2015 Jeep Renegade review thread!

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, California -- We’re not saying that this dirt trail up a ravine in the Santa Monica Mountains is steep, but all we can see right now over the hood of the 2015 Jeep Renegade is blue sky and the hands of the trail spotter beckoning us onward.

This is not what we were expecting from the 2015 Jeep Renegade, which looks like a cute ute designed only for a big shopping adventure to Target. And as we creep the Renegade forward into we know not what, we’re reminded yet again that a Jeep is what it does, not what it looks like.

Apparently Melfi, Italy, is very like Toledo, Ohio
Of course, let’s not kid ourselves here. The 2015 Jeep Renegade is not a Jeep CJ nor even a Jeep Wrangler. Instead it is a personal-size sport-utility designed for quick family errands around town, not brush-busting high adventure. Small, affordably priced sport-utes like the Renegade are coming into fashion now, and no less than a dozen different brands will have them on the road in America within the next three years.

And the key attribute here is an affordable price. Everyone wants a utility vehicle, whether you live in Arizona, Vermont or, you know, Italy. The utility vehicle is now the definitive car, not the sedan. And a small ute like the Renegade with a price close to $20,000 is the best way to get an SUV into the hands of someone who would otherwise choose a Toyota Corolla.

The 2015 Jeep Renegade is indeed a small vehicle, measuring 166.6 inches in overall length on a wheelbase of just 101.2 inches. The cabin measures out to 99.9 cubic feet for the passengers, 18.5 cubic feet of cargo capacity behind the second-row seat and 50.8 cubic feet of cargo capacity when the second-row seat is folded flat.

The Renegade is built on Fiat-based architecture and components, and this ute is even assembled in a massive Fiat plant in Melfi, Italy. But just as you’d expect from a company whose spiritual home is Toledo, Ohio, the Renegade comes in four different models in seven different trim levels, and there are two different engines and four different drive choices (all-wheel drive and front-wheel drive). It comes in 10 different colors. And there are tow hooks.

Say hello to Mulholland Highway
As we’re flying down Mulholland Highway in the chaparral-covered mountains above Malibu, it comes to us that maybe the Italian heritage of the new Renegade isn’t such a bad thing. We’re driving the top-of-the-line Renegade Limited with the 184-hp 2.4-liter Tigershark engine, the nine-speed automatic transmission, and all-wheel drive. And we’re speeding down the winding road as if the Renegade wants to be an Italian sports sedan.

It helps that this engine spreads its 177 lb-ft of torque across a broad rpm range, and the automatic transmission swaps gear ratios not only quickly but also smoothly. But mostly we’re impressed by the poise shown by the compact chassis, as the special dampers of the long-travel, strut-type all-independent suspension help deliver a supple, controlled ride even on these dual-purpose mud-and-snow-rated tires. The Renegade feels alert, and the electric-assist steering is fine for a ute, where you want a higher degree of isolation from road rumble anyway.

Yes, we’re feeling pretty Italian here, only in a good way. You might argue that the Renegade looks a little Italian as well, but the cuteness of the exterior styling doesn’t irritate us at all in this Limited’s shade of high-fashion green. More important, the self-conscious Jeep cues of the interior trim (“EST 1941” has even been embossed in a few places) makes the Renegade more than a simple box, while the control layout, seating ergonomics, and fine choices in materials (plastic or not) represent the best of Italian design. There’s even an optional panoramic sunroof that lets you not only tilt/slide open a panel but also remove both panes altogether to really let the light shine in.

Get your Jeep on, guy
Of course, there’s only so much cuteness one can stand, so we leave behind the sunroof, the 6.5-inch touchscreen for the electronic interface, and the comprehensive Uconnect audio system of the Renegade Limited and instead try on a Renegade Trailhawk. We admire the way that upright seating always seems to accentuate spaciousness. We admire the practical 18.5 cu-ft of cargo area behind the second seat and the clever adjustable-height cargo floor. All this helps remind us that Jeep people carry mountain bikes, backpacks, and ski gear, not just boxes of electronic stuff from Best Buy.

The Renegade Latitude and the Renegade Sport come standard with the 160-hp turbocharged 1.4-liter Multiair Turbo, but this engine comes only with a pretty nice six-speed manual transmission. Probably you will prefer the nine-speed automatic, and this comes only with the 184-hp 2.4-liter engine. More importantly, you can have the Renegade in front-wheel drive as a Limited, Latitude, or Sport. You can also have the Limited, Latitude, Sport, or Trailhawk with full-time, all-weather Active Drive, an all-wheel-drive system that disconnects the rear wheels for better fuel efficiency when you’re just cruising around on the highway. And when you get Active Drive, you get a four-mode control that allows you to calibrate the AWD system for automatic, mud, sand, or snow, and ABS-controlled hill-descent control is part of the package.

Naturally you’re interested in really getting your Jeep on, aren’t you? So you vector right to the 2015 Jeep Renegade Trailhawk 4X4, and there you are on your hands and knees while you peer underneath to see if there’s a chassis skid plate. There is. Perhaps even better, the Trailhawk has a different front and rear fascia to improve approach and departure angles in off-road situations. Plus the Trailhawk 4x4 comes with five-mode control for its Active Drive system to calibrate for automatic, mud, sand, snow, or rock. The Trailhawk 4x4 even comes with a super-low 20:1 drive ratio to make it possible to creep across obstacles at ultra-slow speed.

We were as skeptical as anyone about the wisdom of pointing this lightweight sport-utility up a narrow dirt ravine, but there we were nevertheless. And the Renegade Trailhawk 4x4 made us look like a pro. We wouldn’t bash it across boulders, but a trail-spotter can lead you almost anywhere else simply because the Trailhawk is so short, while 8.1 inches of wheel articulation, 8.7 inches of ground clearance and 19 inches of fording capability take care of the rest. The 2.4-liter engine proves very controllable when matched with the automatic, and the hill-descent control is surprisingly effective. The Renegade is not a CJ, but it can go places. It’s a Jeep.

Shopping every day, adventure on the weekend
Almost no one you know will ever get mud on the 2015 Jeep Renegade. In fact, we always object when sport-utilities are shown in adventure situations because real people in the real world do not use SUVs in this way. So the people you meet at the wheel of the Renegade will be more interested in its price, its fuel economy, its excellent range of active safety features, and the amount of stuff that can be carried when the second-row seat is flipped down. They will probably complain that the Renegade’s short wheelbase and minimal overhangs lead it to hop a little bit across the seams between the concrete slabs on the freeway.

