually 2hi.
No way. That thing had crazy gearing to make up for for its 50 hp or something engine. 4Lo 1st would have redlined at 1 mph.
If there is nothing really wrong with the design, and initial quality long term dependability are at least average, then they could sell eleventy billion of these things.
Since that’s unlikely, I doubt my prediction will be tested.
They have got, got, GOT to eventually offer an AT in these or they’ll lose 3/4 of potential sales.
There is, it’s the smaller engine that will be stick only, the 2.4L I4 will be AT 9 speed
Ah… so excited I misread. Thanks.
You didn’t read the article all the way through. Bigger engine gets 9-speed auto, smaller engine gets 6-speed stick.
Bozhe moi!
Tall, boxy, decent greenhouse and ground clearance… and round headlights. All in a wee, garage-friendly package.
Me so smitten!
This could be the love of your life
It’s like I died and went to Planet BBW.
In a 4X4 no less, which may come in handy
“which may come in handy”
However you meant that, YES
I meant in case you get stuck in, something
“It’s like I died and went to Planet BBW.”
And I thought Jack sent people down internet rabbit holes. I’ve seen better versions of the genre, but I’m not gonna lie. . .
Agreed, this looks fantastic.
Looks like a lot of Panda in there, which isn’t a bad thing. There are few small potentially fun little 4-wheelers left these days that haven’t evolved into total mommycars. This has potential
Agreed.
I love the ground clearance, you could actually drive through unplowed snow with that.
Nice that they’ll be offering a six speed with this model; however, the 1.4T powering this thing could prove to be a real slug.
Not sure how to feel about this having the Fiat 500x chassis. Or the 1.4L derived from the Dart and Fiat 500..
Im still unsure about the reliability of the 1.4L. Havent had too much interest in the 500 or the more recent 1.4L Dart. Although I am a fan of the 500 Abarth (who isn’t?).
Very nice to know that they are dropping the Patriot and Compass model. Sad, sad “Jeeps”. Waaay too many weak FWD Patriots and Compasses driving around American roads. Probably doesn’t help their image much, either.
IF they can keep the costs low enough, despite the Mars Rover styling, this could be another home run for Sergio.
Now if they’d offer a diesel variant of the Renegade, they’d really have something there.
With the 1.4 and the six speed this thing should be fine. Europeans put up with a .9 liter inline-2 as the base engine.
The small, cheap, two-door 4×4 market, populated by the likes of the Isuzu Amigo, Daihatsu Rocky, Suzuki Samurai/Sidekick/Geo Tracker, and RAV4 2-door, evaporated from the US decades ago.
OTOH, those were all two-doors. The return of the tiny 4×4 in four-door form, especially within the Jeep brand, may do okay.
Well, until Consumer Reports rolls a few of them, anyway.
Fu*k CR
Stability control might make it a bit harder to roll one over.
Knowing how to drive wouldn’t hurt either
I’ll just drive it slowly. I never rush sex.
There comes a time when “quickies” lose their allure… when they develop the potential to kill you
Agreed Lie2Me.
I have a 2-door SUV and it is not all that awesome in daily life. Very much fun on the trail, easy to back up and pack, but that’s about all advantages it has. From that experience, I’d rather take 4 doors if it’s a hardtop unibody. I had a 4-door SUV before and while it wasn’t as fun, it was more practical (I can go into details but think the roof rails first).
Actually, the market didn’t evaporate; I still see dozens of these things running around where I live. Let’s just say the market went on hiatus for a while and this is about to bring it back.
Maybe ole Sergio has had a few sent to Sweden for the moose avoidance tests. A really big moose at that! Lemme see; a tad smaller than a CJ, with a hardtop, four lockable doors, four wheel drive you can actually select on your own, easy to park, and is drivable on pot-holed streets. Might make a fine urban assault vehicle. When does it come out?
This actually makes more sense than an Encore, and I’ve been seeing several of those on the road. Not that making sense is worth anything in the automotive world.
“Our sources tell us that North America will get a 1.4T powered version with a 6-speed manual as the sole transmission option.”
1.4T gas is a fail, IMO. Either give it the 1.3 diesel the New Panda gets or offer a NA 2.0L gas in manual only. Roughly 95% of US buyers will opt for the 2.4/automatic anyway, why force something on manual buyers they may not want?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiat_Panda
Basically to save money on having to calibrate less computers and that stuff, I’d skip for the 2 litre, a 1.4l engine in something like this would be a bit sluggish, but probably not bad off-road..
