Back in 2014, the Jeep Renegade became the first Jeep to be built in Italy - as a result of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles taking over Jeep. While it shared its underpinnings with the Fiat 500X, the boxy-styled Renegade went onto become the 'Jeep' of B-segment crossovers.
Thanks to its all-wheel drive system it was pretty unique in the rapidly growing subcompact SUV class, with its increased ride height and “Selec-Terrain” four-wheel drive giving it admirable ability if ever you wanted to get a little dirty.
For 2018, it has been refreshed with subtle design tweaks and new motors. On the aesthetic front, there are new LED headlights and taillights, new 19-inch wheels and revised front bumpers on Limited cars, whilst the interior gains a panoramic sunroof and an 8.4-inch UConnect infotainment display with smartphone compatibility via Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. There’s new safety assistance tech for the facelift Renegade as well - Lane departure warning, ‘Intelligent speed assist’, and automatic parking as well. Boot space is still 351 litres, and this extends to 1297 litres with the seats down.
The biggest change though comes under the hood. There are two new petrol MultiAir motors – a turbocharged 1.0-litre three-cylinder and a turbocharged 1.3-litre four-cylinder that is available in two states of tune. The 1.0-litre outputs 88kw and is available with a 6-speed manual transmission, while the 1.3-litre will produce either 110kw or 133kw. Confusingly, the 110kw gets paired with a 6-speed dual-clutch transmission, and the 133kw variant gets a 9-speed automatic. Only the range-topping 133kw can be specced with all-wheel drive, while the others remain front-wheel driven.
There are two diesel variants too – a 1.6-litre derivative and a 2.0-litre MultiJet available in two outputs. The 1.6-litre produces 88kw and gets front-wheel drive and a 6-speed dual clutch transmission, while the 2.0-litre is available in either 103kw or 127kw, and gets a 9-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive.
While Jeep South Africa are yet to reveal engine, specifications and pricing on the upcoming Renegade, the new model is expected to launch in SA in Q3 2018, so expect more information closer to the time.
