WASHINGTON — Small crossovers are all the rage lately, and the subcompact market seems to have popped up seemingly overnight with most manufacturers in the market or entering it quickly.
I drove the Renegade Sport last year and was surprised by its roominess. That lower-trim-level ride carried a wallet-friendly price and manual transmission, but it didn’t have all the options most people seek when buying.
So this time around, I drove a more-decked-out Latitude model with all the bells and whistles and a price near $30,000.
This Jeep Renegade has something that many of its competitors don’t have: interior space.
With most subcompacts, I wouldn’t dare try to put three kids in the back seat. Yet with this little Jeep, I had no problem putting in an infant carrier with its base, a forward-facing seat and a booster. Some larger vehicles can’t do that.
And for adults, those rear seats offer good headroom and decent legroom. The room in the front is also good, and the driver’s seat had the optional eight-way power adjustments and four-way lumbar adjustments for additional comfort.
This Renegade had the optional NAV with a larger 6.5-inch screen and Uconnect, which is one of the easier-to-use systems. The rear backup camera is standard in the Latitude trim level and allows you to fit in some tight spots. My tester also had the My Sky power retractable-and-removable roof panels. It takes up valuable cargo space if the two panels are removed on the go, so plan accordingly.
The Sport I drove last year had a small turbo four-cylinder engine; the Latitude has a larger 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with more power but no manual option. There is only a nine-speed automatic option that seems fussy at times — sometimes taking time to shift for passing or accelerating. Other times, it is a smooth operator in normal driving, offering near seamless shifting.
The power is good, but it didn’t seem quite as smooth-sounding as the little turbo engine, and the fuel economy was less. l managed 23.8 mpg, compared with over 26 mpg last year on the Sport.
The ride is very agreeable and one of the better-driving subcompact crossovers, with nice manners on the highway and city streets. This is very easy to drive in small spaces as it’s not very long and pretty nimble. There is some wind noise at higher speeds, however.
Smaller Jeeps just don’t quite seem to have that complete look that screams Jeep. But the Renegade finally hits the mark with that all-important look without giving up something in the name of cost cutting. The Renegade has that boxy body style with large round headlights and the grill. (It has to have seven vertical openings!)
Even the side view is that blocky look of a Jeep, and it defies that taller-car look of some other smaller Jeeps. This tester looks better with the optional 17-inch wheels, which give it a more polished appearance.
The Jeep Renegade is the little crossover with plenty of space for adults inside, and it has the look of a rough-and-tumble go-anywhere Jeep. The Latitude trim level gives you the creature comforts you’re looking for to help you cope with the mean streets in that everyday commute.
Editor’s note: Mike Parris is a member of the Washington Automotive Press Association. The vehicles are provided by STI, FMI or Event Solutions for the purpose of this review.