I’m wondering what the tow rating is. I need 2500 lbs at least.
Don’t expect it with this thing, Pete.
I’d guess even 1000# would be pushing it.
The Compass/Patriot that this will replace comes with a 1000lb tow rating standard, and optional up to 2000 lb.
The FIAT 500L has *NO* tow rating.
If I can get one in FWD/manual trans with a 1000lb tow rating, I will replace my ’05 Scion xB.
The Panda has a tow rate of 1800 lbs. I understand that this Jeep will be more Panda-like
Is that the latest panda?
At this size, a lot would depend on the transmission wouldn’t it?
We know what the transmission is
Thanks for the info. Although 1800 lbs is encouraging, it’d make me to look for solutions, like using a light open trailer. I saw one guy having one of those on Youtube. It’s expensive, however, because it’s custom.
Looks like a wimpy little p.o.s.
The same type of girls that liked GEO trackers and Suzuki Sidekicks will love these.On the plus side,if you have an older Jeep Wrangler,etc.,it’s going to hold it’s value even better.No Jeep guy is going to want this golf cart.
You’d be surprised, ‘bird. If this thing’s priced low enough, you’ll see a lot of people in these rather than the bigger toys.
But for reasons of economy, not necessarily desire.
Actually, I saw articles in various magazines with trial balloons for smaller jeep. Of course a Baja vehicle benefits from being even wider than JK, and some folks love their Power Wagons. Still, others would like to see a smaller toy. And this one does not even need a trailer ride to the trailhead!
Coincidentially, Rio Puerco area in NM features an entrance that has a slot carved into a finger, and a bump. So everyone has to navigate it by going as high as they can on the bump, because otherwise you scrape the right side of the jeep as it tilts. So, ironically a narrow and less stable jeep would actually have an easier time getting in and out. If you’re too wide, you can’t even get in (well, a tracked vehicle could go over the uncut part of the finger). For the record, the area has another access road that seems to cross private land, so periodically that one gets barred.
[citation needed]
EDIT: That’s to OP, not Vulpine, BTW.
Also, it’s rather small-minded of you to automatically assume that a car is less of a car because girls might like it.
“The same type of girls that liked GEO trackers and Suzuki Sidekicks will love these.”
I’m batting my eyelashes at you right now, you great big man, you!
If the roof comes off it will come close to being a b*tch basket, maybe a b*tch bowl?
I think it is spelled bitch.
You’re welcome.
Who knows, it might even become the next sensible shoe box
“I’m batting my eyelashes at you right now, you great big man, you!”
HA! And people think you’re frigid.
Well played, Duke.
I seem to remember those vehicles being popular enough with the beret wearing clique. Back when you had to earn a beret rather than get one at basic. Those guys are mostly grey now, so I wouldn’t worry about your comment…much.
If a motor vehicle only has 2 pedals, it’s for girls.
Like this one?
http://books.google.com/books?id=bhLIsNn8A5AC&pg=PA44&lpg=PA44&dq=abrams+foot+pedals&source=bl&ots=fOolZffKMQ&sig=z_KKels0ypPUsQmAQwJGbiNJ0co&hl=en&sa=X&ei=tuoTU5HdNcm2yAH1k4GQAg&ved=0CCgQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=abrams%20foot%20pedals&f=false
Only difference is that the two you mentioned were fairly heavy-duty underneath and could be turned into respectable off-road machines with a few modification.
Like the Cherokee this is just a sheep in (very cute) wolf’s clothing.
This should do good in the global markets, especially the manual.
I would suspect a diesel version will be offered outside of NA.
Sort of looks like a cross between a Vitara wagon and a Jimmny with a Jeepesque grille.
A little diesel with a decent 4×4 system will make this a great 4×4.
You just can’t beat diesel off road.
This really looks great and is going to take sales away from all the toaster cars out there. What would you rather have an xb, soul, cube, or this jeep?
Something with better aerodynamics so I could get some fuel economy.
I agree the box shaped cars get poor highway mileage, but if you wanted a box shaped car I think this jeep is the most attractive.
I’ll stick with my Volvo 240 for a box shaped low mileage wonder. I just can’t imagine only having one car and accepting a small box shaped car which gives me lesser mileage. If I were down to one practical car, I would probably be a late 90s Honda Civic hatch coupe.
