2017 Jeep Renegade Altitude new car reviews

If you want to be a new Jeep owner, the Renegade is the most attainable model. Jeep's least expensive model can be purchased for $17,995. However, our test vehicle was an optioned-out example of the Altitude trim, which meant the sticker price ballooned up to $32,195.

That meant we were getting the bigger 2.4-liter engine and all the convenience and safety options you'll usually find in a modern crossover.

Other staff views

David S. Wallens
Editorial Director

The Renegade and I had the following conversation:

“You’re a Fiat.”

“No I’m not, look at my seven slot grille.”

“You’re a Fiat.”

“No I’m not, look at all of these clever Jeep icons. I got Jeep logos and stuff on my headlights, my taillights, my speaker surrounds. I even have a Jeep hiding on my windshield. Plus right there in the center of the dash is my bonafides: ‘since 1941.’”

“You’re a Fiat.”

“Did mention the Sasquatch hiding on my rear window? Jeep people love Sasquatch.”

“Okay, fine, you’re a Jeep.”

The Renegade is a close cousin of the Fiat 500X but has been fitted with Jeep-like styling, Jeep-like knobby tires and a burly Jeep-like interior. I don’t see people cross-shopping this against a Wrangler, but I can see where it gives the brand an entry-level offering. Want to send the kids to school in a new vehicle that bears the Jeep name? Step right up.

First impressions: It looks like a Jeep. Kinda.

Second impressions: Fairly roomy cockpit. The back seat is ample.

According to the paperwork, our car had the nine-speed automatic transmission. A few of those gears must be hiding. I would have sworn that this had an old-school, four-speed automatic–harsh shifts and much reluctance to kick down a gear.

There’s a fair bit of wind and road noise, too. Fuel economy is only in the mid-20s.

And the price for all of this? Our fairly loaded example–4x4, MySky giant sunroofs and a host of options–stickered at $32,195. That seems a bit steep to me, and I’m going to guess that most consumers go with the FWD model and spend less. The base car starts at $17,995 and comes with a 1.4-liter turbo engine–something you have probably seen before inside a certain little Italian car.

Tom Suddard
Publisher

I wanted to like the Renegade. I really did—heck, when they came out, I even found myself test-driving one at the local dealer, convinced I’d found my next daily driver.

But it’s just, so… average. I think it looks cool, and I like the idea of it–a small SUV-ish vehicle with just enough four-wheel-drive to make it to my parent’s cabin, but not enough to tank fuel milage. But it drives like, well, I honestly don’t remember, and I just drove it a few days ago. It’s boring, and that cool, boxy shape doesn’t seem to have translated to interior space. One magazine called its larger brother, the Cherokee, a “reverse Tardis,” referring to the larger-on-the-inside-than-outside phone booth that Dr. Who flies around the universe. I’d go a step further and say the Renegade is like a reverse Tardis on a diet, and I filled the little Jeep from floor to ceiling with a small magazine booth, even stacking magazines on the front seat. It’s just not that big, despite the exterior being larger than it looks in photos.

Don’t get me wrong—I still think the Renegade looks cool. I think it’s awesome that you can buy a turbocharged, manual-transmission four-wheel-drive Jeep for $20k, though our test car was optioned up with the “big” 2.4-liter engine and an automatic, ramping the total up above $32,000. Also cool: Our Renegade had removable roof panels, meaning you could get a Wrangler-esque feel if you were willing to read instructions, find the panel unlock key, and tessellate them into their storage cubby in the trunk. I did do all that, then remembered this is Florida, and one doesn’t drive without A/C in August.

Overall, the Renegade is cool. And I still have a soft spot for it. But it’s not as cool as I think it should be, and it’s not for me.

PunchyWrench - Ed Higginbotham
UberDork

Okay, to start: It's cool that you can get a Jeep for less than $20,000.

But our $32,000 Renegade seemed hard pressed to prove its worth. The removable roof panels were a cool touch, and the navigation and infotainment unit was good. But it just didn't do it for me.

I think if I were looking at the stripped-down version for $17,995, my tune might change a little.

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