Jeep Renegade review
The Jeep Renegade is a funky and characterful compact SUV that brings iconic American styling and genuine off-road ability to the city streets.
Author: Charlie Harvey
22nd Dec 2025 – 8 mins read
The Jeep Renegade, which launched in 2014, is a car that injects a dose of fun and adventure into the crowded compact SUV market. It takes Jeep's legendary off-road heritage and wraps it in a stylish, city-friendly package. Sharing some of its DNA with the Fiat 500X, the Renegade has a unique personality that sets it apart from the crowd, with chunky looks and lots of clever design details that nod to its famous wartime ancestors. While it’s great fun to look at and surprisingly capable when the tarmac ends, the Renegade isn’t without its compromises. It can be a bit noisy on the move, and the interior quality isn’t quite up to the standard of some rivals. However, if you’re looking for a small SUV with a big personality that doesn't take itself too seriously, and you love the idea of having a car that can actually handle a bit of mud, the Jeep Renegade is a charming and quirky choice.
Pros
- Superb off-road ability on four-wheel-drive models
- Spacious cabin for passengers
- Funky and characterful styling
Cons
- The cabin can be relatively noisy at speed
- Reliability is a potential question mark
- It's more expensive than a few key rivals
Interior
Dashboard & tech
The inside of the Renegade is just as characterful as the outside. It’s full of fun design details, or 'Easter eggs', that pay tribute to Jeep's history. The dashboard is chunky and functional, and while some of the plastics feel a bit hard and cheap, the main sections use soft-touch materials which lift the overall feel.
A five-inch Uconnect touchscreen infotainment system is standard on entry-level models, but most versions get a larger, more user-friendly screen. You can spot the influence of its parent company, Fiat, in some of the switchgear, like the steering wheel. It’s not the most premium-feeling cabin in the class, but it’s full of personality and is a fun place to be.
Comfort
The Renegade’s boxy shape is great for passenger comfort. There’s plenty of headroom all around, and lots of space for those in the front and back to get comfortable. It's a surprisingly roomy car for its size.
However, the driving experience isn't the most refined. The cabin can be quite noisy, with both wind noise and road noise being quite noticeable, especially on the motorway. The ride is generally comfortable, but it’s a car that feels more at home on a rugged trail than it does cruising silently for hundreds of miles.
Quality
Jeep doesn’t have the strongest reputation for reliability, and neither does Fiat, which provides many of the Renegade's underpinnings. While the interior is full of character, the quality of the materials is a bit of a mixed bag. Some of the plastics and switches feel a little flimsy, which lets down the overall sense of quality compared to more mainstream rivals. It's a car you buy with your heart more than your head, so it's wise to check that everything works and that the car has a full service history.
Practicality & boot space
Interior space
The Renegade's upright, boxy design pays dividends when it comes to interior space. Passengers will appreciate the generous amount of headroom, and there's plenty of space for four adults to travel in comfort. The large windows also give the cabin an airy and open feel. It’s a practical space for a small family, with plenty of room for everyday life.
Boot space
When it comes to boot space, the Renegade is about average for its class. It offers 351 litres of capacity, which is similar to a Ford EcoSport or Mazda CX-3. It’s big enough for the weekly shop or a weekend away, but the boot lip is quite high, which can make loading heavy items a bit of a chore. If you fold the rear seats down, you get a much more useful 1,297 litres of space. A clever feature is the fold-flat front passenger seat, which allows you to carry extra-long items.
Driving
Driving experience
On the road, the Renegade is a mixed bag. The steering can feel a little vague, and it doesn't have the sharp, agile handling of rivals like the Ford Puma. The entry-level 1.0-litre petrol engine can also feel a bit underpowered in a car of this size.
However, where the Renegade really comes into its own is when you leave the tarmac behind. The four-wheel-drive versions are incredibly capable off-road, arguably the best in the compact SUV class. If you live in the countryside and need a car that can handle muddy tracks and tough conditions, the Renegade is in a league of its own. It's a proper Jeep, just in a smaller package.
Performance
The engine range was updated in 2018. The range kicks off with a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine that produces 118bhp. There’s also a more powerful 1.3-litre petrol with 148bhp, which is a better all-rounder.
For those doing higher mileage, there are 1.6-litre and 2.0-litre diesel engines available. These offer better fuel economy and more low-down pulling power, which is useful for towing. The most powerful version is the 167bhp 2.0-litre diesel, which gives the Renegade surprisingly brisk performance.
Running costs
Fuel economy & CO2 emissions
The Jeep Renegade isn't the most frugal car in its class. The most efficient model is the 1.6-litre diesel, which can achieve up to 48.7mpg in official tests. The petrol engines are a bit thirstier, returning around 40mpg. For a small SUV, these figures are a little disappointing compared to more modern rivals.
Value for money
From new, the Renegade is a little more expensive than some of its key rivals, including the closely related Fiat 500X. However, its unique styling and genuine off-road ability help to justify the price premium for some buyers.
The Renegade loses its value quite quickly, which is bad news for new car buyers but great news if you’re buying used. You can find some fantastic deals on nearly-new models, with huge savings to be had compared to the original list price.
Reliability & Warranty
Jeep offers a five-year, 75,000-mile warranty on newer models, which is better than the three-year warranties offered by most manufacturers and provides great peace of mind. However, as mentioned, Jeep and its parent company Fiat don't have the best reliability records. It's therefore essential to check a used car's service history carefully and ensure all common issues have been addressed.
Safety
Safety features
The Jeep Renegade is a safe car for you and your family. It was awarded the maximum five-star rating when it was crash-tested by the safety experts at Euro NCAP.
All models come with a good level of standard safety equipment, including traffic sign recognition, lane departure warning, and cruise control. This focus on safety makes the Renegade a reassuring choice.
Trims & Engines
Trim levels
The Renegade is available in a range of stylish trim levels.
Sport: The entry-level model is reasonably well-equipped. It comes with 16-inch alloy wheels, air conditioning, and a five-inch touchscreen infotainment system.
Longitude: This popular trim adds features like rear parking sensors, roof rails, and an upgraded infotainment system.
Limited: This trim adds a touch of luxury with 18-inch alloy wheels, leather upholstery, adaptive cruise control, front parking sensors, and a full pack of LED lights.
Trailhawk: This is the most rugged, off-road focused model. It comes with unique styling, underbody skid plates, all-terrain tyres, and an advanced four-wheel-drive system with hill descent control.
Engines
There’s a choice of petrol and diesel engines.
1.0-litre T3 GSE Petrol: A 118bhp, three-cylinder petrol engine that’s best suited to town driving.1.3-litre T4 GSE Petrol: A more powerful 148bhp, four-cylinder petrol engine that offers better all-round performance.1.6-litre MultiJet Diesel: This 118bhp diesel engine is the most economical choice in the range, making it ideal for high-mileage drivers.2.0-litre MultiJet Diesel: A more powerful diesel available with 138bhp or 167bhp, and usually paired with four-wheel drive for excellent off-road performance.
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