The ones worth considering are the new Soul and this Renegade. It’s pretty easy to see how the specs will compare since the Renegade is already on the market as the (not nearly as good looking) Fiat 500L.
http://autos.msn.com/research/compare/default.aspx?c=0&i=0&tb=0&ph1=t0&ph2=t0&dt=0&v=t119487&v=t118928
They are almost identical in dimensions. The Fiat starts $5,000 higher, and the Jeep will if anything have a higher premium than that.
This looks like it’s intended for Europe only ? I can’t imagine they will even try selling it in the US ? Cute, but not very ‘Jeepy’
No, no, North America gets it
I guarantee that women in the US market will like it. I just showed pictures to my wife and she is definitely interested.
I’m sure she is, everything has to be made for women or unisex, few models are truly designed for and aimed at men.
Agreed..
Who do you think controls the pocketbook? Among other things.
Weak people allow such behavior of either sex, relationship/marriage is supposed to be a partnership.
My wife definitely is NOT interested. She got a rental a few weeks ago while she waited for her Mazda CX7 to be repaired (a minor bumper bender). The Patriot she received was inferior in all respects in her opinion. Higher step-in, smaller less powerful engine, jerky throttle tip in (I suppose to compensate for the smaller engine), and the door openings were smaller. She will probably never buy a jeep of any sort, but as a competitor of the CX7 she found it it simply AWFUL.
I have to confess I detested it too.
@ 28-cars-later: Partnership, yeah. But not all partnerships are 50-50 on everything.
The CX-7 and the Patriot are really not competitors in any meaningful sense. They’re SUVs of similar size, but in completely different price brackets.
I’m feeling the rumble of XB’s, Souls, and Cubes driven by white college aged girls heading on over to Dallas Dodge to ask where the (censored) the Renegade is.
My mom is calling me. Maybe a State of Emergency has been issued by Nathan Deal.
Chrysler removed the miserable 1.4T from most of the Dart line because it’s so anemic. The 6M is a nasty transmission to shift, and poorly matched to the 1.4T. So now they think it will work in this vehicle?
I guarantee the only drivetrain offering a year after launch will be the 2.4 9-spd.
(As an aside, Chrysler is betting everything on this 9-spd. It seems to be appearing in every product they sell. They’d better not mess it up.)
Well, this pairing sounds like a match made in heaven already.
I daily drive a Dart with a 1.4L/6MT. It drives fine and has absolutely no problem keeping up with traffic/accelerating. Definitely not anemic in any way.
I also disagree about the transmission – true, it’s a little “balky” compared to some units, but I grew up driving trucks with really brutal transmissions, so anything is an improvement over that. I also think the gears are perfectly matched to the way the engine makes power – you just need to leave the engine spinning at a speed where boost is easily accessed – this is not a lazy V-8 that makes torque just off-idle. In spite of keeping the engine buzzing, I get 28-30 mpg in my stop & go commute – I’m happy with that.
Now this is subjective, no doubt- but the new Dart is one damned fine looking vehicle.
Saw one fully loaded in the most pumpkin-remniscent bright orange I’ve ever seen. Even in “ticket me orange”, it still looked good.
I agree on the Dart’s sweet looks, but they conceal (IMO) a poor drivetrain. I think Wheeljack is being generous in his description of the Dart.
I test drove the 1.4T-M and 2.0-A, and found the 1.4 needed to be spinning above 4000 rpm to get moving. In city driving, this means you’re getting on boost just when you need to slow down for the next light. This leads to a lot of clutch slipping and engine windup just to keep up with traffic – not my idea of easy or fun. The 2.0-A was weak but much more driveable.
The 2.4 in the newer Darts may fix all this, but the 9-speed transmission must work better than the Chrysler DDCT or else they’re doomed.
I drove a 1.4 6mt dart a couple thousand miles not a bad engine or transmission they just don’t play nice together in city driving. On the open road it’s great. It will cruise at 75 getting 38 mpg all day long. Around town the engine doesn’t seem to like getting off the line with what ever first gear they put in it. It seems fixable but from what I hear they still haven’t done it. I think the car is to heavy for the engine before the turbo kicks in it’s really just getting rolling and the 1-2 shift that sucks.
