2022 Jeep Renegade

Overview

Sharing the same platform as the Fiat 500X, the Jeep Renegade is among the most compact SUVs from Stellantis. And, in fact, it is the best off-roader in the segment, something that is quite expected coming from Jeep. The interior quality is still cheaper even if you opt for the higher trims. Leaving all the negatives aside, there are a few points to look up to if you are considering this cheaper Jeep. It now comes loaded with driver assistance features including blindspot monitoring, lane-departure warning, forward collision mitigation, and trailer sway damping. For a sub $23,000 crossover, the feature list is quite rich. Jeep dropped the 2.5-liter naturally aspirated engine for the 1.3-liter turbocharged engine which was optional prior to the 2022 model year. The engine has less power but more torque, especially lower in the rev range. The standard seven-inch center-mounted infotainment display gets upgraded to a slightly bigger 8.4-inch unit along with standard navigation. The top-of-the-line Limited trim gets a slightly different grille design, segregating it from the other trims.

Trims and Features

Jeep has trimmed down the list to only Sport, Latitude, Limited, and Trailhawk. All four trims get powered by a 1.3-liter turbocharged inline-four engine with 177 horsepower and 190 pound-feet of torque. All trims have AWD as standard except for the base Sport trim. AWD is optional on the base trim though. Down below is the detailed trims and features list for your convenience.

Sport.
Price: $22,495.

• Heated exterior mirrors.
• 16-inch steel wheels.
• Removable cargo floor panel.
• Dual-zone automatic climate control.
• Keyless ignition.
• 8.4-inch touchscreen infotainment display.
• Six-speaker audio system.
• Manually adjustable driver seat.
• Foldable front passenger seat.
• SiriusXM.
• Navigation system.
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.
• 60/40-split folding rear seats.

Standard driver assistance features are available with the Renegade are:

• Lane-departure warning.
• Forward collision warning.
• Blindspot monitoring.
• Trailer sway damping.

Sport Appearance package.

• Roof rails.
• Tinted rear mirrors.
• Alloy wheels.

Latitude.
Price: $26,495.

• 17-inch alloys.
• All-wheel drive.
• Automatic headlamps.
• Foglights.
• Keyless entry.
• Roof rails.
• Keyless ignition.
• Updated driver information display.
• Quality cloth upholstery.
• USB ports at the rear.

Sun and Sound Group package.

• Nine-speaker premium Kenwood audio system.
• Panoramic sunroof.

Altitude package.

• Premium cloth upholstery.
• 18-inch blacked-out wheels.
• Exterior blacked-out trims.

Convenience Group package.

• Auto-dimming rearview mirror.
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel with heating options.
• Rain-sensing automatic wipers and de-icer.
• Power-adjustable driver seat.
• Multi-level heated front seats.
• 115-volt power outlet.

Limited.
Price: $29,995.

• Full-leather upholstery.
• Convenience Group package features.
• 18-inch alloys.

Luxury Group package.

• LED adaptive headlights.
• Rear automatic braking.
• Rear parking sensors.
• Adaptive cruise control.
• Automated parking system.

Trailhawk.
Price: $29,995.

• All-terrain tires fitted with 17-inch wheels.
• Convenience Group package.
• Rugged exterior accents.
• Unique interior design.
• Skid plates under the body.
• Higher suspension.
• Full-size spare tire.
• Hill descent control.
• Black hood decal with a matte finish.

Luxury Group package.

• Leather upholstery.
• LED headlights.

Trailer Tow Group package.

• Four-pin wiring harness.
• Class III rated towing hitch.

Exterior: Boxy but cute-looking Jeep

There isn’t much to talk about the when it comes to the Renegade’s appearance, as it has been the same since the revamp it got in 2019. The signature seven-slot grille along with rounded headlamps are just typically Jeep. While the lower trims get halogens as headlamps, the Limited and Trailhawk can be equipped with LEDs. The Trailhawk has bigger front and rear bumpers with skid plates, essentials for off-roading. The huge squared-out wheel arches contribute to the boxy design with the retro-themed attire making it stand out in the competition. The Renegade comes fitted with LED DRLs and heated exterior mirrors as standard, whereas adaptive headlamps, power-adjustable mirrors, rain-sensing wipers, and foglights are available across the trim list. 16-inch steel wheels are what you are going to get if you choose to stick with the base Sport trim. However, you can get up to 19-inch alloys as you climb the trim hill. The rear has LED taillights resembling the jerrycans from WWII. There is a single exhaust tailpipe on the right and is surrounded by a huge plastic cladding acting as a bash plate.

