This car serves its purpose in the jeep lineup. Entry level that isn't dog shit like the patriot and compass. Not everyone needs a wrangler. I just bought this car myself. Why? I need a daily driver that can handle NY winters with ease and wont break the bank if I want some extras (which I got plenty of). As far as off roading, I live on long island. I can count the places I'm legally allowed to go off roading on one hand. This car is gonna spend most of it's time on the road and on the beach. If I lived upstate I'd get a wrangler, but I don't. Not every jeep needs to be the wrangler.
@@cROSSingth3RUBICon Yeah, the electronic sensors and controls get annoying after 8 years of UK salt and wet. It's pretty fixable though, once you've found a decent mechanic! That's the tricky bit!
The Renegade was tested by Jeep to go everywhere the Wrangler did in the same testing. It's weakness from the factory are the tires, and some clearance issues. Outside of that, it's going to go 90% of places you'd every go off roading. It's not a rock crawler, neither are Wranglers from the factory.
Renegade Trailhawk has the same break over angle as the two door Rubicon. It actually has some of the best angles that you can get on any off-road vehicle in stock form. If all you do is lift a renegade two inches you will hit insane angles. If they had just plugged a 2.92 transfer case in the Renegade it would be a monster.
+kmac720 agreed, another 2 inch lift and a bit bigger more agressive tires and it would definitely make a huge difference ...but at that point, why not have a real jeep?
+Revamptheindustry I would think because these get nearly 30mpg highway, and a Wrangler gets 20 tops. (And you can get one of these loaded with amenities for the price of a pretty stripped down Wrangler.) I'm not sure a lift is even necessary tho, just some better tires.
kmac720 thats true, and makes it a much better daily for the roads. maybe jeep could sell a lot of them if they get some good aftermarket support to make it look more off roadish
I think the die-hards are missing the point, some people don't wanna spend 40G for a 4 door Jeep with some nice features for everyday life. I wanted something like the Renegade to use on road 95% of the time, good ride, comfy, tons of room for the small size. I paid under 23 Grand for a loaded 4x4 Latitude. Its great with my dogs and lugging stuff around, and so far we have been off-road, places I could have never gone in my last car or my sons car. Pure fun at a really low price for all that you get Jeep and Fiat nailed it with this one. And as a bonus I am averaging after only 800 miles on a new engine 26.8 MPG and on one trip we took over 31mpg. They knew going in the Diehard Jeep Fans would not like it, but that's not who they made this for. For those guys, the rough riding noisy old Wrangler is still around. Flaps
Choices are never a bad thing ... and I'll be honest, it seems pretty capable for what it essentially an Italian compact car. Maybe suited for someone who HAS to commute and use it as a daily driver, but also wants to hit some moderate trails every now and again? I'll stick with my 4Runner, but like I said, choices are never a bad thing.
Bought my 2018 Trailhawk two weeks ago, great highway vehicle and took it off-road in the bighorn mountains of Wyoming this past weekend, went places I’d never had taken my Compass and it was effortless doing so. Was never a fan of the body style but it’s growing on me. So far, best vehicle I’ve ever owned.
It's interesting that People say this car is "not a real Jeep" because Jeep is now owned by FIAT. Then they say that a Wrangler is "a real Jeep". This is hilarious, because when the Wrangler (and the XJ, SJ, CJ8, CJ10) was designed, Jeep was owned by Renault. And most of the sophisticated stuff, that's in the more modern Wranglers is sourced of the Mercedes G-Class. To be honest, the last "real Jeeps" were bult somewhere in the late 60s when Jeep was still it's own Company and not owned by AMC, Renault, Chrysler, Mercedes, the tax payer, or FIAT.
Yeah honestly. I love how everyone makes fun of Chrysler for being owned by Fiat, and call them Fiats because of it. Yes I admit as a FCA fan, some are based on Fiat platforms of course, but it's also funny how nobody made fun of Chrysler for being owned by Mercedes/Daimler as well as their older relationships/mergers. The same case, no one calls other cars like Lamborghini for being a Volkswagen, or Aston Martin for not being a Ford. And I don't hate those brands, just saying the "bias" of the car community.
No, it's not because Jeep is owned by Fiat; it's because this is a Fiat 500x with a Jeep-styled body on it. Suspension, engine, transmission frame- all come straight from the Fiat 500x, unmodified. Only the body and interior is by Jeep and I'm sure it helps with approach angles and such, but this vehicle IS, basically, a Fiat.
IMO, if it has a solid front axel it's a Jeep. Not saying that any of their other stuff is bad because I do like sourcing other parts from libertys and am looking forward to see their newer stuff in a salvage yard at some point.
Renegade and Wrangler are not competing products. If they were the management of FCA would consist of self-harming. Renegade is a product of high quality and great success generating profits without the need to be subsidized by the government as is the case for every Wrangler produced. The Jeep brand will have a great future thanks to the Renegade. FCA has raised the quality level of the Jeep, just compare the elk test in the last two Grand Cherokee. FCA is going to have to rehabilitate 1,500,000 cars produced by the previous ownership and many of those cars have serious security issues. So the criticism that I read on Renegade, the new Cherokee and Grand Cherokee are just biased and not objective.
+JeepRenegadeForumItalia Very well said, I love my 06 LJ but if this little car keeps jeep in business im ok with it. I still believe in a strong wrangler platform that can truly deliver the off-road american experience of climbing mountains , crawling over rocks, fording rivers (although hard now due to the EPA over regulation), ect.
I drove one of these for the first time today with a 6 speed 4x4 and I loved it and now I'm watching this because I can't get the experience out of my head. It pulled nicely for a 1.4L turbo and felt nice on the road, plus I was averaging like 35 mpg with my family loaded in. I'm just itching for an adventure I suppose lol.
+forrest1216 yup, especially on track. You can go twice as fast in a lightly modified vette. Those high revving engines make no torque. And the build quality is pretty awful. No reliability and interiors alway look dated. Like I said couple weeks back I tracked an $300k ferrari and it was slower than the older Z06 I tracked couple years back.
yes, but 430's design and project are more than 10 y.o., don't forget it was produced since 2004 to 2009. Do the same comparison with an actual model. Anyway a Ferrari is like an italian monument: surely u can find a building more solid than the Colosseum, the question is: "is that building as fascinating as the Colosseum?" I don't wanna look like a stubborn italian, but italian style is something different :) have a good time mate :)
Dont forget that Italy also made some of the best 4x4s and awd's, from the Alfa Romeo Matta, the Campagnola, the Panda, the Lancia Delta, the Lambo LM02... I ignore the trailer-trash clichès and stick to history. Cheers!
My stock 2wd 07 4runner can go everywhere you're trail hawk can, and then some. Can't even lift a trail hawk, shitty gas mileage for its size. And slow as fuck for its size too. It's just a glorified crossover, nothing more. And you pay extra for shit, that comes standard on most every other crossover out there. A base Honda passport would shit all over the renegade in every single category. 😂
I'd love to see a look at the new 2019 version. Turbocharged engine, higher low range torque, gearbox now has low-range gearing. Would be interesting to see the difference in then vs now.
you guys are so funny when show your patriotism, wrangler is something designed just for off-roading (its not fast at all, it takes a lot of gas and the comfort? i drove it from phoenix to LV and i had headache for a whole day) and the renegade is something more on-road made also for off-road, but its OBVIOUSLY not at the same level of wrangler, so when you say it sucks you look a bunch of 9 yrs old fighting
I’m driving a Trail Hawk since 2017. I don’t really take it off road. It’s my daily driver and handles the NJ winter very well. I tow a small boat with it and it has no trouble on wet and muddy launch ramps.
I have to thank you for this video, so many videos out there that show the renegade 'offroading' but yours was one of the first legit that i've seen. and I have to agree with your assessment of it, I can totally understand it will get outshined by the wrangler in the more extreme offroading but I feel the renegade takes the best from both worlds. If I were to describe it in bicycle terms the Renegade is a hybrid bike, the wrangler a mountain bike and the patriot and other jeeps a street bike. Being a man who loves a hybrid bike I know I cant go on the most extreme trails but I'm comfortable on some small offroading and i'm just as comfortable on the road and that is what I like about the renegade, its comfortable as a daily driver but can also have some fun doing offroading, just not as extreme as the wrangler.