Apparently since the Renegade isn’t huge and painted with Testosterone it could be considered (heaven forbid) a chick car.
What gives with the animosity?
In some parts of the country you do see a lot of girls driving renegades. Others, more men. It would be an interesting regional, demographic study.
That cute ute is derived from a vehicle called the “Panda”.
With a name like that, masculinity isn’t exactly implied.
I was just going by many of the comments.
According to internet stereotypes this new Renegade is either for women (despite my anecdotal experience showing women mostly in mid to full size SUVs), or, by exclusion, for men with three legs.
One would imagine this ancient logic would have died off years ago; however, the old mindset seems to still exist, even post fuel-crisis and post malaise-era:
Bigger is STILL better.
I can see the marketing now “Jeep Renegade, for men who never compensate” (sound of a beer can opening in the back ground)
“Jeep Renegade, for men who never compensate.”
Nice.
I love watching Fiat slowly but assuredly bury Chrysler with every new product decision.
Could there be a better brand other than Chrysler to play guinea pig?
Fiat finds it cheaper to reuse its own platforms than to give Auburn Hills the resources to build their own.
From Allpar,
“The upcoming Jeep Renegade was created to be a premium small SUV. There will be a Trail Rated model roughly matching the 2014 Jeep Cherokee’s off-road capabilities, a high level of comfort and features, and a high price for the segment. It will be made alongside the Fiat 500X crossover, but will be far better suited to off-road use, able to overcome greater obstacles and maintain body integrity despite challenging terrain. The Jeep Renegade will have the same basic all wheel drive system as the KL Jeep Cherokee…”
Thx
Well, crap.
So much for hoping it would be a Patriot replacement, if these rumors are true it’ll be priced well beyond that.
Must be why Jeep had the biggest percentage increase of any volume brand in January. They are making a fortune off the Jeep and RAM brands. So much for FIAT “burying” Chrysler.
Jeep and Ram sales increases are due in majority part to the yeoman’s work done by the stateside development teams at Auburn Hills who still work to put together superior products. Its just a shame that the potential of what Jeep/Dodge/Ram/Chrysler could become is going to be constrained by Marchionne’s foolish attempt to make Fiat a credible brand anywhere (it isn’t) and all the profits gleamed from American Chrysler’s success just gets flushed down the broken toilet that is European Fiat.
Remember that the only assets any European conquistador was ever interested in out of Chrysler were Dodge trucks, the Jeep nameplate, and the US dealer network. Wait until Mr. Genius starts playing with the bread and butter of Dodge and Chrysler’s lineup.
I agree because those were the only assets worth buying in what would have been the Chrysler liquidation. Although it would have been unrealistic given what happened at the time, makes me wonder what a Chrysler owned by Chrysler employees would have looked like. If you think about it the thing was bankrupt and the US gov’t took it from its owners (giving them Chrysler Financial in compensation) and *paid* someone else to take it. Could have paid Chrysler employees to take it too and allowed them all to have been shareholders.
Found another pic
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-14YgpD97cDQ/UxO8JzrgyZI/AAAAAAAQQy0/phhftwv7IUs/s1600/Jeep-Renegade%5B2%5D.jpg
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PSgwvSrdu9g/UxO97peMBhI/AAAAAAAQQzQ/n5a2vdZF2u8/s1600/Jeep-Renegade-01.jpg
Interior
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sruw-0NkKJU/UxPJDvd8EhI/AAAAAAAQQzo/ieHVdOMgWc0/s1600/Jeep-Renegade-2.jpg
Thanks for the links.
The interior looks kinda Kia, but then the whole package is like a Soul on steroids which is just dandy by me.
Yeah, the more pics, the better it seems to get
I’m sorry, but this thing is ugly. Why do all the subcompact vehicles have to be purposely “quirky?” I’m sure it will sell, though, considering the success of the Buick Encore.
Quirky?!
A squarish, tall, 2-box form with round headlights, normal wheels/tires and great ride height? It’s definitely a throwback to the groovy Japanese assault wagons of the 80’s as others have mentioned.
If that’s quirky I’ll take one in forest green.
You can’t call a box quirky in front of a fridge. It’s rude.
Now THAT looks like a Jeep.
Light weight, high ground clearance, a short wheelbase, decent power.
Sounds like the recipe for a great off-roader.
Its engine is still across. Does not bother me, but it’s not Suzuki.