If we were grownups, we’d all ask for no more than that. But because we love the whole idea of the Jeep thing -- EST 1941! -- we love that the Renegade comes with tow hooks. Maybe you’ll never have to winch your Renegade into a parking spot at Target, but the tow hooks are a signature of the whole peculiar Jeep enthusiasm.

Jim Morrison, director of the Jeep brand, admitted to us that he took home a Renegade prototype and then went to an off-road park on a rainy weekend with his teenage son. They bashed around for an afternoon, Morrison in the Renegade and his son in a Wrangler. He tells us, “I didn’t take the Renegade to the car wash afterwards, because when I parked it in the executive lot on Monday morning, I wanted everybody to see that the tow hook was thick with mud.”

A Jeep is what it does, not what it looks like. The Renegade might look a little cute to some, but the bodywork is there pretty much only to keep off the rain. As we recall, the original 1941 Jeep looked as if someone had cut up some steel from a Quonset hut and bashed it into place around the chassis with a hammer. If you’re all crazy about what the visual essence of a Jeep should be, maybe you should just be driving a plain old car instead.

Click to expand...

At first glance, there's no vehicle in the Jeep lineup more fitting of the Renegade name than the 2015 Jeep Renegade. A Renegade is defined by my Google machine as "a person who deserts and betrays an organization, country, or set of principles." As the first Jeep to be built outside of North America (in an Axis country, at that!) the Italian Renegade may appear to be traitorous to some of the brand's diehard fan base, but as a first drive of the new baby Jeep proves, the Renegade's still got all the hardware needed to appeal to both the Jeep faithful and those just looking for a rugged little ride.

The Renegade may be built from the ground up in Melfi, Italy, on Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' new small-wide 4x4 architecture, but it still oozes Jeep DNA. About the same wheelbase, height, length, and width as the legendary XJ Cherokee, the new Renegade ticks all the boxes Jeep buyers look for. With its design inspired by the current Wrangler, the original Willys MB, and military jerry cans, the Renegade sports a refreshingly familiar boxy shape complete with Jeep design cues that are both obvious -- like its seven-slot grille and searchlight-sized headlights -- and subtle, like its drooping door line and X-shaped taillamps.

Though the Renegade will share its platform and assembly line with the Fiat 500X, Jeep engineers are keen to point out that they're the ones who did all the heavy lifting on the Renegade here in the U.S. With Jeep's legendary off-road abilities in mind, Jeep engineers spent as much time developing the Renegade on the trails in Moab, Utah, as it did on suburban roads outside its Chelsea Proving Grounds. With the competing demands of both hardcore off-roading and urban commuting in mind, the Renegade's unibody platform is made up of more high-strength steel than any other Jeep in the lineup. According to Jeep, this not only reduces chassis flex on the trail but also makes the Renegade a better drive out on the roads.

Powering the new baby Jeep is a range of familiar engines. Standard is FCA's 1.4-liter MultiAir turbo I-4, which makes the same 160 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque in the Renegade as it does in the Dodge Dart. Unlike its corporate sibling, the Renegade's MultiAir engine comes in both front- and all-wheel drive, and, much to our delight, with a six-speed manual the only available transmission. Available across the board and standard on higher-trim Renegade Limited and Trailhawk models is the Jeep Cherokee's 2.4-liter Tigershark I-4, good for 180 hp and 175 lb-ft of twist, mated to Chrysler's new nine-speed automatic. Two all-wheel-drive systems are available on the Renegade: Jeep Active Drive, which routes power to the rear wheels via a quick-connecting power transfer unit, and the Renegade Trailhawk's Jeep Active Drive Low, which uses a unique final drive ratio that allows first gear to double as a low-range with a 20:1 ratio.

From a packaging perspective, the Renegade is a pretty neat little Jeep. The cabin is bigger than expected, the materials all feel high-quality, and all the controls in the center stack, including the all-wheel-drive lock and Selec-Terrain switches, are within easy reach. The seats are comfortable up front and in back, and the 40/20/40 rear seats are plenty roomy for adult passengers. The only odd thing about the Renegade's cabin is the view out front -- that accentuated Jeep greenhouse means its designers were forced to push the windshield cowl far forward, with the driver and passengers sitting far back in the cabin. That said, that big greenhouse gives the Renegade a massive amount of headroom -- room that only grows if the removable My Sky roof panels are spec'd. Those roof panels stow under the floor in the Renegade's 18.5 cubic inch cargo area.

The two powertrains, sampled in a near-base Renegade Sport and near-loaded Renegade Limited, are both solid. With so few automakers offering up manual-equipped all-wheel-drive vehicles these days, I started my drive off behind the wheel of a Renegade Sport before Jeep wised up, realized no one would buy one, and took it away. Aptly named, the Renegade Sport may serve as the base model in the Renegade range, but it certainly doesn't feel it. The MultiAir isn't fast, but it does feel quick thanks to the short first through third gears. The shifter is pretty slick too, encouraging the driver to perform quick shifts. The powertrain actively encourages the driver to ring the little Jeep out, and the Renegade mostly delivers, with solid brakes and slow but good steering, so long as you're not driving on tight switchback canyon roads. While less sporty in character, the Renegade Limited's 2.4-liter engine and nine-speed auto combination is an equally engaging powertrain. Destined to be the volume engine and transmission, the little four-banger offers up good power and performance roughly equal to the MultiAir. The nine-speed transmission continues to improve as Chrysler shoehorns it into more of its models, and the Renegade is its best application yet, with the transmission rattling off quick, smart shifts. The rest of the Renegade Limited package delivers too, with a quiet, upscale cabin, and a compliant, well-sorted ride.