I can't wait until I get another Jeep Renegade again. I used to have one but had to give it up, then I had a ford flex due to a bigger family, but I have missed my Jeep Renegade Trailhawk. Will get another one soon.
I think people that like Wrangler and not the Renegade only because is made in Italy are arguably stupid. Jeep Renegade is problably one of the best product Jeep made by so much time. The only things Renegade has from FIAT is the chassis and the engine (and the engine is specifically modified by Jeep engineers to obtain the precise power and torque). The electronic is from Bosh and the suspensions are american, made by the Jeep engineers. Also the design is made by an american designer, Mark Allen, that take the ispiration from the old Jeeps, the Wrangler and the Willys... Besides so many components of the Renegade are similar of the Wrangler, for example the front lights and the square lines of the design of the vehicles. Jeep Renegade is one of the most successful product that FCA had made. And i think is infinitely more likely and beauty than the old Jeep's for example the ''abortition'' of the Jeep Liberty (one of the uglyest Jeep ever made in my opinion), the old Jeep Compass and the ugly Jeep Patriot, all these ugly vehicles they were made before the creation of FCA. Also, 90% of Jeep are not made in america, are made in mexico, brazil, ecc ecc... like many of BMW cars are fabricated in Sud Africa and have some chinese components... but BMW still a german brand as much as Jeep is an american brand. So in my opinion Jeep Renegade is one of the best Jeep, and yes, is a real Jeep!
I'm my opinion, a Jeep Liberty is much better looking than the crappy Fiat Renegade. Jeep Liberty has as much clearance as a stock Wrangler when parked next to another. The Fiat Renegade looks like an ugly crossover and doesn't have the height.
My 2016 trailhawk is still going strong. It's my daily driver and i've taken it on many trails and ski trips. Just needs some 225/65/17 all-terrains and its good to go.
+Brendan A. MacWade A Trailhawk can do probably 70% of what a bone stock Wrangler Sport can do and the Wrangler will be WAY less expensive. Put Trailhawk money into a Sport and it will mop the floor with the Renegade. It's a cute concept but way overpriced for what you get, IMHO.
+Thereisnotry Except the Renegade is more functional, has better mileage, more creature comforts, etc etc. It's not meant for someone looking for a Wrangler.
You don't want air suspension or magnetic ride control for off road. Doesn't allow enough articulation. And you don't get a wrangler for the road! You get one to play in the mud with, to take rock crawling, to blast around in the snow with, have fun! Wranglers are fun!
Igor K I have a wrangler and it does perfectly fine as a every day driver! It's actually pretty smooth. I'm not saying it's the smoothest ride of any off roader.. the Mercedes G class and the Land Rovers have better ride. Then again to get one as capable as a rubicon you'd have to drop 80k MORE than the jeep. So it better be a smoother ride lol
Just watched this almost 4 full yrs later....... I have 2017 Sport version, I have awesome time in the mud and rocky areas here on East Coast. I have earned a badge for Trail 11 at Rausch Creek in Pa.
Short wheelbase and good tires are all you need to have a decent off roader - the renegade with better tires will get you 90% of places you would ever want to go
so in america a wrangler could be a better option (more off-road use because of a wilder geography, you have to care less about gas price, plus you guys love lifting your cars and getting bigger tires and youve got less legal restrictions than we have in europe) but in europe the smartest choice will always be the renegade, hands down. and yes, im picking my trailhawk from the jeep dealer this friday lol cant wait!!
My first car was a Fiat Bertone, and I've always wanted a Wrangler, but even used they were still out of my price range... I bought my 2016 Renegade Trailhawk 2 years and 0 regrets ago.
As long as Jeep keeps a true off-road worthy Wrangler in their lineup, who gives a rip if they also offer more car-like SUVs? Are they not allowed to make more money by broadening their market?
+Diguz91 I really don't think Jeep would turn their backs on their off-road roots with the Wrangler. They know full well they are a niche company and that's what makes their stuff sell.
Frank Burns yeah very true, I just bought a patriot so I could get back and forth to university easily with 4x4. I purchased the car specifically so I could get good traction on ice during the winter. People will keep buying jeeps for off roading and bad weather. I did. I think it's a good idea.
Are you British? Or Canadian, maybe? Just asking because you said "to university," which, like "in hospital" vs. "in the hospital," seems to be a British thing. Icy roads being a relative rarity in England, I guess I'll go with Canadian, if forced to guess.
Legit wrangler is only vehicle that keeps jeep alive. And ironically also least reliable brand/vehicle in all of America. Aside from wrangler, every other brand outsells them in everything else. Toyota alone outsells everyone, in all categories, but trucks. Shame we don't get Hilux in the states. Cuz it would shit on every truck America makes, except for the full sized ones of course. But still most sold in the world regardless.
@@AlexRedwine910 Toyota 4runner shits all over anything jeep makes. But to each their own and all that. Without the wrangler, jeep would go out of business actually, and Toyota makes best 4x4 system in the world. Not to mention, unmatched reliability on top of that. Better fuel economy and on road manners too.
Renegade is a nice SUV. Is it a Wrangler, well no, but what is? Of course Jeep is going to give you the Trailhawk, what did you expect? Can other SUVs in it's class compete with this Renegade?
dobbins2550 Nope... and it seems that you'd have to spend way more outside of a Wrangler to even get close... if it's comfortable and refined on the road and competent off road then it's a win win.
dobbins2550 I'd kill to see the Tuscon Limited AWD do that trail with similar tires. Doesn't have the ride height to match but it'd be entertaining anyway.
The Renegade is basically a lifted 500L AWD, so like I said, other than ride height, I'd be it could. I've taken mine up fire roads in Colorado and the only concern I had was the stock all seasons getting punctured on rocks.
You cannot be serious... How can you test a car if it's capable off-road if you use street tires... -.- Meanwhile in the beginning of the video the jeep wrangler does have off-road tires.
luke 22 I agree. They should have put some OTR's on it or something. Reminds me of the fuel trucks driven off road with simple diagonal road tires, then the driver is surprised he is stuck in the mud with his 6x4, steering all over the place.
luke 22 Because no buyer of the renegade would think to use offroad tires. Nor would they think that their tires were anything but the most hardcore offroad tires
Mufti Hossain Yes because everyone who buys a renegade is an idiot right? Just another guy who spells Jeep W-R-A-N-G-L-E-R. For a couple with kids who want something capable of hauling kayaks several states away(road-ability and mileage) and then not have to worry about what you find at the put in location. The Renegade is great. Add in that for those of us who live in the true winter north, where you get 2 feet of snow and are still expected to make it to work and on time, this should make a great daily driver. Full disclosure, I haven't driven in the snow yet but I assume with right tires and a good driver there renegade would be able to get through most anything you would need it to. Is the Renegade going to beat a wrangler at off roading? Of course not, is a wrangler going to beat a firetruck in putting out fires? Probably not. Buy the vehicle for the need you want it to perform. If the renegade doesn't fit your needs then don't buy it. Meanwhile I'll enjoy my cheaper kayaking trips with a quiet ride and a back seat you can actually use comfortably.
AtheosTheAtheist You seem to be replying to a portion of my comment that simply doesn't exist .: I never stated in any way that the renegade isn't a capable vehicle. I only made comments about who it's marketed to. Check yourself mate
Mufti Hossain and according to you its marketed to people who know nothing about off roading tires or who would think that "their tires were anything but the most hardcore offroad tires" Checked your commented still comes off as being an insult to people who buy the renegade.
Out here on the Oregon coast the little thing does pretty good on the beach, sand dunes (provided you don't try the atv trails... you get stuck.) and the off road trails it surprisingly kept up with some of the old c10 off road trucks that were lifted!
The suspension on the Renegade, looks almost exactly like the suspension that was on my 1995 Toyota Corolla, and on the current Toyota Camry. MacPherson Struts and reverse L lower control arms on front. The rear has the same Struts, with a Trailing arm and two Lateral links per side. It look like the suspension handled the course pretty well, but I wonder how durable it would be long term, if you did a lot of off roading?
I live in Canada and my girlfriend used to stress over icy winter driving cause she had a FWD Honda Fit. Now with her 2017 Renegade Limited she feels safe all the time, no matter how harsh the storm.