It kinda smacks of IH Scout in the front clip.
Why the Renegade name? That was always a trim and option package on CJ’s and the YJ Wrangler.
Explorer and Ranger started out as trim packages on the F-series trucks. It’s all about name recognition.
True, I guess Jeepster would have meant small Jeep. Or they could have resurrected the Commando nameplate. Going Commando?
Going Commando in a Jeep can be a real ball buster, don’t ask
Maybe it reneges on the Jeep heritage?
This will sell to younger and the older generation. 40mpg + ? Does anyone have the mpg estimate’s ?
Love it. if it can tow 2000lbs I may move the cherokee off the list for this. The article says patriot replacement the consensus at Allpar seems to be that here will be a jeep sloted between this and the cherokee.
Tow was my concern too, but someone mentioned above that Panda has a rating. Other smal CUVs were rated too, historically, so I suppose we should be fine. The question is the numer. RAV4 tows 3500, as an example. This car is smaller.
What are you folks planning to tow with a vehicle whose foot print is the same as a Chevrolet Sonic? Hopefully, it will be a single rail motorcycle trailer, which are available with an aluminum frame.
I would be towing a utility trailer for lumber runs and the occasional small boat (inflatable or sailing dinghy) For me 1000lbs would work most of the time but 2000lbs would be better. I tow with an outback now and it’s fine and My wife has a Durango when I need to tow more but it’s nice to be able to just use my car when she’s working etc.
A glider trailer. It’s long and narrow. The gross weight could vary, depending.
I seriously dig it. The Renegade name seems a little off, thought the new mini jeep was going to be called Jeepster. That seems more fitting.
I would venture to guess they didn’t want to make it appear “too cute” with a name like Jeepster. Fitting, probably. But to try and capture a broader demographic they had to add some testosterone to the name.
@LALoser – I thought Scout too, but the rest???? Looks like a Scout got drunk and had a one nighter with a Nissan Cube.
If it was twice as large, body on frame, and didn’t have the perfect marriage of Italian engineering, Mexican build quality and UAW apathy… Jeep might just have something here.
I think the Subaru XV is it’s only competition and isn’t designed and built by people who don’t have a grasp of what is considered to be first world quality control…
I’m lost WRT your comment. If it’s built in Mexico, the UAW is not a factor.
“If it was twice as large, body on frame”
Jeep already has a product like that. It’s called the Wrangler.
Ironically, this new Jeep is a lot closer in size to the original Willys Jeep.
It’s funny to see the criticism of this Jeep being built on a Fiat Panda platform since the previous Patriot/Compass was built on the Mitsubishi Outlander platform – a brand which does not seem too popular on TTAC.
I doubt the buyers either know or care.
…and the Patriot/Compass were pilloried as faux Jeeps from day one.
It was inevitable, purists hate change. It’s funny because a properly equipped Patriot can follow a Wrangler to 99% of places where 99% of Wrangler owners go. They’re astonishingly more capable than they look.
Agree on this A patriot is on my list of future beater commuters, I think it would works great for my needs plus I could drive on the old logging roads when visiting customers in Maine to have a little fun.
@mopar4wd: I recently got a 2013 Patriot 4×4 with a 5-speed and I have to say it runs and rides quite nicely. Had the devil’s own time finding one in that spec that wasn’t an absolute stripper but managed to get it under $20,000.
If the new Renegade can’t offer a similar value proposition it will be a tragic waste.
Jeep purists only ever like the previous model.
I think it’s because they buy them used. They will love this one when its replacement comes out in 2019.
That statement seems to be made with a total disconnect to why jeep purists dislike these vehicles
A 1980 CJ5 in good condition has at least another 34 years of good use.
In 34 years these jeeps will be toasters.
There is a total disconnect between the general car buying public that purchases these Jeeps and offroaders that actually use these jeeps.
What happens if I slam the frame down onto a log in the above jeeps? Hello nice wrinkle in the uniframe. What happens when I want to get larger tires to play, not happening, a 33inch is the minimum to play in my area if you want a chance of surviving ruts from other vehicles. An EPS system offroad is frightening, it’d burn up before well before one finished any offroading. Where is the rebuildability, if I’m running too large of a tire or have too large of an engine in a jeep, I drop in new axles and new transfer cases that are superior to stock. and possibly weld in some support for my frame. Can you imagine pulling the uniframe apart?
