Jeep Renegade – first drive

Meet the new Jeep Renegade – a “baby” Jeep with an Italian accent…

The Jeep Renegade is a significant achievement because it’s the first product of the Fiat-Chrysler union – jointly developed by American and Italian designers and engineers.

It’s also the first model in Jeep’s history to be built in Italy (at the Melfi plant near Naples).

The big question is whether this small SUV is worthy of the iconic Jeep badge?

One thing’s for sure, heritage is hugely important to Jeep and this car has plenty of nods to the past, including a seven-slot grille, large circular headlamps and Wrangler-like square tail-lights, while the multimedia touchscreen surround is embossed with “Since 1941”.

When the Renegade goes on sale in the UK in 2015, it will come in four different trim levels – Sport, Longitude, Limited and Trailhawk, offers six petrol and diesel engines, plus 4WD and front wheel drive configurations.

I tried the 1.4 petrol, 1.6 diesel and 2.0 diesel engines with automatic (nine-speed!) and six-speed manual gearboxes.

But first, let’s deal with the elephant in the room – looks.

The new Renegade’s boxy profile may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but trust me, the shape grows on you.

And let’s face it, quirky is the name of the game in this segment – just look at some of its rivals, such as the Skoda Yeti, Nissan Juke and Kia Soul. Other possible competitors include everything from the Nissan Qashqai to the Mini Countryman.

However, unlike some of its rivals, it has real off-road capabilities too…

The 1.6 diesel will probably be the biggest seller in the UK, where rain and slush are about the most extreme weather conditions most compact SUVs experience. The 2.0 diesel 4WD easily handled a cross-country “soft-roading” route, but it’s the Trailhawk that has serious off-road capability.

In fact, the Trailhawk was hard to fault over a challenging course, taking sharp hills and drops, rough terrain, plus deep ruts and massive holes in its stride thanks to its extra ride height and straightforward in-car settings.

In fact, you could call it idiot-proof all-terrain motoring – on the main dial you simply select Auto, Snow, Mud, Sand and Rock.

The Renegade is a well built, solid car and it genuinely has an air of quality. The only let down for me inside was the cheap feel and look to the plastics used on the inside door cappings and that “Since 1941” mock-metallic multimedia surround.

The engines are generally good, though I’d avoid the refined but gutless 1.4 petrol and opt for one of the diesels. The 1.6 diesel is powerful enough for everyday driving, while the 2.0-litre has all the punch you’ll need for on and off-road driving and is low key at motorway speeds – so much so that you notice the road noise which is a little higher than one would expect.

There are currently no official MPG economy figures available, but we assume 30-50mpg to be within range, depending on the engine.

The car handles well too, especially the bigger engined versions – a good compromise between a stiff suspension set-up and moderate body roll needed for off-roading.

Inside the seats are supportive and comfortable, though I’d opt for the darker leather examples which look especially durable. The interior is roomy and well designed with plenty of space for four adults, while the boot is comparable with its rivals. Clear dials and instruments for the driver and plenty of storage round off the interior.

UK prices could start around £17,000 with the Trailhawk weighing in at nearer £27,000.

There’s also a dizzying range of options and more than 100 accessories available specifically for the Renegade, taking personalisation to a new level.

These are only our first impressions, but the Renegade is a pleasant surprise. Not only are you getting a lot of genuinely rugged car for your money, but you’re also buying into an iconic brand – all 73 years of it.