While the new Renegade performs well on the road, the burning question most have about the littlest Jeep is how it handles the rough stuff. Pretty well, as it turns out. Sitting on top of the Renegade lineup is the new Renegade Trailhawk. As is the case on its Cherokee big brother, the Renegade Trailhawk is more than just a badge and trim job. The Renegade Trailhawk gets some unique hardware, including Jeep's Active Drive Low all-wheel-drive system, an 0.8-inch suspension lift (for 8.7 inches of ground clearance), Goodyear Wrangler tires on 17-inch wheels, and front and rear tow hooks rated for twice the Renegade's weight. Thanks to the suspension lift and off-road tires, the Renegade Trailhawk is able to boast better approach, breakover, and departure angles than its Cherokee Trailhawk big brother. On the software front, the Renegade Trailhawk gets Rock mode on the Selec-Terrain system, what Jeep calls an electronic "Brake Lock Differential," and a 4-Low mode, which uses the nine-speed's 4.71 first gear ratio combined with the Trailhawk's 4.33 final drive ratio to effectively take the place of a traditional two-speed transfer case. With first gear functioning as a low-range on the Trailhawk, the Renegade's programmed for second-gear starts, though Jeep says the transmission will kick down into first if the throttle is depressed more than 80 percent. While many might be understandably apprehensive about the Renegade's Trail Rated off-road chops, a short, technical off-road course proves that the Renegade is infused with plenty of the DNA that's made the brand a legend off-road. The course included dirt roads, simulated river beds, steep rock climbs and descents, and frame-twisting trenches. Per my guide's recommendations, I went through the course the first time in Rock mode, which minimizes the slip allowed by the electronic differentials and locks the Renegade in 4-Low. Not that I expected Jeep to set up a course the Renegade wouldn't be able to handle, but the Trailhawk proved shockingly capable. The first set of soccer-ball-sized rocks was no problem, nor was the incredibly steep, rocky hill following it -- that hill even saw the Renegade pick up its inside front and rear tires as I navigated the course. Those obstacles were soon followed by frame-punishing dirt troughs that the Renegade took to like a billy goat, its underside seeing plenty of sunlight as it pushed and dragged itself through. Instilled with confidence after another go, I spent my last go-around of the course switching back and forth between the Selec-Terrain's modes. While Rock proved most suitable for the particular course, Sand was fun over some of the loose dirt on the course, allowing the Renegade to hang its tail out a bit like a rally car.

While plenty capable off the beaten path, it is possible to get the little Jeep stuck. I found this out rather embarrassingly with the Trailhawk in Auto mode by slowly climbing a steep, gravely hill the tires dug themselves into. Embarrassing, sure, but not the end of the world -- locking on all-wheel drive and getting a little running start got the Renegade to the top of the hill, no problem. With the Nissan Juke, Kia Soul, Chevrolet Trax, and Mini Countryman targeted as its chief rivals, the Jeep Renegade is priced to compete. Prices start at $18,990 for a base front-drive Renegade Sport and top out at $26,990 for a Renegade Trailhawk. The volume Renegade Latitude will start at $22,990 for a front-drive MultiAir model, and the luxury-aimed Renegade Limited will go for $25,790 for a front-drive Tigershark model. The as-tested price for our Renegade trio ranged from $24,075 for our lightly optioned Renegade Sport 4x4, $33,335 for our loaded Renegade Trailhawk, and $34,175 for our fully optioned Renegade Limited 4x4. The Renegade may have a name and origin befitting of an alleged traitor, but if our encounter with the new little Jeep has proven anything, it's that the Renegade still manages to stay true to Jeep's roots while appealing to a wider audience. With the Renegade, Jeep has managed to make a world vehicle equally appealing to those doing the mall crawl as those who rock crawl. With the Renegade already off to a flying start in parts of Europe, Jeep is hoping the Renegade will be welcomed with open arms in its home market when it hits dealers here in January.

Click to expand...

Is Jeep's first small SUV too cute? Can anything be too cute?

What Is It?
Behold the birth of a brand-new Jeep, a down-size departure for the icon that will open it up to a whole new set of buyers in the small SUV category. The Jeep Renegade 4x4 and 4x2 will seek to attract entry level Jeepers while giving the Jeep faithful a capable and cheerful-looking cute ute.

"I relate this vehicle to a puppy dog," said head of Jeep design Mark Allen. “Its ears are too big, its eyes are too big, all that is what I see in this vehicle. I tried to walk it right up to the edge of cute but not go beyond that.”

You decide. We think it’s just the right amount of cute. Styling was done “100 percent” in Michigan, Allen said. But it does share one or two or 30 parts with the Fiat 500L and upcoming 500X, things like the steering column, front wheel bearings, a bunch of fasteners and the floor boards. Still more Fiat parts were modified for this Jeep application. Altogether, the Melfi Italy-built Renegade will be the first Fiat Chrysler Automobiles vehicle to use the new Small-Wide 4x4 architecture. With a wheelbase of just 101.2 inches and an overall length of 166.6 inches (making it approximately 25 inches shorter than a Chrysler 200 sedan) it will occupy the small end of the Jeep lineup's size spectrum.

U.S. Renegades will get two engines and two transmissions. The 1.4-liter MultiAir Turbo producing 160-hp and 184 lb-ft of torque will be mated to a six-speed manual. The 2.4-liter 180-hp, 175 lb-ft Tigershark will be paired with a nine-speed automatic that has already made cameo appearances in the Jeep Cherokee and the Chrysler 200, among others.

Just because the Renegade is small, it does not mean that it skimps on engineering and technology. The Renegade's body is composed of approximately 70 percent high-strength steel for increased structural stiffness, while also featuring four-wheel independent suspension and increased ground clearance in the Trailhawk version -- one of the four trim levels. The Renegade uses a Koni frequency selective damping (FSD) front and rear strut system for what Jeep promises will be better handling and road grip, as well as muting out bumps on poor road surfaces.

The interior features Jeep's new "Tek-Tonic" design language, exemplified by intersections of squared-off design details with soft-touch surfaces. Both the interior and exterior pay homage to Jeeps of decades past with a number of design elements, such as the X-shaped tail lights that recall the stampings featured on Jerry cans. The exterior design also features plenty of traditional Jeep hallmarks, including a seven-slot grille framed by a front fascia surround, trapezoidal wheel arches, and a body-color windshield surround. The rear cargo area offers 50.8 cu.ft. of space with 60/40 folding rear seats.

While the Renegade certainly is not as open to the elements as the Wrangler, it nevertheless features an optional My Sky roof system, composed of two large removable transparent roof panels that can be stowed in a special “pizza insulator” bag in the trunk. Adding to the outdoor theme is the mud-splatter graphic on the gauge cluster, at the center of which drivers will find a 3.5-inch monochrome display or an optional 7-inch TFT color display screen. Speaking of screens, the Renegade offers Jeep's UConnect touchscreen infotainment system in 5-inch and 6.5-inch sizes that will permit voice-activated audio system controls, in addition to Bluetooth connectivity and an audio text messaging system.

