The 2016 Jeep Renegade is meant for those SUV seekers that want both off-road and on-road capabilities thanks to a punchy engine, trail-rated capabilities, a pretty agile handling and quite a unique styling.
The problem with this SUV stands in the low fuel economy and the fact that there are some better SUVs when referring to reliability. Also, the list of standard features is quite short when looking at this class. You will be drawn in by the price tag but if you want new technology, the price does go up quite a lot. Even so, the performance offered in the subcompact SUV class is pretty good when looking at off-roading. If this is what you like, the Jeep is great.
Performance
The 2016 Jeep Renegade is great for those drivers that often find themselves off the regular path. That is especially the case when going for the 4 wheel drive version. You will enjoy driving the SUV on steep inclines, rocky trails and dirt paths. Really rugged terrain is a breeze when you get Active Drive Low in the special Trailhawk trim.
When talking about pavement driving, you have sharp steering and agile handling. Not much body lean appears when cornering and composition is high at a higher speed. The standard engine is 160 hp 4 cylinder turbocharged with good acceleration. You have access to a manual 6 speeds gearbox as standard and can go for an automatic gearbox.
The big problem with the performance of the 2015 Jeep Renegade is that many of the market alternatives will be more fuel-efficient. This includes the Honda HR-V, Mazda CX-3 and Chevrolet Trax.
Interior
Most of the main points use upscale materials. The cabin design is quite attractive and we do have an upscale feel. Sass is present inside and mud splatter paint is quite an interesting choice. The seats are supportive in front and can be described as quite comfortable in the back. There is proper passenger space present with headroom being especially good.
The cargo area available is quite good and enough for most people. Options available are enough but most people will want to opt for the all-wheel drive option so you need to add around $2,000 to the price you see in the catalogue.
Safety – Reliability
The 2016 Jeep Renegade got a 4 star rating in rollover protection, the same in front protection and 5 stars in side car crash protection in the tests done by NHTSA. Similar ratings were gained in the IHS tests. This means that there are a couple of ratings that are better for similar SUVs. Most of the safety technology included is also available with the competition.
The problem appears when looking at reliability since it is quite low in this class. Lower maintenance costs appear in other SUVs.
Conclusions
We can say that 2016 Jeep Renegade is a really good compact SUV. The main competition is Kia Soul, Buick Encore and Nissan Juke. Jeep’s SUV is better than them, sportier and quitter. However, other SUVs are better for most interested buyers. We do see a versatile vehicle but not many advantages exist to warrant a high ranking.