This mini off-roader weighs 3,161 pounds in its standard form and is among the heaviest, but is just below the CX-30. The overall length is set at 166.6 inches whereas it is 73.9 inches wide and 66.5 inches tall. The ground clearance is set at 6.7 inches which does not look like much and is not trail-rated either. The CX-30 and the Seltos have higher ground clearance of up to eight inches. The wheelbase is among the shortest with 101.2 inches. So, you are looking at the most compact SUV in the competition.

Interior: Cheaper Jeep is just the way it should feel

Similar to the exterior, you will realize how compact the Renegade is on the inside. Also, the cabin is full of weird shapes and trimmings, surrounded by plastics. However, one big noticeable difference between the outgoing model year and the new 2022 model year would be the bigger eight-inch infotainment screen. Pretty much everything stays the same like the front seat passenger grab-handle, the easy-to-use control buttons on the lower dash, a beautiful three-spoke steering wheel, and the analog-digital instrument console. As you pay more for the higher trims, features like a leather-wrapped and heated steering wheel, heated seats, upgraded cloth or leather upholstery, and even a bunch of USB ports get installed. Jeep has mainstreamed the dual-zone automatic climate control, along with a navigation system as standard. The cabin is generally comfortable, but one thing that disappointed us was the sound insulation. The Renegade’s boxy design is the least aerodynamic, causing wind noises at higher speeds. However, the cabin design gives an upper hand to the ingress and egress and also allows taller occupants to be more comfortable. The cloth seats are quite comfortable but the upgraded cloth or the premium leather upholstery would do better if you are looking for long-range comfort.

The interior space is just adequate and nothing unusual in the sub-compact segment. Up to five people can sit with more than adequate headroom on both rows. The front row has 41.2 inches of legroom while the rear has only 35.1 inches. The rear has a class-leading headroom of 40.5 inches which is definitely a plus point since the legroom is minimal. The Seltos is the only option with a slightly spacious rear legroom while the CX-30 and the Kona are similar to the Renegade with about 35 inches of rear legroom. In terms of added practicality, the cargo capacity available with the Renegade is just 18.5 cubic feet, which is the lowest among itscompetitors. The Seltos again takes the crown with 26.6 cubic feet of space. Also, keep in mind that it is not as compact in size as the Renegade. Here are the key interior features that come equipped with the 2022 Renegade:

• Dual-zone automatic climate control.
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel with multi-level heating.
• Premium cloth seats with multi-level heating options.
• Optional leather upholstery.
• Power-adjustable driver seat with power lumbar.
• Keyless ignition.
• Upgraded driver information display.
• Optional panoramic sunroof.

The new Renegade gets upgraded to the latest Uconnect system which has been one of the most-intuitive systems that we have experienced and the new 2022 model year gets a new 8.4-inch display at the center. Every Renegade gets a navigation system along with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity. Other standard features include a six-speaker audio unit, satellite radio, and Bluetooth connectivity. Other optional infotainment system features that are worth the mentions are:

• Rear USB ports.
• 115-volt power outlet.
• Nine-speaker Kenwood premium audio unit.

Performance and Handling: Unrefined and not the best you could get for the price

The Renegade is no longer available with the 2.4-liter naturally aspirated inline-four and can only be had with the once-optional 1.3-liter turbocharged four-pot. Neither of the two engines is potent, to be very honest, but the new standard 1.3-liter makes 177 horsepower and 210 pound-feet of max torque. This means that the torque is available from the get-go, unlike the previous standard engine. The useful torque gives an edge in off-road conditions but not on the road, as the peak power is available post 5,000 revs. Also, according to our previous testings, the engine is relatively unrefined and that impression is mainly because of the nine-speed automatic transmission. As there are no claims about any rework on the drivetrain, the gearbox will be the same and would ruin the driving expectations as it is not as intelligent as the options like, let’s say the CX-30’s automatic gearbox. The engine drives the front wheels as standard but all-wheel drive is available as an option on the base Sport trim while it is standard on the other three trims. The Renegade can tow up to 2,000 pounds but Jeep recommends towing only with the AWD-equipped Renegades. If you want good performance in the segment, then you have nothing more than the CX-30 or the Hyundai Kona N-Line with a more engaging experience.

