2015 Jeep Renegade

Sub-compact - CUV

​​        With a final grade of 46.96%, the new Renegade just misses getting a Rusty award.  That is a good thing since it is always bad to start off at rock bottom.  Too bad this little Jeep does not have the heart and soul of the Jeep brand.  I guess someone saw only dollar signs with Jeep, and not a brand that needs to stay true to its heart and soul.

    Back during WWII one company had a great vision of building an all terrain for the military.  Today you can still get a civilian version of that vision.  But within the last decade it seems that what originally made Jeep the world SUV power it is today, started to slip away.  Today we have full proof that only profit is a concern at Jeep, not building the best utility vehicles in the world.  I guess that torch has been passed onto Land Rover. 

    Today it seems that Jeep thinks it can build an entry level model to help make the brand more profitable.  To do this, they ripped the heart and soul of the company out and sold it off to the highest bidder.  After that they took their money and pooled it together with Fiat and built the 2015 Renegade.  For those who thought the Compass was a disgrace to this brand, then take a look at what is below that

​    Up front the new Renegade still carries the famous Jeep grille and headlights, highlighted with chrome insets.  Add to that a hood borrowed from the Commander and a whole lot of plastic, and you get an entry level Jeep.  I guess someone lost touch with their inspiration when it came to the bumper.  Maybe next time, they should go with a chrome or steel bumper.  That could make things look a bit better.
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​    Along the side the Renegade gets a bit better.  The plastic cladding is toned down a bit, and the hard lines from the hood get smoothed out. It seems someone was paying close attention to their consumer base and added in some over sized windows, to help customers see everything around them.  The one downside is the over sized mirrors.  Next time go with something smaller.

    Out back is where you really start to see the tale of three different worlds.  I guess the original designer fell asleep and his partner had to finish the proposal.  One world is made of too much plastic, with the second world being overshadowed by tail lights and the third world being a giant glass atrium.  The one cool thing about this rear, is that the X really does mark the spot.

    Overall this could be a good entry level model, of course that is if people don't realize that this is just a Fiat 500L Trekking.  Once they figure that out, they may just opt for the Fiat instead.

Everett J.

OVERALL GRADE = C-

​Front End: C-
    Good: Dark side headlights and fog-lights
    Bad: Two separate worlds
Rear End: C-
    Good: X-marks the taillight design
    Bad: A tale of three worlds
Side: C+
    Good: Big and useful windows
    Bad: All too simple
Overall Grade: C-
    Good: Still has that off-road appeal
    Bad: Too much plastic and is one sad looking Jeep

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AutoLooks Buy List Approved:    Maybe
Recommended Tuner:                   No
Tend Setter:                                     No
Brand Value:                                   Decrease

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