2019 Jeep Renegade Road Test and Review

So much of the time, the cars we want most are the ones that don’t make sense for us to have. Even when many of us crave high-end luxury cars or zippy two-seat convertibles, we often have to buy something less expensive or more sensible. But some brands can pull at our heartstrings while still offering practical, affordable transportation. In particular, we’re thinking of Jeep, the storied maker of off-road-ready, on-road-useful crossovers and SUVs.

Take the Renegade, the least expensive Jeep on the market. This subcompact crossover is bursting with iconic Jeep flavor, from its classic yet cheeky exterior design to its authentic all-wheel-drive capability. But with its 51 cubic feet of cargo space and a base price of just $22,025, the Renegade easily can fit into your life. The 2019 Renegade also is newly updated with a more fuel-efficient engine and other upgrades. Keep reading to see how this improved Renegade stacks up in the highly competitive subcompact crossover class.

More than most affordable vehicles, the Renegade can be love at first sight. Its short, stubby length is an endearing design asset, not just the consequence of a tight budget. Its round headlights and seven-slot grille are unmistakable Jeep cues. Its color palette includes such eye-catching choices as Omaha Orange, Colorado Red, and Solar Yellow. And the vehicle is filled with fun details, like half-hidden outlines of old military Jeeps, Jeep grilles, and old gas-can labels.

Whimsical details aside, the Renegade’s overall interior design is less expressive than the exterior. The dashboard is mostly flat and vertical, except for a grab handle on the passenger side. Like most subcompact crossovers, the ambiance wouldn’t be called luxurious, but the Renegade avoids feeling overly downscale. We also appreciate its user-friendly controls and its well-executed infotainment system.

The 2019 Renegade’s base engine is a 2.4-liter four-cylinder with 180 horsepower and 175 lb-ft of torque. That’s more power than most competitors, but the engine can sound rough and doesn’t get great gas mileage for its class: 22 mpg in the city, 30 mpg on the highway, and 25 mpg combined with front-wheel drive, and 1 mpg less with all-wheel drive. This 2.4-liter was standard on every 2018 Renegade except the base model with a manual transmission, which Jeep discontinued this year; all 2019 Renegades have a nine-speed automatic.

A new engine is now standard on upper-trim Renegades and optional on the rest of the lineup: a turbocharged 1.3-liter four-cylinder with 177 horsepower and 200 lb-ft of torque. This engine doesn’t make the Renegade lightning-quick, but it’s smoother-sounding than the 2.4 and gets more competitive gas mileage: 24 mpg city, 32 mpg highway, and 27 mpg combined with front-wheel drive, and 23 mpg city, 29 mpg highway, and 26 mpg combined with all-wheel drive on most models. Jeep recommends premium-grade fuel in the turbo for optimal performance, but says regular also is acceptable.

Unlike the classic Jeep Wrangler SUV, the Renegade crossover is right at home on pavement, with a decently smooth ride and responsive handling, especially after some new suspension upgrades this year. And given its tiny footprint, it’s maneuverable and easy to park. This tall, boxy crossover doesn’t feel planted to the ground like a Mazda CX-3 or Hyundai Kona, and it doesn’t try to be super-quiet. Even so, the Renegade remains agreeable either around town or on the highway, and some buyers will see some extra noise as an endearing SUV-esque character trait rather than a flaw.

Where the Renegade truly stands out from its competitors is its off-road capability. Particularly on the Trailhawk model — which achieves Jeep’s esteemed “Trail Rated” status — the Renegade can tackle snow, sand, mud, and even boulders, with selectable driving modes for each. The Trailhawk’s advanced all-wheel-drive system even includes a low range and automatic hill-descent control. Even if you never plan to take your Renegade off-roading, it’s fun to know that you could.

Many subcompact crossovers are more like slightly taller hatchbacks than SUVs. Not the Renegade. You perch up nice and high in the little Jeep, even as the high roof ensures generous headroom above you. The seats are well shaped, though because this is a subcompact vehicle, there isn’t much room for the driver and front passenger to share the narrow center armrest. Our tested Renegade wore classy two-tone leather upholstery, boosting its ambiance above the subcompact norm.