YES! I love my Jeep Renegade Trailhawk. ESPECIALLY on the beach. Because of its so much lighter than any other Jeep, it handles the sand like it's nothing. No sinkage here! All of the models (obviously as long as it's 4WD) do phenomenal on the beach, not just the Trailhawk. It's not as fluid as the Wrangler when it comes to uneven, rock surface, but it still handles them just fine. I HIGHLY recommend buying one if you go on the beach at all. It's so smooth and comfortable.
Um, take any stock jeep on that trail and see what it can do? Why don't you make a fair comparison and give it a lift and proper tires for the terrain and see it do just fine.
PixelBoss88 RadiumJeeper it can do nearly what any other stock wrangler can do but it's obviously not meant to be a top of the line off road vehicle so is it even a fair comparison?
Looking it as a Worldwide product, this Renegade brings people to the brand again. Jeep-owners should have atleast some respect for that, no?! The Renegade is selling amazingly well and doing the brand atleast some justice on the designpart, making a claim in it's own class with a pretty bold statement: it's a JEEP.period. Like it or not, it surely helps the brand and probably the preservation of the wrangler in the lineup aswell, worldwidely seen ofcourse. It brings more people to the brand and maybe even more Wrangler-enthousiasts in the future!
As you mention with the Wrangler at the start, I sold my 09 Unlimited Rubicon after 3 years because it was just too easy most of the time, and by the time it wasn't, consequences were too severe (body damage, recovery concerns, etc.). I now have a 2011 Grand Cherokee mildly built, and used offroad more than most, but miss the Wrangler fun and toplessness. Thought the Renegade Trailhawk might be the ticket, but at $33-34k built, I'm back in low-spec Rubicon/Unlimited Rubicon territory, and I know I'd regret not "going all the way."Thanks for the video and putting the Renegade through its paces. Also thanks for the Rubicon Hard Rock article a while back. That is probably where I'll end up, at least until I see if the 2017 hits me right (with a diesel punch), unless I find a cheap TJ Rubicon (hahahahahaha).
i own one its pretty nice to drive easy to get around town and nice and soft on the highway. yes it can go on rocky trails, its not the best but its a good overall vehicle.
I'm a wrangler person, I love them, i own them. But jeez why do jeep people have to be so damn snobby about other vehicles in the jeep lineup. I didn't like this car at first but it's slowly been growing on me. Some jeep people have too much of their head up their ass! Y'all need to take some laxatives and clean your asses out cause it's surely constipated!
Totally agree, but I'd add that their dicks are too small and they have to compensate with lifts they never use as they sit around and bitch that the Renegade is "a mall car". But that once every year you get bucked around driving to Moab to BroDude it up sure makes up for the 15mpg and deafening road noise. Yep, you betcha.
I do like the like the Renegade as full time worker and as a student also. It's capable enough to go most places while hauling people and cargo around. But I do wish it offered a V6 motor for more power and torque.
As a Cherokee TH owner I can definitely attest to these being the real deal. Are they as good as a Wrangler, no, but they are as good if not better than just about anything else out there.
It's weird every video I see of this thing people say that's its a capable offroader and all the video of what its doing in every case are like the roads heading in to the off road park near me. We have a guy in our club who has one of these thing and the past 4 times we've ran with him he has gotten the thing stuck no less than 5 times in places my stock beater xj cherokee idles through.
cjhawk67 well yea its a weaker offroader but that means you have to be smarter. You can't power through some places you can with a more capable vehicle.
+cjhawk67 I absolutely agree, it needs to be marketed for snow, or backroads not MOAB... You saw the JK guys laughing at it in the parking lot. And the people who buy it dont want to go to MOAB they just want to park it in a grassy field for a soccer game and not get stuck like some other CUVs. Why does it have a rock mode??? congrats you drove over a 9" rock... boring
flybyav8tor Exactly. If they would have found a way to stuff solid live axles under this things with a 3 link setup like whats found on the rear axle of the 1st gen liberty this thing would be an amazing on-off road car. No matter what you do to a car with independent suspension you will always be limited by the angle of your balljoints.
@@flybyav8tor To be fair, when I had my ‘92 Turbo Jimny, the sassy JK nerds were who I laughed at. But there’s alway someone a rung above. Personally, I think the Renegade is the flip side of a Wrangler. Inferior off-road, but at least I can hit the highway without having such a garbage experience. And most Jeep buyers these days won’t go anywhere a Renegade wouldn’t be able to go. The ones who do buy an old CJ or Samurai and do a proper build.
i cant see using a Renegade as a trail or rock crawler vehicle, until of-course they are like 10 plus years old and they are cheap to pick up and tear apart and do solid axle swaps etc. But as a newer cross over i could see the renegade being used as a rally raid vehicle or something similar. the type of offroading shown here i would say wouldn't apply to the renegade but cool to see how it compares.
War Thunder the only real Jeep out here are the wranglers you know the ones that helped win wars and are made in the USA, the renegade is just a fiat panda with a Jeep badge on it, fiat bought Jeep so any “Jeep” with a v6 or v8 isn’t a real Jeep, when the Jeep was first released it came with a 4.0 6cylinder engine those are the real ones don’t let others fool you
Oh and the wrangler out preform in off road capabilities over the trash renegade, my sister owns a renegade and I have a 6 cylinder Jeep Wrangler and lemme tell u that crap panda couldn’t keep up and we were only one hour in the trail lmao
I sometimes think that people here who comment on this fine vehicle and say it is ugly is because they just can't buy one...so they knock it. Why do I say this? Because they actually are different than most "egg-shaped" suvs which are beautiful. The Renegade is a Jeep with a traditional exterior Jeep design for the most part. It is a whole other ball park. It is awesome fun even on highway and city. It is totally addicting. Cheers!
When you say it is a bit on the 'stiff side' ...what do you mean. I don't get that. I just wanna know what you mean. I had a 2016 and 2017 rene Trailhawks...with full winter packages without the sunroof stuff..
+Jalopnik While watching I had the thought that the Renegade is pretty similar to the old Suzuki Samurai. Kinda makes me wonder what mods will eventually show up for the Renegade. Edited to add this: Scrolling through the comments I see lots of people saying its not a "real Jeep". Well, the Renegade isn't being sold to compete against any version of the Wrangler. It is being sold to compete against the Chevy Trax, Honda HR-V, Kia Soul, Mazda CX-3, and MINI Countryman (see comparison test in Car & Driver 2015 New Cars Issue, not on website at present or I would have provided a link.). Maybe Jeep should buy the most off road capable of each and take them to a trail then post the video on youtube. Sure, their competition won't like it, but I'm sure Toyota didn't like it when Ford showed the "Tundra Twerk" and Ford didn't like it when Chevy showed the tailgate on a Ford SuperDuty getting dented because of frame twist on a articulation test. "But the Renegade doesn't have solid axles" they will say, and guess what neither does the military HUMVEE, or the just select HUMVEE replacement the L-ATV. blog.caranddriver.com/meet-the-l-atv-the-u-s-militarys-official-humvee-replacement/
It fits right where Jeep intended it to. If I lived in the northeast or the southwest and was in the market for a 4 wheeler, for that money, that would be it. You could always buy better tires if you wanted to do a little more off-roading. And maybe a winch.
Hold your horses a second there Jeep guy, the inspiration for the car is the Wrangler? We have been lucky enough to have had light-weight 4x4 Fiat Pandas here in the UK and in Europe for years and the 'new' Jeep is a repanelled (and probably heavier) FIAT on the 500 platform. Wasn't the 500 platform based on the Panda platform? Why not simply say your inspiration was the little and wonderful 4x4 Fiat Panda? By the way, folks, search for Panda 4x off road and watch how good those old cars really were.
It’s MADE by Jeep how the hell could it not be a Jeep. I own a 2012 Jeep Liberty it’s silver with an appeal so enticing annoyingly people stare at me at stop lights and when I’m in a convenience store people crowd around it like it’s an alien space craft. I can’t wait to pay this Liberty off so I can get a renegade. Call me a Jeep fanboy but I’m Jeep for life. All Jeeps have unique qualities and this is coming from a guy that owned a 2000 Isuzu Trooper - dubbed the best off road suv of all times.
i love my cj5 with 33x12.5s, but it would be amazing to have this thing to take the casual trails and then jam home in comfort. not to mention i only get 17mpg in the cj, while this thing would break your back if you wanted to run to the trails every couple days instead of just the weekend. Something my cj5 will never have. But hey two different animals.
