Jeep Renegade
It does much well but here are some things it could do better
How we’d make it even better
Having lived with the Renegade for six months now, I’ve been impressed by its talents. However, I have started to put together a wishlist of ‘improvements’ that would make it absolutely perfect for my needs – which are, I admit, fairly specific.
For a start, I need the boot to be at least 100mm longer. I know that is quite a demand, considering the car’s dimensions, but it wouldn’t need to affect the wheelbase. Although its short overhangs are an advantage during parking, it leaves a bit to be desired when it comes to boot space.
I carry bulky camera bags and because the rear wheel arches impinge on the internal space, I often resort to stowing some of my kit on the back seats. I usually carry only one passenger at most, but I can imagine the Tetris-style challenge a 2+3 family would have to endure when making, say, a trip to the beach.
The height-adjustable boot floor would be useful but for the fact that my Renegade carries a full-sized spare alloy wheel in its lower cavity. I’d be very thankful of the spare if I ever had an emergency, but I can’t help but wonder if Jeep could have recessed it further to allow more depth and space in the boot.
Cabin noise really needs to be improved, too. At 70mph, it is one of the noisiest vehicles I’ve driven and I find I have to really crank up the stereo to drown out the road roar.
Also, although the tall, boxy frame allows a lot of light to pour into the cabin and enhances the sense of space, the amount of side-on glare you get on bright sunny days is offputting. Neither the sunvisor nor sunglasses do much to help. I don’t understand why manufacturers can’t employ a roller-blind-style system that can be pulled down a bit further but folds away into the rooflining when not in use. No car driver needs a vanity mirror on a sunvisor because they have smartphone cameras.
The Renegade’s powertrain could also do with more refinement when the car is idling at junctions and traffic lights. If the stop/start system doesn’t engage and you wait with your foot on the brake, the car vibrates and feels like it is trying to lurch forward like an over-eager Jack Russell straining against a leash.