Jeep has gone Italian with the 2016 Jeep Renegade small compact crossover utility vehicle (SUV). It a great looking crossover that has a unique look that will make it stand out from the crowd (Fiat 500x, Nissan Juke, Kia Soul and Mini Countryman).  Take a closer look with my video on my Chick Car Talk @youtube channel CherryLosAngeles of the Jeep Renegade Trailblazer.
It’s design is made to accommodate 4 – 5 people, good amount of storage in the back, good price and fuel economy. It’s less than 14 fee long, has plenty of leg room and the interior is incredibly functional for the driver and passengers. It’s still all Jeep merged with an Italian blend of function and beauty.
The Renegade’s cabin fits four adults or two adults with three kids (or smaller/skinny adults) in the back or your dog kids in the back seats. It allows the sun in with removable roof panes that cover the front and back row of seats that can be stowed under the cargo floor. It has 50 cubic feet behind the front seats and the right front folds to accommodate longer items.
Depending on the trim level the materials vary from entry level (cloth seats, no AC) to Glamping with heated leather seats and steering wheel, dual-zone climate control, reconfigurable dash display, multi color leather, color coordinated trim pieces and more.
It’s a smart crossover with on demand Wi-Fi with Fiat Chrisler Automobile’s Uconnect system, charging in the front and back for devices, collision warning, automatic braking, land departure warning with correction and available on various trim model levels.
You have the option of a 1.4-liter turbo with 6-speed manual and a 2.4-liter four-cylinder with a 9-speed automatic that is great for city and country driving. I really liked the drive around Downtown Los Angeles in rush hour traffic. It handled the potholes, bike riders who weaved in and out of traffic as well as warning me about a car that was in such a hurry it wanted to merge with my Renegade! I didn’t notice any road, engine or wind noise while driving so it’s pretty quiet. I love that the Trailhawk is tall but offers great 360 degree visibility. I’m not an offroad driver  but like the the Renegade Trailhawk can handle any landscape mother nature dishes out. I live in Los Angeles so I do rarely like to drive up for skiing, hit obscure beaches and just drive along the highway to take in the beautiful sights of my adopted home state.
The Renegade isn’t a bland by committee crossover. It is eye catching so was very happy that Jeep offered it for test
drive at the LA Auto Show. If you want a small crossover that’s made for city and country living that can take you out for a night on the town or a weekend of glamping at your next festival I strongly recommend you check it out.
Jeep Renegade Trim Levels
Jeep Renegade comes in four trim levels: value-oriented Sport, mainstream Latitude, luxurious Limited, and off-road biased Trailhawk. Sport and Latitude come with the 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder and 6-speed manual gearbox, while Limited and Trailhawk get the 2.4-liter non-turbo four-cylinder and 9-speed automatic transmission; the 2.4 is optional on Sport and Latitude. The Trailhawk is all-wheel drive only, the others are front-wheel drive (labeled 4×2) with all-wheel drive (4×4) a $2,000 upgrade.
Renegade Sport 4×2 ($17,995) comes with cloth upholstery, manual 6-way driver seat, 60/40 split-fold rear seat, power door locks, rear wipe/wash, tinted glass, dual-height cargo floor, sliding-armrest console, trip computer, reading lamps, 12-volt DC outlets, sliding visors with mirrors, AM/FM 4-speaker Uconnect 3.0 stereo, 16-inch steel wheels and tire-inflator kit. Sport 4×4 ($19,995) adds to that a fold-forward passenger seat and Active Drive all-wheel drive. Sport options include manual MySky roof, Power & Air group (air conditioning, cruise control, power heated mirrors), Uconnect 5.0 with Bluetooth and SiriusXM, rearview camera, aluminum wheels, temporary-use spare and roof rails.
Renegade Latitude 4×2 ($21,295) and 4×4 ($23,295) add air conditioning, cruise control, power heated mirrors, aluminum wheels, rearview camera, fog lamps, deep-tint glass, body-color door handles and mirrors, automatic headlamps, roof rails, ambient interior lighting, seatback pockets, 180-watt 6-speaker stereo, leather-wrapped steering wheel, illuminated visor mirrors and Uconnect 5.0. Latitude offers the most cabin colors and options. Latitude may be equipped with the Advanced Technology group with lane departure warning plus, forward collision warning plus, rear park assist; Safety and Security group with blind-spot monitoring, rear cross path detection, security alarm, Keyless Enter ‘n Go; Cold Weather group with all-season floor mats, remote start for automatics, and heated front seats, steering wheel and windshield; Popular Equipment group with dual-zone climate control, remote start, 115-volt auxiliary power, 8-way power driver’s seat, 40/20/40 rear seat with pass through and armrest, Premium 9-speaker 506-w sound system; Trailer group with a Class III receiver hitch, 7- and 4-pin plugs, full-size spare; larger aluminum wheels; manual or power MySky roof; Uconnect 6.5 with navigation; SiriusXM Traffic and Travel Link; SiriusXM; HD radio.
Renegade Limited 4×2 ($24,795) and 4×4 ($26,795) upgrade further with leather upholstery and upgraded trim, dual-zone climate control, heated front and power driver seats, 18-inch aluminum wheels, 7-inch configurable dash display, 40/20/40 rear seat, wiper deicer, 115-volt AC outlet, remote start, rechargeable flashlight, black roof, dual exhaust tips, signal repeaters, carpeted floor mats, auto-dimming inside mirror and body-color lower trim with bright accents. Limited options include MySky roof, active safety packages, 506-watt audio system, Uconnect 6.5/navigation, and a trailering package.
Renegade Trailhawk ($25,995) offers three distinctive paints with black roof and neutral gray trim; a matte black hood decal is optional. Trailhawk comes with unique cloth upholstery and color scheme with red stitching, Active Drive Low, skid plates, higher ride height, 215/65R17 all-terrain tires, three tow hooks, full-size spare, removable cargo floor panel, 7-inch display, all-season mats. Most features, options and groups parallel Latitude trim, except you can not get the Advanced Technology pack and a Premium group adds leather, 40/20/40 rear seat, heated front seats and steering wheel, dual-zone climate control and some other conveniences that bring the interior close to Limited standards.
Safety features standard on all Renegades include front, front side, side-curtain and driver-knee airbags, electronic stability control with traction control, antilock brakes and brake assist, and hill-start assist. Optional safety equipment varies by trim and includes a rearview camera, rear park sensors, lane-departure warning/correction and forward collision warning with mitigation braking and blind-spot warning with cross-path detection.