Other optional perks for the driver include a six-way power-adjustable seat, seat heaters, and a heated steering wheel. And everyone in the car can appreciate the infotainment system’s Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone integration (standard on all but the base model, where it’s optional); the available dual-pane sunroof with removable “My Sky” roof panels; two USB ports (one for the front seats and one for the rear); and the optional nine-speaker Beats audio system.

Thanks to its high roof and boxy shape, the 2019 Jeep Renegade has more total cargo volume than most subcompact crossovers. With the rear seat folded down, you get 50.8 cubic feet of volume, which means you can load up your Renegade with moving boxes or even an armchair. Its sportier-looking competitors not only have less total volume, but they also don’t have the Jeep’s wide-open area to haul something big and bulky.

That said, the Renegade is a mere 166.6 inches long, which is less than many competitors. There’s only so much magic Jeep could work with such a small vehicle. That means you get a less generous 18.5 cubic feet of space behind the rear seat, which is about the volume of a large sedan’s trunk — but arranged vertically without much floor space. Rear-seat legroom also is skimpy for adults if the front seats are very far back, but we appreciate the high cushion and generous head clearance.

The 2019 Jeep Renegade hasn’t been fully crash-tested, but the pre-update 2018 model has achieved generally strong crash-test ratings. It managed four out of five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and the top score of Good from most Insurance Institute for Highway Safety crash tests (the other, for one of the most demanding IIHS tests, was still the second-highest score of Acceptable).

The Renegade also is available with a wide range of accident-avoidance technologies, including a forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, a blind-spot monitoring system with a rear cross-traffic alert, and a lane-departure warning with automatic steering assistance. These are extra-cost options, but they’re more widely available in the Renegade lineup than on some competing subcompacts. Two other driver-assistance options are new this year: adaptive cruise control, and a semi-autonomous parking system that steers for you while you work the accelerator and brakes.

The 2019 Jeep Renegade has a competitive starting price of $22,025 for the base Sport model. That’s a big jump from last year’s Renegade, but that’s because an automatic transmission is now standard equipment rather than a pricey extra-cost option. Other standard features include air conditioning, power windows and locks, and a 5-inch touchscreen with a backup camera.

The next Renegade trim is the Latitude, which sits at the heart of the lineup with prices starting at $23,875. It’s the best way to get most Renegade features at a relatively attainable price, though several competitors cost even less. For extra personality, the Renegade’s style-focused models are the Upland ($24,820), Altitude ($24,870), and High Altitude ($28,390). The off-road-ready Trailhawk ($27,545) and luxurious Limited ($26,395) round out the lineup. We tested a Limited that reached $34,860 with options, which is high for a subcompact crossover. That said, it’s easy to find a nicely equipped Renegade for much less money than this fully loaded model, and Jeep often is generous with rebates and other incentives.

While the Renegade is the smallest Jeep you can buy, several other subcompact crossovers also have personality — even if you can’t take them all off-roading. The Ford EcoSport is another extra-tall boxy model with a high seating position and a rough-edged character that some buyers will find endearing, but it has less true capability. The Subaru Crosstrek has a standout all-wheel drive system, high ground clearance, and available bright colors, but it’s shaped like a hatchback rather than an SUV and lacks a high seating position. The Kia Soul is roomy, fuel-efficient, and very well-priced, but its mild-mannered driving experience doesn't match its extroverted styling, and it doesn’t offer all-wheel drive. The sporty Hyundai Kona also is inexpensive and interesting to look at, but it has a different flavor from the stubby little Jeep.

Another key Renegade competitor is from within the Jeep lineup. The Jeep Compass is about half a size larger than the Renegade and has a similar driving experience, though it’s styled more like an upscale Grand Cherokee rather than the goofy fun of the Renegade. And the Compass isn’t much more expensive.

Create a spreadsheet of the best subcompact crossovers, and the Renegade admittedly comes up short on a few data points. Several competitors are less expensive and more fuel-efficient. They may have quieter rides, fancier interiors, better crash-test ratings, or more polished handling.

But unlike those sensible small crossovers, the Renegade is downright cool. It looks like nothing else on the road, and it can cheerfully tackle challenging off-road conditions. At the same time, it stays decently competitive even by the “spreadsheet” metrics of pricing, interior space, and — thanks to the new turbo engine — gas mileage. Sensibly sized, affordably priced, and easy to live with, the 2019 Jeep Renegade is capable of satisfying both the heart and the head.