What Is It Like To Drive?
The Renegade’s small wide architecture will fit 16 different powertrains and driveline setups. We in the U.S. will only get a few of those 16, but after a day driving different U.S.-spec Renegades on a variety of surfaces both on- and off-road we came away thinking it’s generally a pretty sound setup.

Off-road the Renegade is surprisingly capable. In fully-loaded 4x4 trim it can do most anything, from crawling over rocks to descending massive, steep hills with hill-descent control slowing each wheel individually. The “Trail-Rated” Trailhawk trim level gets extra ground clearance and better approach and departure angles so if you want to go Rubicon, get that one. We tried out a bunch of terrain and had no trouble surmounting everything the park could put in our way. This is more capable off-road than anything in the class, easily.

The lack of a hand brake will be seen by traditionalists as unforgiveable. We found it would have been a nice feature to have when just backing the Renegade out of a downhill parking space, for instance. Four-wheelers use it to get out of all kinds of tight spots. The fact that it was eliminated to make room for -- gasp -- cupholders will be hard to take for old-school wheelers. However, Jeep says cable-operated handbrake levers have problems of their own and result in some owner complaints. You can't please everyone.

We tried out the hill-descent control on a very long, very steep downhill pile of sand and had no trouble at all. It was a breeze, the electronics of ABS and traction control applying itself perfectly to perform the function done by low gearing on old Jeeps. What a world!

We got a chance to try out the full articulation of the 4wd on a short, controlled course made specifically for that task at Hollister Hills State Vehicle Recreation Area in California and encountered no problems, never scraping so much as a diff pumpkin. You can get a Renegade with the "Trail Rated" badge and if you give it a whirl in the dirt you'll see that it has earned the moniker. It might be fun to take one of these to the Rubicon once the snow has cleared away up there and give it the ultimate test. We suspect it would pass with flying colors, mostly Earth-tones.

On-road it had its good and bad points. The engines were just fine for all urban and suburban tasks. They’ll both get you up the freeway ramp and let you pass whatever you want to pass. So don’t worry about which engine to get, both are fine. The manual transmission felt cheap, however, with long throws and vague engagement. Spacing between second and third gears was a bit too far. On certain tight twisty roads we found ourselves wanting for a second-and-a-halfth gear. Hey, there are six gears in this box. Faster third- and fourth-gear corners were no problem, however. At first, that manual shifter felt pretty flimsy. It's shared with the Fiat 500 variants and feels downright cheap. The throws are long and gear engagement isn't exactly reassuringly clicky. After a while, you get used to it.

And we would have softened up the rig’s frequency sensitive dampers a lot more. Just regular bumpy pavement on regular old “roads” transferred an awful lot of pavement whacks into the cabin, more so than we would have preferred. Maybe we’re just too sensitive, but it seems competitors like the RAV4 and CR-V are far more livable.

Do I Want It?
When the Renegade goes on sale in March it will be available in four distinct trim levels, beginning with the Sport which will start at $18,990. The Latitude trim level will add a little more equipment including a backup camera, leather-wrapped steering wheel, roof rails, ambient LED interior accents, six-speaker audio, and 16-inch aluminum wheels, and will start at $22,290. The Limited trim level will add more luxury goodies in the form of heated seats, 18-inch wheels, and exterior chrome accents, among other items, and will start at $25,790. These first three trim levels will be offered on 4x2 and 4x4 versions of the Renegade alike, with 4x4 coming in at a $2,000 premium over the starting prices listed above.

The range-topping 4x4-only Trailhawk version will be paired exclusively with the 2.4-liter engine and a nine-speed automatic transmission. It will be easy to distinguish from other versions of the Renegade owing to revised front and rear fascias, red-painted functional tow-hooks, front and rear scuff plates optimized for 31-degree approach and departure angles, and a slightly increased ride height.

And then there’s the quality question. Both Jeep and Fiat are below industry average in quality according to JD Power, Consumer Reports and AutoPacific ratings, though George Peterson, President of AutoPacific, believes "…the Jeep Renegade promises to reverse that." Let’s hope it does.

Overall, there’s nothing in the small SUV class this cute nor this capable in the dirt. Daily life in suburbia might wear on you a little, unless you’re either tough or oblivious. But cuteness goes a long way and, based on that, we predict sales success for this little dirt darlin’.

Click to expand...

Like hair extensions, brand extensions make us wince. We like authenticity. But no matter how deeply ingrained a brand’s identity, that identity still belongs to a company, not a church, and a company’s first priority is not adhering to a belief system, it’s making money. Given that, the allure of selling out is easy to see. (Hint: It’s the “selling” part.)

Whether or not Jeep’s new Fiat-based Renegade is a sellout, it will likely sell. The Wrangler and the Grand Cherokee, Jeep’s purest-blood offspring, each sold around 175,000 units last year. The Patriot and the Compass, Jeep’s Dodge Caliber–based rental-fleet bastards, combined for about 150,000. The Renegade’s big brother Cherokee didn’t even exist two years ago, but it sold as well in 2014 as Jeep’s decades-old core products. Few industry executives would veto any decision that is likely to increase their sales by 25 percent so quickly.

THE NEW NORMAL: NO NORMAL
The Renegade certainly doesn’t look like a sellout, although it does look weird. Then again, its segment includes so many outlandish shapes—Kia Soul, Nissan Juke, Mini Countryman—that it’s not so much a class of vehicles as it is a clown college. And it’s about to get weirder with the Chevy Trax, Honda HR-V, Mazda CX-3, and the Renegade’s sibling rival, the shapely Fiat 500X. Odd it may be, but the Renegade doesn’t look bad, and it certainly isn’t as cheap as the Patriot or as dorky as the Compass. It’s cheekily, confidently butch without being overdone, its upright stance, trademark grille, and taillights that protrude from the bodywork immediately identifying it as a relative of the Wrangler.

Inside, the design theme is something Jeep calls “Tek-Tonic.” To us, that sounds like a Silicon Valley fad cocktail, the sort of thing made with lumbersexual-spec craft gin sold in bottles reclaimed from excavated colonial New England outhouse pits. (Don’t worry, it’s alcohol! It kills any lingering bacteria.) But that’s not what Tek-Tonic is. Well, not this one. This one is a blend of soft and rugged forms befitting a tiny, stylish off-roader, and it looks nicer than one might expect in a sub-$20,000 Chrysler product. Anodized-look trim adds a touch of richness, and even the interior door handles and lock tumblers are finished in matte silver.

