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The Jeep Renegade is a subcompact SUV that is easy to love. Should you buy a brand-new Renegade or find one on the used market? Read our comparison here.
New vs Used: Jeep Renegade
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The Jeep Renegade is the smallest model that Jeep offers. Its compact size makes it easy to maneuver through crowded city streets or narrow off-road trails, and it returns impressive fuel economy numbers. Despite its small size, the Renegade offers a good amount of interior space with room for five people. The Renegade also provides a level of off-road capability you won’t find in other compact crossovers on the market. Of course, if you want more off-road ability, take a look at our article New Vs Used: Jeep Wrangler.
Specs
When it comes to deciding between new and used, there is little to consider in terms of space. The Renegade has not seen any significant redesign since its introduction, you’ll find both the new and used models offer the same headroom of around 41 inches, and both offer over 50 cubic feet of cargo space. Looking for a bit more room? Read our article on the top ten compact crossovers under 20k.
Where you’ll find differences between generations is under the hood. The newest Renegade has a single engine option, a 1.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that produces 177 horsepower and 210 lb-ft of torque. This engine provides ample power when needed while achieving commendable fuel efficiency. It comes mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission and has an EPA rating of 23 mpg in the city, and 29 mpg on the highway, with a combined rating of 26 mpg. If you can find a base model with front-wheel drive, those numbers are just up to 24 mpg city, 32 mpg highway, and 27 mpg combined.
Using the 2017 model year for our used example, the Renegade is offered with two engine choices. The base engine is a 2.4-liter four-cylinder that produces 180 horsepower and 175 lb-ft of torque. Jeep also offered a 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that developed 160 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. The 2.4-liter engine is rated at 21 mpg in the city, 29 mpg on the highway, and 24 mpg combined. The 1.4-turbo engine is rated at 24 mpg in the city, 31 mpg highway, and 26 mpg combined. The 2017 model also came with a nine-speed automatic transmission.
Both the new and used Jeep Renegades are available with front-wheel drive, but why bother? You buy a Jeep for its all-wheel-drive capability. Plus, only the base model is offered with front-wheel drive. Most Renegade models come equipped with the Jeep Active Drive System, an automatic system that shuffles power between all four wheels and can disengage the rear wheels when cruising for better efficiency. There is also the upgraded Jeep Active Drive Low system on the Trailhawk trims that comes with a crawl ratio for better off-road capability. Again, both the new and used models are evenly matched here. Learn more about 4wd vs AWD here.
The Renegade looks very similar between the model years, and it takes an eagle eye to spot differences. There are subtle differences in the design of the bumpers and the later models are offered with more modern-looking LED headlights.
Driving and Performance
When you’re on the road, you’ll likely have a hard time discerning the difference between a brand-new Jeep Renegade and a used model. The 2.4-liter engine in a used model might feel a bit less responsive as it requires more revs to access the power. The two turbocharged engines offer comparable horsepower numbers and turbocharging means there is ample torque lower in the revs for a more immediate surge. The nine-speed automatic transmission is essentially the same.
Similarly, the off-road performance is going to be the same between comparable models. The Trailhawk trim is Jeep’s most off-road capable model and, aside from the engine differences, the four-wheel-drive system is the same, offering a surprising amount of capability for its class. Especially compared to a compact crossover that’s not as off-road oriented as the Renegade, you’ll be surprised at what you can conquer. Read about the differences in our comparison between the Jeep Renegade and the Mini Cooper Countryman.
Comfort and Interior
Not to sound like a broken record, but a used Renegade is going to feel very similar to a brand-new Renegade on the inside. Both the new and used models offer seating for five people. Most trims come with cloth seats while some of the upper trims come with leather seats offered in black or gray. If technology is important to you, you might prefer the new Renegade. Every new Jeep Renegade is equipped with Jeep’s impressive Uconnect 4C NAV infotainment system. This system comes with a large 8.4-inch touchscreen, GPS navigation, and the ability to use the Uconnect app to interact through your smartphone. Older models offered the Uconnect system, but lower trims came with smaller touchscreens and fewer features. Interested in some other used crossover options? Read our picks for the top crossovers of 2020.
Trims and Features
When you look at the trims, you’ll find they are pretty consistent throughout the years. The Sport trim is the base model, which starts at $24,195 for a brand-new model. This comes with a 1.3-liter turbocharged engine, Uconnect 4C NAV infotainment system, and advanced safety features. On older models, you’ll find the infotainment is less impressive and an engine is a 2.4-liter unit.
The Latitude is the next trim model, which, on new Renegades starts at $28,690. This trim gets you keyless entry, 17-inch aluminum wheels, and a 7-inch color driver information digital cluster display. From there, the Altitude trim, which starts at $30,135 adds a black headliner and heated power exterior mirrors with integrated turn signals. If you’re looking for something special, the (RED) trim models are only offered on new Renegades, they start at $30,830, and come with special (RED) badging and Colorado Red mirror caps.
If you want off-road capability, the Trailhawk trim is what you want. The new models start at $30,790 and come with heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and Selec-Terrain Traction Management with Rock Mode. If you want to maximize luxury, the Limited model starts at $30,595 and comes with heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, power-adjustable front seats, and an available dual-pane panoramic sunroof.
Conclusion
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It’s hard to choose between a brand-new or used Jeep Renegade. On the plus side, the new Renegade is essentially the same as older models, as the Renegade has not undergone any significant changes since its introduction. If you’re on a tight budget, the used Renegade is going to be the way to go. You’ll be able to get a model with more bells and whistles while saving money.
If you want the latest and greatest, even the base Sport trim Renegade offers things like the Uconnect system that you used to have to spend quite a bit more to get. When deciding between a new or used Renegade, it comes down to your budget and desire. You can save a bit of cash going used, or get the exact Renegade you’ve been dreaming of with a new model, and not spend a great deal more.
