Jeep® Celebrating The Renegade’s 10th Anniversary, Just Not In The U.S.

Jeep® is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its globally popular Renegade this week, though not in the U.S. or Canada. Jeep announced the discontinuation of its smallest offering in North America last month due to declining sales, despite outselling the all-new Dodge Hornet by almost 16,700 units—nearly double the total sales of the new Hornet for 2023.

The Renegade is renowned for its distinctive and cool mini Jeep styling, despite being a tiny B-segment crossover. Based on the FCA Small-Wide 4×4 architecture, Jeep engineers ensured that the Renegade embodied true Jeep characteristics. The off-road-oriented Trailhawk model offers best-in-class Trail Rated 4×4 capability, featuring standard Jeep Active Drive Low with an improved 21:1 crawl ratio, 8.7 inches of ground clearance, skid plates, signature red front and rear tow hooks, up to 8.1 inches of wheel articulation, Hill-descent Control, and the ability to ford up to 19 inches of water.

Since its introduction, the Renegade has sold almost 2 million units worldwide, with its most popular markets being Brazil and Europe. Both regions produce their own unique versions. The Brazilian-built model received a revised mid-cycle action (MCA) or update in 2023, featuring more aggressive front styling and several technology upgrades.

The European-built model, sourced for the U.S. and Canada, boasts an exclusive 4xe plug-in hybrid model and e-Hybrid model, bringing electrification to the tiny Jeep for the European marketplace.

The Renegade 4xe enhances performance and fuel efficiency by integrating two electric motors and an 11.4 kWh battery pack with the turbocharged 1.3-liter inline-four-cylinder from the Stellantis Global Small Engine (GSE) family and a 6-speed automatic transmission. This system, also present in the North American Alfa Romeo Tonale Q4 PHEV and Dodge Hornet R/T PHEV AWD, features a bigger battery pack in those models.

The Renegade 4xe is essentially two crossovers in one: a battery-electric (BEV) with an electric motor and high-voltage lithium-ion battery pack on the rear axle, and a conventional vehicle with an internal combustion engine (ICE) on the front axle. The increased torque from the electric propulsion system ensures greater four-wheel-drive capability on any terrain, ideal for challenging off-road adventures and everyday city driving with a zero-emission range of approximately 50 kilometers (31 miles).

The Renegade e-Hybrid offers an innovative hybrid driving experience with a specific propulsion system featuring a turbocharged 1.5-liter inline-four-cylinder from the Stellantis GSE family. The motor produces 130 horsepower and 240 Nm (177 ft.-lbs) of torque, coupled with a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission integrating a 48-volt 15 kW electric motor. A water-cooled 48-volt battery includes a 48-to-12 volt DC/DC converter and a belt-starter generator in place of the traditional alternator, enabling engine restarts after shutdowns at stops or when the electric motor completes low-speed front-wheel propulsion.

Both models were never introduced to the U.S. and Canada. However, the Brazilian-built Renegade continues to be a solid success in the Mexican market, with the 2024 model recently announced and available in Sport, Longitude, and Limited trims. For viewers near the U.S.-Mexico border, spotting these models with their distinctive styling could be possible.

For Europe, Jeep has just announced the opening of orders this month for the 2024 model.