The Renegade performs as expected and that comes forth when you put in straight-line accelerations. Car And Driver tested the earlier Renegade with the 1.3-liter engine and has recorded 0-60 miles per hour in nine seconds. A quarter-mile timing of 17.1 seconds has been recorded by them too. The test vehicle was equipped with AWD, so if you are thinking of getting the base trim then the 0-60 will take about half a second extra and that would be the same with the quarter-mile timings. Now, the Renegade is an off-road biased crossover, so the driving impression you want to hear about is how it performs off the tarmac. Well, you are about to get a big list of issues that we have encountered with the outgoing model year. First of all, the steering feedback is not up to the mark unless you opt for the top-tier Trailhawk trim. The suspension is relatively soft on the highways but does not perform well over uneven surfaces, or let’s say rocks. A few driving modes: Snow, Mud, Rock, are available though and it comes with the hill-descent assist.

Fuel Economy

The 1.3-liter engine does decent when it comes to fuel economy, nothing exceptional though as the power is lower than most of the competition’s base naturally aspirated engines. The EPA rates the FWD Renegade with 24/32/27 for the city/highway/combined while the AWD variants get 23/29/26. The highway figures take a serious dip with the AWD. The Kona gets the best ratings in the given competition with 30/35/32 but the engine is not as powerful as the rest of the crossovers. The CX-30 would be the best if you consider both performance and good fuel economy. Jeep has packed a smaller 12.7-gallon gas tank with the Renegade and that will return about 290 miles in the city and 368 miles on the highways with the AWD guise.

How safe is the 2022 Jeep Renegade?

Not a lot of crossovers in the price segment offer a set of advanced driver assistance features equal to that of the Renegade. As standard, Jeep has fitted their cheapest SUV with blindspot monitoring, forward collision mitigation, lane-departure warning, and trailer sway damping. It is a huge step above the competition and Jeep will take all the credit for that. As for the safety ratings, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has rated the Renegade with four out of five stars while the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety with their more heavy testing has rated “Good”, mostly. A few of the optional safety features that are available with the higher trim levels are as follows:

• Adaptive cruise control.
• Rear cross-traffic alert.
• Adaptive headlights.
• Rear parking sensors.
• Rear automatic braking.
• Parking assist.

Should you consider the 2022 Jeep Renegade over the competition?

In short, the answer is both yes and no. If your priority is to do off-roading but on a budget, then you will be happy most of the time with the Renegade. It is the only off-road-centric compact SUV in the segment with a few off-road-centric driving modes, and loads of standard safety tech. Not to forget the lackluster powertrain and the immature gearbox, but the overall package seems to be just fine. But, if you look outside the Jeep ecosystem, the Mazda CX-30 is a great compact SUV, and even the Kia Seltos is worth of consideration. Both of them offer better performance and a more modern and pleasant cabin.

FAQ.

How much does the Jeep Renegade cost?
The 2022 model year of the Renegade will start from $22,495 and will go up to $29,995 with the range-topping Limited and Trailhawk.

How reliable is the Jeep Renegade?
The 2020 Renegade was recalled twice until now which isn’t bad for six years of service and the J.D. Power rated the Renegade with 80/100 under the “Quality & Reliability” section.

How well does the Renegade perform under snowy conditions?
According to experts, the 4x4 really helps the Renegade to have traction even when it is snowing. The Selec-Terrain Traction Management is the real key.

How efficient is the 2022 Renegade in terms of fuel consumption?
The AWD-equipped Renegade returns 23/29/26 for the city/highway/combined, according to the EPA.