The offroad “features” in these vehicles are nothing more than cool buttons to brag about in this crossover.
“Where is the rebuildability”
You’ve given me a hearty laugh. There is no rebuilding, only waste, more junk, and more debt slavery.
^
THIS
We’re told we shouldn’t be wasteful and that we shouldn’t replace something until it has absolutely fallen apart.
Well why engineer something that isn’t made to last, or better yet I know why, because people don’t care in the least. There won’t be any classic cars from this era, it would be impossible to take a 2014 impala out of a corn field in the year 2047 and make it show room quality that people would drool over.
Granted I say that with a world view focused on now, for all I know we will have 3D printers with a database containing trillions of different devices and circuit boards that you can pay the owner $10 for the rights to make a copy and be on your merry way.
“What happens if I slam the frame down onto a log in the above jeeps? Hello nice wrinkle in the uniframe.”
Jeep has been selling unibody wagons for 51 years. They are not Wrangler replacements, but they are popular with Jeep customers.
This looks kinda cool like a Tonka toy.
I’m a little sad that it looks like you won’t be able to put bigger tires on it with those wheel wells. Too bad, maybe it could have filled the empty hole the Samurai left 25 years ago for the offroad crowd. Just some big tires and a solid axle swap away from real fun.
The Renegade really isn’t intended to replace Compatriot, at least from a market segment standpoint. It’s an entry to a segment where Jeep doesn’t currently have a model. The Cherokee is really the replacement for the Compatriot twins. Those models are much closer dimensionally.
There is some chatter that there will be a low cost jeep to slot size wise between the renegade and the cherokee. Something to fill the under 20k CUV market. Though based on the comments much like the encore this may sell better in the US than they originally thought.
I don’t see that scenario coming to fruition. I’ve heard that speculation too, and think it would generate too much crowding. The most likely speculative new Jeep model in the near future will be a fullsize or near full size 3 row deal.
If you ask me, danio (and I know you don’t) that’s the last model Jeep would likely build unless it’s a trim package in the GC. They really don’t need an SUV between the Renegade and the Cherokee and they certainly don’t need an SUV bigger than the Grand Cherokee–well, outside of the Wrangler, that is–but what they DO need is a purpose-built pickup truck along the lines of the ’05 Gladiator concept.
The subcompact CUV market is filling up fast. I wonder if Ford has made a decision on the Ecosport?
Umm, ah, no.
No doubt another winner from Sergio and Co.
The hits just keep on coming……
This should help in their drive for the big ‘M’ this year.
I…rather like this. I mean, I wish the Cherokee looked like this instead of looking like a freak of nature, but I’d rather buy one of these than a compact sedan.
I would be willing to suffer the potential reliability headaches to own one of these little buggers in Trail Rated guise with either the diesel and/or a stick shift. Just went on a hike yesterday, it was a 2 hour drive on slick roads both ways to get to the trailhead, with about 20 miles of slightly washed-out sleet covered, potholed gravel roads. My 4runner is way overkill for something like this, and probably got around 17 mpg on average for the trip. Something like this Renegade would be perfect for me for such weekend day trips, although for longer trips with the dog and a canoe, A could see a Renegade being cramped. It would seem a Forester with a manual transmission would be a perfect fit for me, but I find Subaru seats really small (short seat cushions).
Here’s the beginning of the “world model” Jeeps. I wonder if they’ll keep digging out old Jeep nameplates for the models, or try something that works in multiple countries? I have to believe ‘Renegade’ is going to be a problem somewhere or other.
This car will not replace the Patriot or the Compass. They will soon produce this car in Brazil and China and export to pretty much everybody. FIAT must regain part of the international markets and also open some new doors. There are no reliable news until this moment about any real 4×4 or AWD options.
I have experience with old Jeeps (1954 and 1977) and today I have a Wrangler JK. I had the opportunity to drive for months a Russian Lada Niva (FIAT engine) in the early 90’s and I must say that I don’t think that this new Jeep will be better for off-road than the Niva. The Niva was a reliable and efficient 4×4 vehicle and I crossed the rain forest in Brazil several times driving one.
This new Jeep is just another mall crawler designed for posers.
Keep wishing, Lucca. But I’d suggest learning how to bake Blackbird Pie, ’cause I expect you’ll be eating a lot of crow.