In keeping with recent Chrysler fashion, there are little design embellishments—Jeep thinks of them as Easter eggs—everywhere, including a topographic map of Moab in the center-console storage bin, Jeep grilles on the speaker grilles, and Willys Jeep silhouettes at the base of the windshield and on the latches for the optional “My Sky” removable roof panels over the front and rear seats. There are whiffs of cheapness, but the palette of main and accent interior colors—black, brown, gray, red, copper—borders on Mini-esque. The low beltline, high roof, and upright greenhouse make for great visibility and a spacious-feeling interior. Very tall drivers will find that the headrests poke them between the shoulder blades, though, and the My Sky roof cuts into headroom.

Jeep says My Sky hearkens to the “open-air freedom that originated with the legendary 1941 Willys MB Jeep,” but seeing as the MB was developed for duty in World War II, we’d replace “open-air freedom” with “naked, unprotected wartime terror.” But that’s not a good marketing angle. Removing the two panels is a bit complicated compared to opening the average power sunroof, requiring two hands—the better to discourage people from opening them while in motion, which would surely result in the panels blowing off of the vehicle. But compared to folding the soft top on a Wrangler, which takes two well-practiced people at least a few minutes, it’s speedy. The Renegade will give you that wind-in-the-hair feeling; you just have to prove you want it.

NOTHING JEEPY ABOUT THAT
Surprisingly, that feeling isn’t the only fun thing about the Renegade. Built on FCA’s Small-Wide 4x4 platform—as distinct from the Compact U.S.-Wide architecture that underpins the Cherokee and the Dodge Dart—it feels more like a hot hatch than we expected of a half-scale rock crawler, with startlingly neutral balance, although there’s a good deal of body roll. The steering rack is one of few pieces the small-wide platform shares with the compact-wide one, which is fine, as the rack is one of the Cherokee’s great surprises. Nicely weighted and quick, the Renegade’s steering enjoys a linear buildup and decent feedback that had us wondering which not-for-America Fiats have steering so good. The brakes, too, are better than we expected from a Jeep. They’re progressive and easy to modulate, even though there is a fair bit of dive. We did note a touch of fade, but in the Renegade’s defense, it was while barreling down what felt like a Red Bull extreme soapbox-derby course.

Weight ranges from just over 3000 pounds for a front-drive Sport (base) model to north of 3500 for a loaded-up Trailhawk, which is awfully heavy for this class. (The last Juke we tested was 3170 pounds; the last Soul 3112.) Two powertrains are available for moving all of that bulk. The base is Fiat’s turbocharged 1.4-liter MultiAir four-cylinder. At its peak boost of 22 psi, the 1.4 makes 160 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. It’s mated exclusively to a manual transmission. The gearbox is shared with the Dart, but Jeep’s powertrain engineers did a lot of work to refine shift action and it paid off. This, too, has the precision feel of a hot-hatch piece, and it’s paired with a clutch pedal that is rich in feel and has a nice, gentle takeup. We liked the turbo’s relatively beefy low end, its quiet whistle, and its faint blow-off gulp.

Opt for the 2.4-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder and you gain 20 horsepower but sacrifice 9 lb-ft of torque. We had a very difficult time discerning a difference in pace with the two engines, although there is a difference in character. The bigger four is gruffer, becoming a little coarse at high rpm. The torque peak also rises from 2500 rpm with the turbo to 3900 rpm. The bigger four is combined only with Fiat Chrysler’s nine-speed automatic, and the plethora of forward ratios means the engine is in its sweet spot no matter your road speed. In the Cherokee, we never actually got the transmission to shift into ninth; on this drive, we never got up to a speed where we bothered trying. With either powertrain, Jeep claims highway fuel economy exceeding 30 mpg; that’s likely only with front-wheel drive, however.

WHY NOT JUST ONE EIGHT-WHEEL-DRIVE SYSTEM?
This being a Jeep, of course, there are two available four-wheel-drive systems. The Sport, Latitude, and Limited trim levels all offer the Active Drive system, which disconnects the rear axle when extra traction isn’t needed. Trailhawk models come standard with Active Drive Low, which includes a 20:1 low range. All four-wheel-drive models get the Selec-Terrain system controller with Auto, Snow, Sand, and Mud settings, and the Trailhawk adds a Rock mode. Among other parameters, settings vary wheelslip (almost none in Rock) and start gear (second in Mud mode, for higher speeds to throw mud out of the tire treads and keep the blocks clean).

In addition to the upgraded four-wheel-drive system, Trailhawk models get a 3-millimeter-thick skid plate on the fuel tank, 17-inch wheels with off-road tires, a shorter final-drive ratio (4.33:1, as opposed to 3.73 in the other models), red tow hooks (rated at two times GVW), and unique fascias that offer greater approach and departure angles. Quoting those critical angles (as well as breakover), Jeep brand director Jim Morrison says: “31, 26, 34—only Jeep people would talk about off-road angles like they’re pinup measurements.”

And only Jeep people would attempt the off-roading we tried in the Renegade. We wouldn’t have done it at all if the people who designed the Renegade hadn’t told us to. On a short trail through the mountains of southern California, we crawled through ugly rock beds and up steep, craggy hills, and we worked through offset ditches with wheels hanging at full droop a foot from the dirt and the Renegade looking like a dog taking a leak. By nature, approach angle is, half of the time, landing angle, and a 31-degree landing is a nerve-racking nosedive into the dirt. We kept waiting for the crunch of the fascia on the ground, but it never came—even with dirt looming seemingly just beyond the edge of the hood. There are different ways to measure ground clearance, and so it’s risky to compare numbers from one manufacturer to another, but Art Anderson, the Renegade’s engineering vehicle line executive, says he’s measured his competitors and they’re all around 6.5 inches (the Trailhawk has 8.7), with less than 20-degree approach and 14-degree breakover angles.

PORSCHE-LIKE
A two-wheel-drive Renegade Sport will start at $18,990, with the Latitude at $22,290 and the Limited at $25,790. Four-wheel drive adds $2000 to any of those. The four-wheel-drive-only Trailhawk starts at $26,990, just squeaking under the base price of a four-door Wrangler. But you won’t get 30 mpg in a Wrangler. You probably won’t even get 20. And the Wrangler is nowhere near as civilized.

Everybody said that Porsche sold out when it made the Cayenne. But the Cayenne and Porsche’s second-biggest sellout, the Panamera, are now two of the brand’s biggest sellers. They’ve made “the Porsche of . . .” a legitimate descriptor. Is the Renegade the Jeep of B-segment SUVs? It is. It’s also likely to be the Cayenne of Jeeps, pumping cash into its maker’s coffers. And we’re not terribly bothered by that.