+pwschuh "casual offroad" is roughly the same as when you have to go to work on a winterday with 1 foot of snow outside. It'll probably look like a nice car by then. :)
pwschuh I took mine up rocks in a hailstorm (not the best of ideas but curiosity had gotten the best of me) so I don't know why they ever thought this video was a good way to showcase its true power. The Trailhawk version is my new favorite Jeep and I've been in love with Jeeps my entire life. Never did I drive a car that handled so well on the beach. Like it was a regular road. And that was a rental Latitude, the same thing they're driving. It's powerful, don't let this fool you. Once I had the Latitude as a rental I just had to get one. Also the most comfortable car I've been in...and it's a dang Jeep!
Interesting video and what a bunch of self righteous asses commenting. I bet most of you jerks that proclaim "Only a WRANGLER is a real Jeep" spend most of your time in the city on pavement anyway? Out here in the sticks, we drive whatever gets us around in the outdoors. Some are fortunate enough to afford "Real" Jeeps but the majority of us drive old trucks, Suzuki Sidekicks & Samarais, RAV4's, Libertys, Passports, and, gasp, a few Renegades! We don't stand around admiring each others "Equipment," we USE them to get in the woods, on the farm, and on the river. None of us will be running to the dealership for one of the new Wrangler JL's to drive around town in. I say whatever you can afford to get you outdoors, more power to you. We can't all afford to buy a Wrangler just to play with for a toy. Some of us need a vehicle that will get us to work and back and to get groceries with the wife.
I think the Renegade is perfect for what it is, a capable off roader and and very daily driver friendly vehicle. The monthly doesn't hurt the bank too :) She's perfect for my wife who isn't comfortable driving my truck and promises a fun time each time!
So for a more objective test, put the same, or at least sparingly similar tires on all the vehicles. Wrangler/Rubicon have serious business off-road tires on and the Renegade basically has street tires, probably all season.
How well do you think it will preform in 2 wd because I got one recently just to drive to school and back so it doesn't have 4wd, but I want to take it off-road one day
The renegade has it's place in the line up, someone who enjoys the outdoors, needs a 4x4 to get to the weekend trails for backpacking etc. But needs a sensible everyday car as well. I think it's the perfect car for someone who isn't into serious off roading, but does enough to need it. Is it a Wrangler? Of course not. Nobody is saying it is, Jeep doesn't even say that, but it's capable Enough to get you to the trail head.
I took a rental renegade to the beach, as soon as it left asphalt it got stuck in the sand. literally about six feet off the asphalt. but to be fair, it went down another beach road just fine where the sand was more matted down.
This is presented as the only super option jeep has to offer. The reason why you would buy a jeep would have to be re-invented. perhaps the younger generations will love it. My best wishes to the ones who like it.
Can't believe we are still having this debate. Renegade is designed to be a capable *light* offroader with city driving in mind. The fact that FCA/Jeep even threw their hat in the ring with this car makes total sense. The market is shifting toward smaller SUVs for the average joe and midsize SUVs for the small/average sized family. To even off a TrailHawk model is not even is question of if Jeep will do it, its a question of how well Jeep will do it. The point with the Renegade is that not everyone want a Wrangler (with excessive capability that most Renegade buyers have no use for) or Grand Cherokee (which may be too much vehicle that the Renegade owner does not need or even within its class, the Patriot & Compass (Which are decisively less refined from the days when Jeep was a part of Daimler). Furthermore, Jeep is becoming a more global brand offering more compelling and modern vehicles evidence: -2014 Jeep Cherokee KL -2015 Jeep Renegade BU -2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee receives TrailHawk trim and redesign Summit edition -2017 Jeep Compass is redesigned. -2018 Jeep Wrangler Redesign Albeit, Jeep does seem to be stepping on their own toes in the U.S. by offering the KL, BU, and Compass all together all of which are similarly priced and sized, but in global markets these vehicles are selling like hot cakes! FCA knows how to make a hot looker with good off road guts, while the Renegade/Cherokee/Compass & Patriot may make die-hards cringe, think about it this way: a Kia Sportage w/AWD could be praised as the most off road capable SUV in its class. The Wrangler is in a class of its own IMO. So before you dismiss this car look at it objectively! Another startling thought: The 2014 Cherokee KL outsold the Grand Cherokee & Wrangler that year :)
This car serves its purpose in the jeep lineup. Entry level that isn't dog shit like the patriot and compass. Not everyone needs a wrangler. I just bought this car myself. Why? I need a daily driver that can handle NY winters with ease and wont break the bank if I want some extras (which I got plenty of). As far as off roading, I live on long island. I can count the places I'm legally allowed to go off roading on one hand. This car is gonna spend most of it's time on the road and on the beach. If I lived upstate I'd get a wrangler, but I don't. Not every jeep needs to be the wrangler.
2 years later, all the electronics in this car shit the bed and I traded it in for a Wrangler.
This is the best thing I’ve seen
Ross William omg really?! lmao damn I was starting to go fo it.
good luck with that wrangler....you going to trade it in as soon as you have an issue? If thats the case, you probably already traded it by now.
@@cROSSingth3RUBICon Yeah, the electronic sensors and controls get annoying after 8 years of UK salt and wet. It's pretty fixable though, once you've found a decent mechanic! That's the tricky bit!
The Renegade was tested by Jeep to go everywhere the Wrangler did in the same testing. It's weakness from the factory are the tires, and some clearance issues. Outside of that, it's going to go 90% of places you'd every go off roading. It's not a rock crawler, neither are Wranglers from the factory.
The Fiat factory
You can most definitely climb rocks with a factory Wrangler🤦🏾♂️😂
@@andybub45 literally a us Jeep factory but you do you
It’s a pos and a lifted patriot is way better
Renegade Trailhawk has the same break over angle as the two door Rubicon. It actually has some of the best angles that you can get on any off-road vehicle in stock form. If all you do is lift a renegade two inches you will hit insane angles. If they had just plugged a 2.92 transfer case in the Renegade it would be a monster.
Some better tires would have helped it immensely.
+kmac720 agreed, another 2 inch lift and a bit bigger more agressive tires and it would definitely make a huge difference ...but at that point, why not have a real jeep?
+Revamptheindustry I would think because these get nearly 30mpg highway, and a Wrangler gets 20 tops. (And you can get one of these loaded with amenities for the price of a pretty stripped down Wrangler.)
I'm not sure a lift is even necessary tho, just some better tires.
kmac720
thats true, and makes it a much better daily for the roads. maybe jeep could sell a lot of them if they get some good aftermarket support to make it look more off roadish
+Revamptheindustry "a real jeep"
What exactly is a "real" Jeep?
+M750 willys, cj, yj, tj, jk.
Been bumping along with my 2017 Deserthawk and I gotta say, I've been loving every mile.
Same! Did you get yours in Desert Sand / Tan?
I think the die-hards are missing the point, some people don't wanna spend 40G for a 4 door Jeep with some nice features for everyday life. I wanted something like the Renegade to use on road 95% of the time, good ride, comfy, tons of room for the small size. I paid under 23 Grand for a loaded 4x4 Latitude. Its great with my dogs and lugging stuff around, and so far we have been off-road, places I could have never gone in my last car or my sons car. Pure fun at a really low price for all that you get Jeep and Fiat nailed it with this one. And as a bonus I am averaging after only 800 miles on a new engine 26.8 MPG and on one trip we took over 31mpg. They knew going in the Diehard Jeep Fans would not like it, but that's not who they made this for. For those guys, the rough riding noisy old Wrangler is still around. Flaps
Glad someone said it.
Choices are never a bad thing ... and I'll be honest, it seems pretty capable for what it essentially an Italian compact car. Maybe suited for someone who HAS to commute and use it as a daily driver, but also wants to hit some moderate trails every now and again? I'll stick with my 4Runner, but like I said, choices are never a bad thing.
Mill Wurray You obviously have not test driven a Renegade. The only thing wrong with it is it is addictive! Try it.
Mil Wuray hahahahahahahaha
Or you could buy a used r50 pathfinder for under 5k, or a 4Runner for 10k and still have a better off-road vehicle that can match the Renegade on road
Bought my 2018 Trailhawk two weeks ago, great highway vehicle and took it off-road in the bighorn mountains of Wyoming this past weekend, went places I’d never had taken my Compass and it was effortless doing so. Was never a fan of the body style but it’s growing on me. So far, best vehicle I’ve ever owned.
