2016 Jeep Renegade review, test drive

 

Jeep has worked its off-road magic into this small SUV as well and it really does have the chops to keep up with the best of the lot. The cars we drove on the trail featured the 2.4-litre Tigershark petrol motor which makes 180hp of power. Out on the trails, the 237Nm of torque, in conjunction with the  highly capable four-wheel-drive system was enough to propel the Renegade over obstacles, provided one wasn’t being too ham-fisted. The Renegade’s permanent four-wheel-drive system does require a special mention as it proved to be more than up to the task of tackling trails which could leave other small SUVs stuck. Called ‘Jeep Active Drive’, it features a rear axle disconnect system that seamlessly switches between front-wheel drive during normal operation and all-wheel drive when traction needs change. It also features a ‘Selec-Terrain’ dial that allows you to select what sort of surface you’re driving on, resulting in the system automatically changing the way it behaves. And if you like, you can even lock the system into four-wheel drive. Now we didn’t get a chance to drive the Trailhawk model of the Renegade, which is "Trail Rated” with its higher ground clearance, increased approach, departure and breakover angles and low-range selector for the four-wheel drive system. But even without that, the way this car handles off-roads, as long as you show reasonable caution, is truly remarkable.

 

 

While the Renegade did prove to be surprisingly good off the road, its on-road manners were even better. We got to sample both the nine-speed automatic transmission as well as the six-speed manual, and both performed exemplarily on tarmac. The auto ‘box didn’t feel as quick to shift as the one on the Grand Cherokee (though both are similar nine-speed units), but it was quite seamless on both up and down shifts. The manual one, however, was a delight to drive. The car is set up quite well for use on the blacktop. Independent MacPherson struts all around and a stiff body structure make for great on-road manners, regardless of whether you’re tackling bad roads or smooth corners. While we didn’t get to do too much corner-carving mayhem on this drive, whatever the roads did throw at the Renegade, it took it in its stride. We also got to try out the 1.4-litre MultiAir II turbocharged petrol motor which is good for 160hp of power and at 250Nm, more torque than the larger capacity Tigershark unit. Performance isn’t what you might call blistering, even with the manual transmission. However, nowhere does it feel boring.