Click to expand...

The Jeep Renegade is so cute, I was genuinely worried its styling would interfere with my objectivity. With all the rugged toughness of a Wrangler, it's the rottweiler puppy of the automotive world. You just want to hug it.

Like the Cherokee (which sells really well despite looking like a cockroach), the Renegade is a transverse-engine crossover. It rides on a new platform that is shared with the Fiat 500X and, despite being about the same size as the Wrangler, is in no way a replacement for that body-on-frame truck. Phew.

Engines are familiar from the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) lineup, starting with a 1.4-liter, 160-hp turbo four. Power is sent to either the front or all four wheels, through a proper six-speed manual transmission. With more than 3000 pounds to lug around, the Renegade won't win many drag races. When the roads get twisty, though, the Jeep turns Italian hot-hatchy.

Yes, really. This adorable trucklet is built in Italy, and it apparently learned a few things before being shipped to the States. The shifter feels great, the brakes are linear, and the steering is precise. With Koni FSD shocks—a pleasant surprise—at each corner, body control is excellent. The Renegade is the first Jeep that willingly carves through canyons in the sports-car sense, not just the truck sense.

WHEN THE ROADS GET TWISTY, THOUGH, THE JEEP TURNS ITALIAN HOT-HATCHY.

With a clatter at idle and a sharp, Osterizer wail at full load, the optional 2.4-liter four makes for a louder Renegade, if not necessarily a faster one. It produces 180 hp and 175 lb-ft and is mated to the same ZF nine-speed automatic we've complained about before. Mercifully, the transmission has been retuned for quicker, smoother responses. As a bonus, the automatic model's extra mass contributes to a better ride.

The Renegade's back seat fits full-size humans (a.k.a. Americans), who can peer at the sky when the optional, and very cool, roof panels are removed. Like most new vehicles, the Renegade is available with a full complement of electronic driver aids, including a steering wheel that does a Tina Turner shimmy if you go near a lane marking. Thankfully, you can switch the system off.

It's the inevitable Trailhawk trim, though, that earns the Renegade the right to wear a Jeep badge. In addition to the big motor, automatic, and 4x4, the Trailhawk gets a suspension lift, revised fascias, and a 20:1 crawl ratio. As you'd expect, it's quite capable off-road.

Surprisingly, the Renegade is also capable on tarmac, although we'll reserve judgment until we drive one off a dealer lot. Not because I was blinded by the styling, but because we've been smitten with preproduction FCA products before, only to be disappointed later. That said, if the production Renegade is as good as the carefully prepped media vehicles I drove, you'll want one.

Click to expand...

Would it surprise you to hear that a strong, vocal and loyal owner base can sometimes be a hindrance to automakers? Of course, no brand would ever admit such a thing. And sure, on the surface, you might think that having people passionately champion a brand would provide nothing but perks. As we've seen over the years, though, there are plenty of times when that's not the case.

Jeep has most recently fought this battle following the arrival of the new Cherokee, where two-tracking purists and rock-crawling enthusiasts bemoaned the nameplate's dip into Crossoverdom. Now, with its latest vehicle, the off-road brand is trying to keep this vocal minority happy (or at least quiet) while building a crossover that has general-purpose appeal to consumers in an increasingly crowded and important small CUV market.

This balancing act has produced the 2015 Renegade, a vehicle that, following our testing in sunny San Jose, CA, we're quite confident will appeal to both brand loyalists and the uninitiated, alike.

Before we dig into the meat of our First Drive, if you're here looking for a review of the Renegade Trailhawk and its off-road abilities, you're out of luck. We did drive it, both on- and off-road, and will be publishing a feature on it in the very near future. But for now, we're focusing on the volume model, the Renegade Latitude.

Instead of the off-roader-meets-E.T. appearance of the Cherokee that's polarized so many, Jeep has dipped its brush in the tin marked "Heritage," fitting a simple seven-slat grille, historically appropriate round headlights and square taillights. In between all that, there are flared trapezoidal wheel arches, like you'd get on a classic CJ or MB, tall windows to let in plenty of light and short overhangs.

It's not the broader strokes that contribute to the Renegade's adorably busy exterior, so much as the myriad of smaller styling details that visually attach this new model to Jeeps of the past. The hood is long and mostly flat, forcibly recalling the bonnet of the original Willys MBs and Ford GPWs that US troops used to strategize, sermonize and operate on during World War II. But rather than make it flush with the grille, it bleeds over the headlights, like the front of an infantryman's helmet. The X shape found throughout the car is reminiscent of military-style jerry cans, while the mirrors are door-mounted, like Jeeps of old. The roof, meanwhile, can be blacked-out, further linking the Renegade to its big brother, the Wrangler.

These same small details make the interior a fascinating place. Jeep, and the Chrysler brands as a whole, have made something of a habit of sprinkling tiny Easter eggs throughout their cabins. The Renegade carries on this proud tradition. It sports a tiny topographical map of Moab, UT, home of the Easter Jeep Safari. The surround for the infotainment system, meanwhile, reminds drivers that Jeep has been doing this "Since 1941," while the jerry can influence is felt once again in the cup holders. There are subtler items, too, including a Yeti, as Fiat Chrysler North America's Interior Design boss Klaus Busse explains.

The spacious cabin isn't without its stylistic shortcomings. FCA's latest automatic transmissions have used a rotary dial or some other twist on the traditional shift lever. But due to the lack of real estate on the Renegade's dash and center stack, the new Jeep gets by with a traditional lever. It's a similar story with the pushbutton start, which is mounted, counterintuitively, on the steering column. And enthusiasts will doubtlessly lament the electronic parking brake – your author did – which was selected over a traditional handbrake, to accommodate a pair of cupholders.

These are, to be fair, modest sacrifices in the otherwise roomy interior. Whether you're sitting in front or back, shoulder and headroom are in ample supply, and backseat passengers should rest easy knowing there's solid legroom. For the driver, both the standard, manually operated six-way and optional, powered eight-way seats enjoy a decent range of adjustments, while the tilt/telescopic steering wheel adds a further range of comfort. Sightlines are quite good, both fore and aft, although the thick D-pillars aren't great for blind spots.