Do you still have it?
@@cherokeefit4248 absolutely!!! I’ve done Ophir Pass and Imogene Pass badge of honor trails and also the alpine loop done in Telluride.
It's interesting that People say this car is "not a real Jeep" because Jeep is now owned by FIAT. Then they say that a Wrangler is "a real Jeep". This is hilarious, because when the Wrangler (and the XJ, SJ, CJ8, CJ10) was designed, Jeep was owned by Renault. And most of the sophisticated stuff, that's in the more modern Wranglers is sourced of the Mercedes G-Class. To be honest, the last "real Jeeps" were bult somewhere in the late 60s when Jeep was still it's own Company and not owned by AMC, Renault, Chrysler, Mercedes, the tax payer, or FIAT.
Great assesment of history. JEEP is nontheless a great brand.
The TRUTH is strong with this one.
Yeah honestly. I love how everyone makes fun of Chrysler for being owned by Fiat, and call them Fiats because of it. Yes I admit as a FCA fan, some are based on Fiat platforms of course, but it's also funny how nobody made fun of Chrysler for being owned by Mercedes/Daimler as well as their older relationships/mergers. The same case, no one calls other cars like Lamborghini for being a Volkswagen, or Aston Martin for not being a Ford. And I don't hate those brands, just saying the "bias" of the car community.
No, it's not because Jeep is owned by Fiat; it's because this is a Fiat 500x with a Jeep-styled body on it. Suspension, engine, transmission frame- all come straight from the Fiat 500x, unmodified. Only the body and interior is by Jeep and I'm sure it helps with approach angles and such, but this vehicle IS, basically, a Fiat.
IMO, if it has a solid front axel it's a Jeep. Not saying that any of their other stuff is bad because I do like sourcing other parts from libertys and am looking forward to see their newer stuff in a salvage yard at some point.
Renegade and Wrangler are not competing products. If they were the management of FCA would consist of self-harming.
Renegade is a product of high quality and great success generating profits without the need to be subsidized by the government as is the case for every Wrangler produced. The Jeep brand will have a great future thanks to the Renegade.
FCA has raised the quality level of the Jeep, just compare the elk test in the last two Grand Cherokee. FCA is going to have to rehabilitate 1,500,000 cars produced by the previous ownership and many of those cars have serious security issues.
So the criticism that I read on Renegade, the new Cherokee and Grand Cherokee are just biased and not objective.
+JeepRenegadeForumItalia Very well said, I love my 06 LJ but if this little car keeps jeep in business im ok with it. I still believe in a strong wrangler platform that can truly deliver the off-road american experience of climbing mountains , crawling over rocks, fording rivers (although hard now due to the EPA over regulation), ect.
I drove one of these for the first time today with a 6 speed 4x4 and I loved it and now I'm watching this because I can't get the experience out of my head. It pulled nicely for a 1.4L turbo and felt nice on the road, plus I was averaging like 35 mpg with my family loaded in.
I'm just itching for an adventure I suppose lol.
I wasnt expecting that much either, but i was surprised on how good it was. Yes its a fiat but you know what else fiat makes? ferraris..... yeah
Ferraris are overrated. Raced an F430 couple weeks ago.... meh
hahahahahahaha... are Ferraris overrated? Dude u serious?
+forrest1216 yup, especially on track. You can go twice as fast in a lightly modified vette. Those high revving engines make no torque. And the build quality is pretty awful. No reliability and interiors alway look dated.
Like I said couple weeks back I tracked an $300k ferrari and it was slower than the older Z06 I tracked couple years back.
yes, but 430's design and project are more than 10 y.o., don't forget it was produced since 2004 to 2009. Do the same comparison with an actual model.
Anyway a Ferrari is like an italian monument: surely u can find a building more solid than the Colosseum, the question is: "is that building as fascinating as the Colosseum?"
I don't wanna look like a stubborn italian, but italian style is something different :)
have a good time mate :)
Dont forget that Italy also made some of the best 4x4s and awd's, from the Alfa Romeo Matta, the Campagnola, the Panda, the Lancia Delta, the Lambo LM02... I ignore the trailer-trash clichès and stick to history. Cheers!
Right on! Just about everything I am looking for.
Sound levels all over the place
Have one, trail hawk, love it!
My stock 2wd 07 4runner can go everywhere you're trail hawk can, and then some. Can't even lift a trail hawk, shitty gas mileage for its size. And slow as fuck for its size too. It's just a glorified crossover, nothing more. And you pay extra for shit, that comes standard on most every other crossover out there. A base Honda passport would shit all over the renegade in every single category. 😂
@@MyCrippledWings if I were to choose a Honda passport Renegade I'd choose Renegade... Jeeps are awesome
@@josh2k4 Yes. I'm on my 3rd Jeep (Liberty, Compass, and now Renny) They are magnificent machines. 7 Slots Rule!
Is a renegade worth purchasing? Or is a Cherokee or grand Cherokee better?
Josh Gener I love my renagade. It’s a trailhawk. I don’t know much about the Cherokee to be honest.
I'd love to see a look at the new 2019 version. Turbocharged engine, higher low range torque, gearbox now has low-range gearing. Would be interesting to see the difference in then vs now.
you guys are so funny when show your patriotism, wrangler is something designed just for off-roading (its not fast at all, it takes a lot of gas and the comfort? i drove it from phoenix to LV and i had headache for a whole day) and the renegade is something more on-road made also for off-road, but its OBVIOUSLY not at the same level of wrangler, so when you say it sucks you look a bunch of 9 yrs old fighting
Its a jeep thing, you wouldn't understand
I just got a 2016 renegade love it!!
I’m driving a Trail Hawk since 2017. I don’t really take it off road. It’s my daily driver and handles the NJ winter very well. I tow a small boat with it and it has no trouble on wet and muddy launch ramps.
I have to thank you for this video, so many videos out there that show the renegade 'offroading' but yours was one of the first legit that i've seen. and I have to agree with your assessment of it, I can totally understand it will get outshined by the wrangler in the more extreme offroading but I feel the renegade takes the best from both worlds. If I were to describe it in bicycle terms the Renegade is a hybrid bike, the wrangler a mountain bike and the patriot and other jeeps a street bike. Being a man who loves a hybrid bike I know I cant go on the most extreme trails but I'm comfortable on some small offroading and i'm just as comfortable on the road and that is what I like about the renegade, its comfortable as a daily driver but can also have some fun doing offroading, just not as extreme as the wrangler.
I do regret not getting the bigger engine because I can’t go through trails but I love the manual transmission with its 1.4 liter turbo.
I can't wait until I get another Jeep Renegade again. I used to have one but had to give it up, then I had a ford flex due to a bigger family, but I have missed my Jeep Renegade Trailhawk. Will get another one soon.
I think people that like Wrangler and not the Renegade only because is made in Italy are arguably stupid. Jeep Renegade is problably one of the best product Jeep made by so much time. The only things Renegade has from FIAT is the chassis and the engine (and the engine is specifically modified by Jeep engineers to obtain the precise power and torque). The electronic is from Bosh and the suspensions are american, made by the Jeep engineers. Also the design is made by an american designer, Mark Allen, that take the ispiration from the old Jeeps, the Wrangler and the Willys... Besides so many components of the Renegade are similar of the Wrangler, for example the front lights and the square lines of the design of the vehicles. Jeep Renegade is one of the most successful product that FCA had made. And i think is infinitely more likely and beauty than the old Jeep's for example the ''abortition'' of the Jeep Liberty (one of the uglyest Jeep ever made in my opinion), the old Jeep Compass and the ugly Jeep Patriot, all these ugly vehicles they were made before the creation of FCA. Also, 90% of Jeep are not made in america, are made in mexico, brazil, ecc ecc... like many of BMW cars are fabricated in Sud Africa and have some chinese components... but BMW still a german brand as much as Jeep is an american brand. So in my opinion Jeep Renegade is one of the best Jeep, and yes, is a real Jeep!
skaterapper93 Jeep renegade is a fiat in disguise. Not a real Jeep
I'm my opinion, a Jeep Liberty is much better looking than the crappy Fiat Renegade. Jeep Liberty has as much clearance as a stock Wrangler when parked next to another. The Fiat Renegade looks like an ugly crossover and doesn't have the height.
