2019 JEEP RENEGADE GETS MAKEOVER AND NEW ENGINE
“Wow, is that the new one? That looks really sharp!” That’s usually something I hear about an eye-catching sports car, but this interested onlooker was taking in my Jeep Renegade tester.
Jeep’s smallest sport ute gets a makeover for 2019, including a tiny new turbocharged engine and a bit of a facelift. It still isn’t a handsome beast, but it doesn’t look as goofy-nerdy as it did before, especially since it has lost the white X marks in its tail lights, which always reminded me of pedestrian crosswalk signs.
The Renegade comes in five trim levels, starting with the Sport at $28,645, and rising to my top-line Limited tester at $35,045 (which ended up at $39,765 after several options were piled on). The mid-level North and Altitude can be ordered in front- or all-wheel drive, while the Sport, Limited, and the ultra-off-roader Trailhawk drive all four tires.
The new engine is a 1.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder that makes 177 horsepower and 200 pound-feet of torque, mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission. It’s standard equipment in the Trailhawk and Limited. In the other trim levels, it’s an option over a 2.4-L four-cylinder engine that produces 180 hp and 175 lb-ft of torque.
Despite its higher torque rating, the 1.3-L engine can get wheezy when it’s asked for power. It’s not helped by the transmission, which seems to have too many gears for its own good and a habit of reaching for the top gears as often as possible in the name of fuel efficiency. It’s fine when you’re cruising along city streets, but there’s annoying lag when you really want to pass at highway speeds.
The Renegade is agile, responding quickly and accurately to steering input. The steering weight is confident at higher speeds, but it’s easy to spin it around tight parking lots. I wish the mirrors were wider, though — they’re square when they should be rectangular; as such, they don’t reveal as much to the sides as I’d like, even when they’re adjusted all the way out.
The short wheelbase and relatively narrow track give it a bouncy ride that isn’t impossible to live with, but it’s there. Chalk it up to one of those Jeep things you either understand, or you don’t.
The all-wheel system features a rear axle that automatically disconnects when the rear wheels don’t need to be powered, for extra fuel savings. When rear traction is needed, it seamlessly and immediately reconnects. A dial lets you select settings for snow, sand or mud, as well as lock the axles at low speeds.
The Trailhawk is the true rough-stuff rebel of the bunch — it’s surprising just how off-road capable it is, thanks to a Rock setting and 20:1 low-range crawl ratio exclusive to its system.
But the Limited will still get you through most tougher-than-average conditions.
The Renegade’s interior styling is plain but functional, which is fine in the lower trims, but the expanses of hard plastic looked a bit out of place with my tester’s nearly $40,000 price tag. Still, everything’s put together very well, and there are some neat styling cues, including a passenger-side handle integrated with the air vent, a handsome steering wheel, and stereo speakers embossed with the signature Jeep grille.
This is a small vehicle, and the interior reflects that. The front seats are roomy enough for all but the tallest folks, and I really like the seating position and seats that stayed comfortable on a five-hour drive. Those in the rear seats will notice a lack of knee room if the front seats aren’t slid considerably forward. The cargo compartment is equally narrow, with a maximum of 524 L of space when the rear seats are up, although an adjustable cargo floor panel adds some storage flexibility.
All Renegade trim levels include air conditioning, push-button start, heated mirrors and Bluetooth audio streaming, but you have to go one step from the Sport to the North to get dual-zone automatic climate control, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and automatic headlamps.
On my Limited tester, the goodies include a customizable instrument cluster, 40/20/40-split folding rear seat with a pass-through (the others are 60/40), a 115-volt power outlet, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, heated seats and steering wheel, rain-sensing wipers and a 12-way power-adjustable driver’s seat.
Just about everything is simple and easy to use, including climate control functions operated with big buttons and a dial. The heated seats and steering wheel are accessed through the touch screen, though, requiring extra steps over a button on the dash.
The centre screen gets larger as the trim gets higher, but all use Chrysler’s Uconnect system, which is one of the best for ease of use. I had an upgraded version, which bumped it from the Limited’s stock seven-inch screen to 8.4, and added navigation. Driving.ca