Jeep has dipped into the corporate engine bin and plucked out a pair of familiar powertrains for its new entry level model: the 1.4-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder from the Fiat 500 Turbo/Abarth and 500L; and the 2.4-liter, naturally aspirated Tigershark four-cylinder from the Dodge Dart, Chrysler 200, and Jeep Cherokee. Both engines are available on the Sport and Latitude, while the top-end Limited and off-road-ready Trailhawk can only be had with a 2.4. Regardless of trim, both front- or all-wheel-drive is available. Finally, 1.4 owners are stuck with a six-speed manual, while 2.4 owners get FCA's nine-speed auto, so it's really a question of transmission – not engine – when it comes time to buy (once the creature comforts and doodads that CUV buyers demand have been accounted for, of course).

Power output for both engines is more or less the same as in other models. The 1.4 gets by with 160 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, while the 2.4 pumps out 180 hp and 175 lb-ft. EPA estimates haven't been published for either engine just yet, although Jeep is expecting the entire Renegade range to exceed 30 miles per gallon on the highway. We expect the official numbers to arrive shortly.

You might imagine we gravitated immediately towards the turbocharged Renegade and its three-pedal setup, but you'd be wrong. Our first stint was behind the wheel of the 2.4, and much like in other FCAs, we were impressed with the refined power delivery and sound that came from the Renegade's largest engine. Off-the-line acceleration is decent, and the throttle response is linear and modulates progressively, although we wouldn't have minded a smidge more punch for freeway passes and such.

The nine-speed auto, meanwhile, continues to be a love-it-or-hate-it gearbox. As with our long-term Cherokee, it was more inclined to hunt about when we asked for more power, and it was almost fidgety in its inability to hold a gear while cruising. Some downshifts (particularly on the more aggressive, winding sections of our drive route) also seemed to catch it out, leading to a very small, but noticeable, shudder.

The turbocharged four-cylinder and manual transmission, meanwhile, have a dramatic impact on the Renegade's character. The 1.4 offers strong performance in its latest application, although as it is with other models, it takes some revs to get into the torque curve, so it's easy to get caught flat-footed if you don't watch the tach. It sounds quite nice, though, and turbo lag isn't a particular issue.

The six-speed manual isn't perfect – the clutch is overly light and somewhat vague, while the shifter's throws were on the long side, much as we experienced on the Fiat 500L. However, once we adjusted to its idiosyncrasies, this subcompact delivered what is, for all intents and purposes, a hot-hatchback-like-experience. It's a darn fun combination, too, although with Jeep expecting only about 15 percent of its Renegades to be sold with the 6MT, we wouldn't count on seeing a lot of them on the road.

And that's actually for the best, because as much fun as this powertrain is, the 2.4 isn't only more livable, but it feels peppier, too. Regardless of engine, though, don't plan on drag racing your buddy's Kia Soul or Nissan Juke, thanks largely to the Renegade's somewhat ridiculous weight. The non-Trailhawk 4x4 with the 2.4 tips the scales at 3,348 pounds, while the 1.4 4x4 rings up at 3,183 pounds (opt for the Trailhawk with the 2.4, and you'll be getting a nearly 3,600-pound CUV). Compare that with the less powerful but significantly lighter Soul or the slightly lighter, more powerful Juke, and the Renegade comes up short.

Even with its weight penalty, though, the Jeep feels dynamically superior to the Soul or Chevy Trax on winding roads. It feels planted (for a crossover) in all but the hardest of cornering maneuvers, while the little body roll that crops up from aggressive steering angles arrives progressively and predictably. Jeep's suspension tuners have done fine work with the damping on their latest product, as neither squat nor dive were serious issues. Overall, the Renegade struck us as a stable and, dare we say, entertaining vehicle through the twisties.

No doubt, some of this prowess is down to the Renegade's fully independent suspension. But Jeep didn't stop at just outright handling ability. The inclusion of segment-exclusive frequency selective dampers, courtesy of Koni, and thick tire sidewalls across the range makes for a surprisingly comfortable ride.

On California's highways, the Renegade was poised and comfortable. You could still recognize when you hit a bump or imperfection, but the suspension did a great job of soaking up the majority of the impact. Vertical motion, even on the pockmarked tarmac and washboard dirt roads leading into the Hollister Hills State Vehicular Recreation Area – where we'd test the Trailhawk – was very well controlled. Overall, the Jeep rides in a manner consistent with a higher-end small CUV, like the Buick Encore. That praise, unfortunately, doesn't translate to road or wind noise, both of which were more noticeable than we'd have liked.

As is the trend now, Jeep fitted an electronic power-assisted steering rack. While it's light on feedback, weight builds steadily and linearly from on-center to full lock. It's a surprisingly precise tiller as well, meaning we had little issue dialing in just the right amount of steering on the hilly northern Californian roads.

Perhaps the big question on everyone's mind following the Renegade's Geneva Motor Show unveiling has been one of cost. Jeeps are, after all, are not particularly affordable vehicles, particularly when looking at the new Cherokee and Grand Cherokee, with both easily creeping into the $30,000 and $50,000 range, respectively, when options are added.

Prices for the Renegade Latitude, as previously established, start at $21,295. That includes a standard 1.4-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder, six-speed manual, five-inch touchscreen audio with a six-speaker stereo, a 3.5-inch instrument cluster display and access to a wide and varied group of options packages. As for the Commando Green Renegade Latitude 4x4 shown above, it retailed for $26,860, thanks in large part to its $2,000 all-wheel-drive system, $1,200 2.4-liter engine/nine-speed automatic powertrain, optional 17-inch wheels and $1,095 removable My Sky roof. As for when you'll be able to pick one up for yourself, the first customer vehicles are shipping as we write this, and should start arriving in dealers in limited quantities later next month. Jeep expects Renegades to be widely available come March.

While that price seems reasonable, there are a few problems. This volume model's price is darn close to that of the top-end models from the competition. A Kia Soul ! can be had for $26,715, although it's only available with front-wheel drive. The Nissan Juke SL with all-wheel drive costs $27,765, but it forces its owners into a continuously variable transmission. And the Chevrolet Trax LTZ AWD rings up at $27,405. While the Jeep bests the Soul with all-wheel drive and is cheaper than the Nissan or Chevy, it's seriously down on optional extras. All competitors at this price point come with navigation, an upgraded stereo and leather seats, to name a few plusses. Consider price, then, to be the biggest and boldest mark against Jeep's latest offering.