Archangeldawn Jeep Liberty looks like a Volkswagen Bug on a suv body. Ugly
My 2016 trailhawk is still going strong. It's my daily driver and i've taken it on many trails and ski trips. Just needs some 225/65/17 all-terrains and its good to go.
Yes! Well, about 70% of what a Wrangler Sport can do That's pretty good for a vehicle that's the size of the Chevy Trax and the Mazda CX-3.
+Brendan A. MacWade A Trailhawk can do probably 70% of what a bone stock Wrangler Sport can do and the Wrangler will be WAY less expensive. Put Trailhawk money into a Sport and it will mop the floor with the Renegade.
It's a cute concept but way overpriced for what you get, IMHO.
+Thereisnotry Except the Renegade is more functional, has better mileage, more creature comforts, etc etc. It's not meant for someone looking for a Wrangler.
+kmac720 ummm, how is more functional? and creature comforts... no. every option the renegade has can be put into a wrangler.
You don't want air suspension or magnetic ride control for off road. Doesn't allow enough articulation. And you don't get a wrangler for the road! You get one to play in the mud with, to take rock crawling, to blast around in the snow with, have fun! Wranglers are fun!
Igor K I have a wrangler and it does perfectly fine as a every day driver! It's actually pretty smooth. I'm not saying it's the smoothest ride of any off roader.. the Mercedes G class and the Land Rovers have better ride. Then again to get one as capable as a rubicon you'd have to drop 80k MORE than the jeep. So it better be a smoother ride lol
Just watched this almost 4 full yrs later....... I have 2017 Sport version, I have awesome time in the mud and rocky areas here on East Coast. I have earned a badge for Trail 11 at Rausch Creek in Pa.
The test for any new jeep, is can it keep up with a 1000 dollar craigslist XJ... not a loaded rubicon.
Short wheelbase and good tires are all you need to have a decent off roader - the renegade with better tires will get you 90% of places you would ever want to go
so in america a wrangler could be a better option (more off-road use because of a wilder geography, you have to care less about gas price, plus you guys love lifting your cars and getting bigger tires and youve got less legal restrictions than we have in europe) but in europe the smartest choice will always be the renegade, hands down.
and yes, im picking my trailhawk from the jeep dealer this friday lol cant wait!!
Dome Plateau - Well that is not a hard area, will this make it up Rose Garden Hill?
driving a jeep wrangler is like driving a covered wagon with an engine, on the highway
Cannibuzz couldn’t put it better myself. I looked at the new gladiator at an auto show and it just feels like you have nothing around you
Wrangler: "No renegade, you cant come!" Renegade: "But mom said you had to!"
My first car was a Fiat Bertone, and I've always wanted a Wrangler, but even used they were still out of my price range... I bought my 2016 Renegade Trailhawk 2 years and 0 regrets ago.
As long as Jeep keeps a true off-road worthy Wrangler in their lineup, who gives a rip if they also offer more car-like SUVs? Are they not allowed to make more money by broadening their market?
+Diguz91 I really don't think Jeep would turn their backs on their off-road roots with the Wrangler. They know full well they are a niche company and that's what makes their stuff sell.
Frank Burns yeah very true, I just bought a patriot so I could get back and forth to university easily with 4x4. I purchased the car specifically so I could get good traction on ice during the winter.
People will keep buying jeeps for off roading and bad weather. I did. I think it's a good idea.
Are you British? Or Canadian, maybe? Just asking because you said "to university," which, like "in hospital" vs. "in the hospital," seems to be a British thing. Icy roads being a relative rarity in England, I guess I'll go with Canadian, if forced to guess.
Legit wrangler is only vehicle that keeps jeep alive. And ironically also least reliable brand/vehicle in all of America. Aside from wrangler, every other brand outsells them in everything else. Toyota alone outsells everyone, in all categories, but trucks. Shame we don't get Hilux in the states. Cuz it would shit on every truck America makes, except for the full sized ones of course. But still most sold in the world regardless.
@@AlexRedwine910 Toyota 4runner shits all over anything jeep makes. But to each their own and all that. Without the wrangler, jeep would go out of business actually, and Toyota makes best 4x4 system in the world. Not to mention, unmatched reliability on top of that.
Better fuel economy and on road manners too.
Renegade is a nice SUV. Is it a Wrangler, well no, but what is? Of course Jeep is going to give you the Trailhawk, what did you expect? Can other SUVs in it's class compete with this Renegade?
dobbins2550 Nope... and it seems that you'd have to spend way more outside of a Wrangler to even get close... if it's comfortable and refined on the road and competent off road then it's a win win.
dobbins2550 I'm pretty sure the Renegade is a crossover. Not too many options in that segment but it seems to be growing.
dobbins2550 I'd kill to see the Tuscon Limited AWD do that trail with similar tires. Doesn't have the ride height to match but it'd be entertaining anyway.
Old Tucson maybe, but all new I don't think that it can compare to Renegade :-)
The Renegade is basically a lifted 500L AWD, so like I said, other than ride height, I'd be it could. I've taken mine up fire roads in Colorado and the only concern I had was the stock all seasons getting punctured on rocks.
You cannot be serious...
How can you test a car if it's capable off-road if you use street tires... -.-
Meanwhile in the beginning of the video the jeep wrangler does have off-road tires.
luke 22 I agree. They should have put some OTR's on it or something. Reminds me of the fuel trucks driven off road with simple diagonal road tires, then the driver is surprised he is stuck in the mud with his 6x4, steering all over the place.
luke 22 Because no buyer of the renegade would think to use offroad tires. Nor would they think that their tires were anything but the most hardcore offroad tires
Mufti Hossain Yes because everyone who buys a renegade is an idiot right? Just another guy who spells Jeep W-R-A-N-G-L-E-R.
For a couple with kids who want something capable of hauling kayaks several states away(road-ability and mileage) and then not have to worry about what you find at the put in location. The Renegade is great. Add in that for those of us who live in the true winter north, where you get 2 feet of snow and are still expected to make it to work and on time, this should make a great daily driver. Full disclosure, I haven't driven in the snow yet but I assume with right tires and a good driver there renegade would be able to get through most anything you would need it to.
Is the Renegade going to beat a wrangler at off roading? Of course not, is a wrangler going to beat a firetruck in putting out fires? Probably not. Buy the vehicle for the need you want it to perform. If the renegade doesn't fit your needs then don't buy it. Meanwhile I'll enjoy my cheaper kayaking trips with a quiet ride and a back seat you can actually use comfortably.
AtheosTheAtheist You seem to be replying to a portion of my comment that simply doesn't exist .: I never stated in any way that the renegade isn't a capable vehicle. I only made comments about who it's marketed to. Check yourself mate
Mufti Hossain and according to you its marketed to people who know nothing about off roading tires or who would think that "their tires were anything but the most hardcore offroad tires"
Checked your commented still comes off as being an insult to people who buy the renegade.
I call it Wrangler’s baby brother. I’m very impressed with it. I certainly would love a chance to test drive a Renegade.
Out here on the Oregon coast the little thing does pretty good on the beach, sand dunes (provided you don't try the atv trails... you get stuck.) and the off road trails it surprisingly kept up with some of the old c10 off road trucks that were lifted!
just helped a guy with one...
driver's side lower ball joint sheared away...
while on a main street
pass
The suspension on the Renegade, looks almost exactly like the suspension that was on my 1995 Toyota Corolla, and on the current Toyota Camry. MacPherson Struts and reverse L lower control arms on front. The rear has the same Struts, with a Trailing arm and two Lateral links per side. It look like the suspension handled the course pretty well, but I wonder how durable it would be long term, if you did a lot of off roading?
Your video is better edited / more fun to watch than the rest of Jalopnik's channel. Nice work.
I live in Canada and my girlfriend used to stress over icy winter driving cause she had a FWD Honda Fit. Now with her 2017 Renegade Limited she feels safe all the time, no matter how harsh the storm.
YES! I love my Jeep Renegade Trailhawk. ESPECIALLY on the beach. Because of its so much lighter than any other Jeep, it handles the sand like it's nothing. No sinkage here!
All of the models (obviously as long as it's 4WD) do phenomenal on the beach, not just the Trailhawk.
