If you said to a group of your friends you were thinking about buying a ‘Jeep’ – most of them would immediately say ‘why are you buying something the Army used to use’ – and you would then need to spend the rest of your life telling them that we no longer live in 1943 and that the Jeep you are referring to is a modern vehicle for the modern motorist.
So when I was recently offered the chance to give the New Jeep Renegade the full work down I was more than happy to oblige.
Power and Efficiency:
The Renegade was fitted with a140bhp 2.0 MultiJet II diesel engine that is punchy, brisk and actually quite refined – which is partly thanks to the 350Nm of torque it has available. The engine also feels very much alive and this has only added to the excitement of driving the Renegade.
Top speed is 113mph along with a decent 0-62 time of around 10sec. Fuel economy is also rather good considering its size – and on the combined cycle I achieved 47.2mpg which was actually mostly done on urban roads.
On the road:
The Renegade was also fitted with a 9-Speed Automatic gearbox with the addition of 4WD functionality. On the tarmac it actually feels really good, and on the farm tracks on the outskirts of Staffordshire, it just kept on going and there really was very little to complain about.
Remember, this is not a Range Rover, but it does have an ability to do on and off-road rather well and I was really impressed. Although I fear most Renegade owners will never actually take their car off-road.
I am going to say though that I found the ride to be a little too soft, but the Renegade happily gets a move on when the need arises and on the motorway it was reasonably quiet, so I am happy to forgive it for not being completely perfect.
Design & Technology
The Renegade for some may not be the prettiest looking car – but it does offer fun and functionality – which is what ‘Jeep’ ownership is all about.
Then again, you will either love or hate its quirky looks. Yes, it is a bit boxy and in your face, which was the first impression I got when it arrived on my drive – although my views soon changed and I have grown to like it quite a lot actually.
Some of standard equipment on the Renegade comes in the form of: Ambient Light (LED), forward collision warning-plus mitigation and Lanesense™, plus Lane departure warning, rear parking sensors, all speed traction control, Start & Stop, 6 Speaker audio system, 6 Airbags, Dual zone climate control, Premium instrument cluster with 7” colour TFT display, Uconnect 6.5” DAB radio with touchscreen, satellite navigation and Bluetooth ® and cruise control.
To sum up: The Renegade is not a one size fits all – but saying that neither is a pair of trousers.
Price from: £28,295
1 comment
I adore it! When is it for sale?
http://www.truck1.eu/delivery-vans