What we've seen so far in the small CUV market is a tendency to take chances. The Kia Soul sports a funky, fresh style, while the Nissan Juke is basically a hot hatch mated with a treefrog. With the Renegade, Jeep has taken its own well-known design heritage and its penchant for trail raiding and successfully blended in a package that will appeal to a wide range of consumers. It's not only a great piece of styling, it's a vehicle that should prove an able and entertaining companion on America's highways and twisting roads.

Click to expand...

There are two avenues to the world of off-roading. Arguably the more popular is to pick up a second- or third-hand Jeep, Land Rover or pickup truck and go wild with the aftermarket. The opposite approach, though, is to simply buy new, which brings a warranty along with the most up-to-date off-road tech fitted by the factory (despite likely lacking the ultimate capability of an aftermarket-imbued vehicle).

That second option has, traditionally, been pricey. Take our long-term Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk, which rings up at just over $38,000. A Ford F-150 SVT Raptor is going to be an even more expensive proposition, while the undisputed kings of luxury off-road performance from the factory – the Range Rover, Toyota Land Cruiser and Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen – will require ownership of a medium-sized oil well.

With all due respect to those who take their Trail-Rated Jeep Patriot models off-road, the all-new Renegade Trailhawk is such an exciting proposition because it brings the cost of a warranty-backed off-roader down significantly, while also delivering a degree of trail-rated performance that should easily fulfill the needs of the average enthusiast.

Drive Notes

• Before we get into what it adds, it's worth noting that the Trailhawk trim does have a small impact on the Renegade's on-road abilities. As we said in our original feature, the TH adds a significant amount of weight to the standard CUV, as it tips the scales at nearly 3,600 pounds. That mass, combined with the slightly higher stance, means the off-road model doesn't handle quite as well as a lesser Jeep. It also doesn't feel as fleet of foot, as it retains the same 2.4-liter, 180-horsepower four-cylinder and nine-speed automatic found throughout the Renegade range.
• Despite the downers, the Trailhawk trim does bring quite a lot to the Renegade package, most notably in the form of a bespoke version of Jeep's Active Drive all-wheel-drive system. The upgraded system features a dedicated 20:1 crawl ratio while the Selec-Terrain system is home to a new Rock setting. Beyond that, Jeep lifted the Renegade's ride height eight-tenths of an inch, increasing overall ground clearance to 8.7 inches and delivering 8.1 inches of wheel articulation. This is complemented by unique front- and rear-fascias, which up the approach and departure angles to 30.5 and 34.3 degrees, respectively, besting the Cherokee Trailhawk's 29.8 degrees and 32.1 degrees. Aluminum skidplates and bespoke 17-inch wheels, wrapped in Goodyear Wrangler SR-A tires round out the exclusive gear.
• The effect of all this new kit is, in a word, impressive. We tested the new Trailhawk on a quite technical circuit at California's Hollister Hills State Vehicular Recreation Area, and while it's obvious that Jeep wouldn't put its new trail star on a path it couldn't handle, our route was difficult enough that it'd far exceed the needs of the average off-road enthusiast, let alone the Renegade's typical customer.
• Between a simulated riverbed, brutal, cross-articulating moguls and craggy rocks, the course challenged the Renegade Trailhawk, as you can see in the attached video. We spun the tires a few times, and the electronic nannies had a few fits, although we were able to run nearly the entire course in low range and with the Selec-Terrain system left in Auto. That's obviously not the most efficient method, to be sure – Rock, Sand or Mud could have been employed throughout our trek – but it's telling about Renegade Trailhawk's overall capabilities.
• Truth be told, like most enthusiast vehicles, the Renegade Trailhawk is far more capable than most consumers will ever need. If you're planning on tackling the occasional muddy hill or two-tracking through the woods, you could probably get by with a standard Latitude or Limited. But that'd miss the overall point of the TH – that' there's a lot more to it than off-roading.
• Enthusiasts will surely lament this reasoning for buying a Trailhawk, but it's easily the coolest looking member of the Renegade family. Between its black hood stripe, standard black roof, bespoke wheels, adorable red tow hooks, and brawnier front and rear fascias, it presents a more muscular face to the world, which plays surprisingly well with don't-call-it-cute looks.
• In the cabin, the off-road Jeep gets its own unique trim with Ruby Red anodized-look accents that look truly great against the Trailhawk Black trim. The "premium" cloth seats, meanwhile, feature red contrast stitching, with the trim's name stitched into the seatback. Overall, the spiced-up cabin is a nice twist on the standard Renegade's trim options.
• Of course, getting all this stuff on a Renegade will do some damage to your wallet. With a starting price of $25,995, the Trailhawk is the most expensive member of the range. That price is likely to climb considerably, too, as the TH is available with a wide range of optional packages that can add everything from heated seats and a heated steering wheel, to navigation, dual-zone climate control, blind-spot monitoring and leather seats. Considering this, it's a fair bet that a decently equipped model will creep up to $30,000 or more.

Is that price worth it? It really does depend. The capability it provides is seriously impressive, and easily outdoes any vehicle in its class. That said, you will probably be able to get a much better-equipped, better-driving Latitude for less money, while also retaining enough off-road performance to suit the vast majority of owners. But much like the Cherokee, the Renegade Trailhawk trim is definitely the best looking example of the breed. It's a tough decision, although considering the result of our original test on Jeep's newest model, we aren't totally sure there's a wrong answer. We'd love to hear what you think though, so hop into Comments and weigh in – would you have the handsome, off-road-ready Trailhawk, or the better-driving, probably more affordable standard Renegade? While you contemplate that, check out the Renegade Trailhawk, as it tackles the trails in Hollister Hills.

Click to expand...

Autoweek said:

And we would have softened up the rig’s frequency sensitive dampers a lot more. Just regular bumpy pavement on regular old “roads” transferred an awful lot of pavement whacks into the cabin, more so than we would have preferred. Maybe we’re just too sensitive, but it seems competitors like the RAV4 and CR-V are far more livable.

Click to expand...

col.mustard said:

i showed this to my wife. her response: "well, at least it's not as ugly as that pukey jukey thing". my thoughts, this thing will be the new tC for HS/college girls. .

Click to expand...

Turbio! said:

I've seen plenty of interest in the thing around here, too, though. I think it'll be pretty popular across a lot of demographics. It's funky, boxy, and a Jeep - that appeals to a lot of people.

Click to expand...

Samson said:

CR's take:

Click to expand...

BetterByDesign said:

So basically Jeep is to FIAT what Olive Garden is to Italy. Ciao

Click to expand...

Rob said:

I personally love it and think they will sell every one they make.

Click to expand...