It's not as fluid as the Wrangler when it comes to uneven, rock surface, but it still handles them just fine.
I HIGHLY recommend buying one if you go on the beach at all. It's so smooth and comfortable.
Um, take any stock jeep on that trail and see what it can do? Why don't you make a fair comparison and give it a lift and proper tires for the terrain and see it do just fine.
That's just the thing, it's not a real Jeep without some good upgrades.
PixelBoss88 RadiumJeeper it can do nearly what any other stock wrangler can do but it's obviously not meant to be a top of the line off road vehicle so is it even a fair comparison?
Looking it as a Worldwide product, this Renegade brings people to the brand again. Jeep-owners should have atleast some respect for that, no?!
The Renegade is selling amazingly well and doing the brand atleast some justice on the designpart, making a claim in it's own class with a pretty bold statement: it's a JEEP.period.
Like it or not, it surely helps the brand and probably the preservation of the wrangler in the lineup aswell, worldwidely seen ofcourse.
It brings more people to the brand and maybe even more Wrangler-enthousiasts in the future!
Hoping to get one as my first car :) I won't be doing off road all the time but I will take it through some tracks. Love the look of it.
Where i live there is renagede with like 4 inch lift and mud grips
As you mention with the Wrangler at the start, I sold my 09 Unlimited Rubicon after 3 years because it was just too easy most of the time, and by the time it wasn't, consequences were too severe (body damage, recovery concerns, etc.). I now have a 2011 Grand Cherokee mildly built, and used offroad more than most, but miss the Wrangler fun and toplessness. Thought the Renegade Trailhawk might be the ticket, but at $33-34k built, I'm back in low-spec Rubicon/Unlimited Rubicon territory, and I know I'd regret not "going all the way."Thanks for the video and putting the Renegade through its paces. Also thanks for the Rubicon Hard Rock article a while back. That is probably where I'll end up, at least until I see if the 2017 hits me right (with a diesel punch), unless I find a cheap TJ Rubicon (hahahahahaha).
i own one its pretty nice to drive easy to get around town and nice and soft on the highway. yes it can go on rocky trails, its not the best but its a good overall vehicle.
I totally agree with your view. This car sells good as well in Europe with a 1.6 modern diesel engine, or the 1.4 turbo fuel engine.
Do u recommend it bro?, i wanna get it and i'm not actually interested in driving it in the mountains
Yes, the reliability statistics are pretty good here in Europe, with satisfied customers. Thanks for asking.
+Omar Jubran I have the Sport version and it's nice
I'm a wrangler person, I love them, i own them. But jeez why do jeep people have to be so damn snobby about other vehicles in the jeep lineup. I didn't like this car at first but it's slowly been growing on me. Some jeep people have too much of their head up their ass! Y'all need to take some laxatives and clean your asses out cause it's surely constipated!
I'm gonna have to use that one sometime (LOL)!
Totally agree, but I'd add that their dicks are too small and they have to compensate with lifts they never use as they sit around and bitch that the Renegade is "a mall car". But that once every year you get bucked around driving to Moab to BroDude it up sure makes up for the 15mpg and deafening road noise. Yep, you betcha.
Correct. 7 Slots is 7 Slots. They are all fantastic!
Agree. I have a Renegade Night Eagle and love it!
Great review! The Renegade is a solid Jeep that is starting to grow on me.
where is the challenge?? ive taken a 78 cutlass into rougher... if your going to test it... test it...
+Damon Lyall This is the only way to make the Renegade look capable. Anything more than extremely mild dirt roads and you'll be screwed.
I do like the like the Renegade as full time worker and as a student also. It's capable enough to go most places while hauling people and cargo around. But I do wish it offered a V6 motor for more power and torque.
Just got a 2020, and I love it!!
You know if you compare with anything in its class. It's a very capable little suv off road. Look not to bad also
I know that video only showed a small part of that trail but based on wha tI saw there I doubt it'd last on some of these mountain trails up here.
As a Cherokee TH owner I can definitely attest to these being the real deal. Are they as good as a Wrangler, no, but they are as good if not better than just about anything else out there.
5:10 the white obs 7.3 powerstoke in the back deserves all the likes😍😍😘❤❤❤
I want to see this trail performance compared with a stock Forester.
Thanks for speeding things up to make the driving seem so much easier...
It's weird every video I see of this thing people say that's its a capable offroader and all the video of what its doing in every case are like the roads heading in to the off road park near me. We have a guy in our club who has one of these thing and the past 4 times we've ran with him he has gotten the thing stuck no less than 5 times in places my stock beater xj cherokee idles through.
cjhawk67 well yea its a weaker offroader but that means you have to be smarter. You can't power through some places you can with a more capable vehicle.
I just find it misleading to say this is a capable offroad vehicle.
+cjhawk67 I absolutely agree, it needs to be marketed for snow, or backroads not MOAB... You saw the JK guys laughing at it in the parking lot. And the people who buy it dont want to go to MOAB they just want to park it in a grassy field for a soccer game and not get stuck like some other CUVs. Why does it have a rock mode??? congrats you drove over a 9" rock... boring
flybyav8tor Exactly. If they would have found a way to stuff solid live axles under this things with a 3 link setup like whats found on the rear axle of the 1st gen liberty this thing would be an amazing on-off road car. No matter what you do to a car with independent suspension you will always be limited by the angle of your balljoints.
@@flybyav8tor To be fair, when I had my ‘92 Turbo Jimny, the sassy JK nerds were who I laughed at. But there’s alway someone a rung above. Personally, I think the Renegade is the flip side of a Wrangler. Inferior off-road, but at least I can hit the highway without having such a garbage experience. And most Jeep buyers these days won’t go anywhere a Renegade wouldn’t be able to go. The ones who do buy an old CJ or Samurai and do a proper build.
i cant see using a Renegade as a trail or rock crawler vehicle, until of-course they are like 10 plus years old and they are cheap to pick up and tear apart and do solid axle swaps etc. But as a newer cross over i could see the renegade being used as a rally raid vehicle or something similar. the type of offroading shown here i would say wouldn't apply to the renegade but cool to see how it compares.
did they try to make it ugly?
OnLinE xD its competing with the juke they didnt have to work on looks that much
OnLinE xD I think it looks alright.. Certainly a HELL of a lot better than that lame ass Jeep Compass.
bliglum its alright if u get it in the right color!
The rear end is really bad imo
+OnLinE xD none of the actual Cherokees were ever known for "beauty"
this is stupid. yea its a real jeep, not everyone needs a wrangler. such a pissing contest for nothing
Jason vee it’s not a real Jeep
@@MetalSlug142 it really is
War Thunder the only real Jeep out here are the wranglers you know the ones that helped win wars and are made in the USA, the renegade is just a fiat panda with a Jeep badge on it, fiat bought Jeep so any “Jeep” with a v6 or v8 isn’t a real Jeep, when the Jeep was first released it came with a 4.0 6cylinder engine those are the real ones don’t let others fool you
Oh and the wrangler out preform in off road capabilities over the trash renegade, my sister owns a renegade and I have a 6 cylinder Jeep Wrangler and lemme tell u that crap panda couldn’t keep up and we were only one hour in the trail lmao
I used to not have respect for the renegade but now after several videos I actually gained respect
4:39 he sums it up right there, where drivers spend 99% of their time...
I'm sorry, a FWD based platform? for the Cherokee and Renegade? No solid rear axle? I'll keep my KK.
Why didn't you put the daystar lift on it with some cooper STT pros and it would have done better
I sometimes think that people here who comment on this fine vehicle and say it is ugly is because they just can't buy one...so they knock it. Why do I say this? Because they actually are different than most "egg-shaped" suvs which are beautiful. The Renegade is a Jeep with a traditional exterior Jeep design for the most part. It is a whole other ball park. It is awesome fun even on highway and city. It is totally addicting. Cheers!
When you say it is a bit on the 'stiff side' ...what do you mean. I don't get that. I just wanna know what you mean. I had a 2016 and 2017 rene Trailhawks...with full winter packages without the sunroof stuff..
Love my Renegade TH. Two inch lift. Switch the tires. I can run with most stock Wranglers.
just installed a curt bumper on my latitude...holy crap was that painful...literally took several hours because the clearances are unforgivingly tight
Can the Jeep Renegade keep up with the Jeep Wrangler? Let's find out.
Not even CLOSE.
Jalopnik Music to loud x_x
Jalopnik Can the Wrangler keep up with the Renegade, or any other crossover for that matter, on the road?
+Jalopnik While watching I had the thought that the Renegade is pretty similar to the old Suzuki Samurai. Kinda makes me wonder what mods will eventually show up for the Renegade.
Edited to add this: Scrolling through the comments I see lots of people saying its not a "real Jeep". Well, the Renegade isn't being sold to compete against any version of the Wrangler. It is being sold to compete against the Chevy Trax, Honda HR-V, Kia Soul, Mazda CX-3, and MINI Countryman (see comparison test in Car & Driver 2015 New Cars Issue, not on website at present or I would have provided a link.). Maybe Jeep should buy the most off road capable of each and take them to a trail then post the video on youtube. Sure, their competition won't like it, but I'm sure Toyota didn't like it when Ford showed the "Tundra Twerk" and Ford didn't like it when Chevy showed the tailgate on a Ford SuperDuty getting dented because of frame twist on a articulation test. "But the Renegade doesn't have solid axles" they will say, and guess what neither does the military HUMVEE, or the just select HUMVEE replacement the L-ATV. blog.caranddriver.com/meet-the-l-atv-the-u-s-militarys-official-humvee-replacement/
+Walter Black go get a volkswagen if you wanna go fast
It fits right where Jeep intended it to. If I lived in the northeast or the southwest and was in the market for a 4 wheeler, for that money, that would be it. You could always buy better tires if you wanted to do a little more off-roading. And maybe a winch.
Jalopnik, nice job on the video work.
Hold your horses a second there Jeep guy, the inspiration for the car is the Wrangler? We have been lucky enough to have had light-weight 4x4 Fiat Pandas here in the UK and in Europe for years and the 'new' Jeep is a repanelled (and probably heavier) FIAT on the 500 platform. Wasn't the 500 platform based on the Panda platform? Why not simply say your inspiration was the little and wonderful 4x4 Fiat Panda? By the way, folks, search for Panda 4x off road and watch how good those old cars really were.
It’s MADE by Jeep how the hell could it not be a Jeep. I own a 2012 Jeep Liberty it’s silver with an appeal so enticing annoyingly people stare at me at stop lights and when I’m in a convenience store people crowd around it like it’s an alien space craft. I can’t wait to pay this Liberty off so I can get a renegade. Call me a Jeep fanboy but I’m Jeep for life. All Jeeps have unique qualities and this is coming from a guy that owned a 2000 Isuzu Trooper - dubbed the best off road suv of all times.
The 1.4 has more torque and stick, and it's 4x4... it would make it.
i love my cj5 with 33x12.5s, but it would be amazing to have this thing to take the casual trails and then jam home in comfort. not to mention i only get 17mpg in the cj, while this thing would break your back if you wanted to run to the trails every couple days instead of just the weekend. Something my cj5 will never have. But hey two different animals.
"Casually" off-roading is not interesting. Nice commercial.
+pwschuh
"casual offroad" is roughly the same as when you have to go to work on a winterday with 1 foot of snow outside.
It'll probably look like a nice car by then. :)
pwschuh I took mine up rocks in a hailstorm (not the best of ideas but curiosity had gotten the best of me) so I don't know why they ever thought this video was a good way to showcase its true power.
The Trailhawk version is my new favorite Jeep and I've been in love with Jeeps my entire life.
Never did I drive a car that handled so well on the beach. Like it was a regular road. And that was a rental Latitude, the same thing they're driving. It's powerful, don't let this fool you.
Once I had the Latitude as a rental I just had to get one. Also the most comfortable car I've been in...and it's a dang Jeep!
Interesting video and what a bunch of self righteous asses commenting. I bet most of you jerks that proclaim "Only a WRANGLER is a real Jeep" spend most of your time in the city on pavement anyway? Out here in the sticks, we drive whatever gets us around in the outdoors. Some are fortunate enough to afford "Real" Jeeps but the majority of us drive old trucks, Suzuki Sidekicks & Samarais, RAV4's, Libertys, Passports, and, gasp, a few Renegades! We don't stand around admiring each others "Equipment," we USE them to get in the woods, on the farm, and on the river. None of us will be running to the dealership for one of the new Wrangler JL's to drive around town in. I say whatever you can afford to get you outdoors, more power to you. We can't all afford to buy a Wrangler just to play with for a toy. Some of us need a vehicle that will get us to work and back and to get groceries with the wife.
Has the issue with slamming on the breaks and it doing a front wheelie been fixed?
I think the Renegade is perfect for what it is, a capable off roader and and very daily driver friendly vehicle. The monthly doesn't hurt the bank too :)
She's perfect for my wife who isn't comfortable driving my truck and promises a fun time each time!
So for a more objective test, put the same, or at least sparingly similar tires on all the vehicles. Wrangler/Rubicon have serious business off-road tires on and the Renegade basically has street tires, probably all season.
How well do you think it will preform in 2 wd because I got one recently just to drive to school and back so it doesn't have 4wd, but I want to take it off-road one day
how would this do in a long road trip like 10-18 hrs highway driving. Coming from an 08 jku I wouldn't mind if it was smoother?undicided😏
Anyone know the song starting at 5:08?
what is the song from the start
1:10 "ALL I WANNA SAY IS THAT THEY DON'T REALLY CARE ABOUT US!"
STICH666 lmaooo
The renegade has it's place in the line up, someone who enjoys the outdoors, needs a 4x4 to get to the weekend trails for backpacking etc. But needs a sensible everyday car as well. I think it's the perfect car for someone who isn't into serious off roading, but does enough to need it. Is it a Wrangler? Of course not. Nobody is saying it is, Jeep doesn't even say that, but it's capable Enough to get you to the trail head.
What do you get for the mileage on your Trailhawk I'll get 16.9
Haha I like the intro. "let's beat the crap out if this thing"
Wrapp-up comments were right on target and well put.
I took a rental renegade to the beach, as soon as it left asphalt it got stuck in the sand. literally about six feet off the asphalt. but to be fair, it went down another beach road just fine where the sand was more matted down.
did you even air down the tires and was it a trailhawk 4x4?
2015 subaruoutback
2015 subaruoutback
I'd like to see the lower 4x4 trim version off road.
This is presented as the only super option jeep has to offer. The reason why you would buy a jeep would have to be re-invented. perhaps the younger generations will love it. My best wishes to the ones who like it.
No manual trailhawk? and like that I've lost any smidgen of interest I might have feigned.
Italian based cars make the whole world proud, not only America. :)
Fiat 500L most unreliable US vehicle according to consumer reports lmao
Should I get used 2009 Jeep Wrangler rubicon (21k) Or new renegade (18,650k)
where is this trail and how it's called?
Can't believe we are still having this debate. Renegade is designed to be a capable *light* offroader with city driving in mind. The fact that FCA/Jeep even threw their hat in the ring with this car makes total sense. The market is shifting toward smaller SUVs for the average joe and midsize SUVs for the small/average sized family. To even off a TrailHawk model is not even is question of if Jeep will do it, its a question of how well Jeep will do it. The point with the Renegade is that not everyone want a Wrangler (with excessive capability that most Renegade buyers have no use for) or Grand Cherokee (which may be too much vehicle that the Renegade owner does not need or even within its class, the Patriot & Compass (Which are decisively less refined from the days when Jeep was a part of Daimler).
Furthermore, Jeep is becoming a more global brand offering more compelling and modern vehicles evidence:
-2014 Jeep Cherokee KL
-2015 Jeep Renegade BU
-2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee receives TrailHawk trim and redesign Summit edition
-2017 Jeep Compass is redesigned.
-2018 Jeep Wrangler Redesign
Albeit, Jeep does seem to be stepping on their own toes in the U.S. by offering the KL, BU, and Compass all together all of which are similarly priced and sized, but in global markets these vehicles are selling like hot cakes!
FCA knows how to make a hot looker with good off road guts, while the Renegade/Cherokee/Compass & Patriot may make die-hards cringe, think about it this way: a Kia Sportage w/AWD could be praised as the most off road capable SUV in its class. The Wrangler is in a class of its own IMO. So before you dismiss this car look at it objectively! Another startling thought: The 2014 Cherokee KL outsold the Grand Cherokee & Wrangler that year :)
Handling Michigan winters no problem