2015 Jeep Renegade review | first drive

Malcolm Flynn road tests and reviews the Jeep Renegade with specs, fuel consumption and verdict at its Australian launch.

Read the first drive review here: [ Ссылка ]

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Jeep is a bit late to the small SUV party, with most of the big brands launching new models in the last 18 months, but the new Renegade brings a few unique touches to help it stand out.

Unlike the curvy Honda HR-V and Mazda CX-3 that currently sit at the top of the small SUV class, the Renegade embraces utilitarian design, taking plenty of classic Jeep details and applying them to a boxy body.

As a result, there's more headroom in the back than a Cherokee, meaning it will easily carry two adults, and cargo space is one of the better in the class, if not quite as cavernous as the HR-V's boot.

The interior continues Jeep's recent improvements in design and material feel, but the cheaper models could do with a bit more colour variety.

The Renegade was designed to be an SUV from the ground up, unlike most rivals that are spun off a cheaper hatchback, and shares a lot of its underpinnings and Italian production facility with the upcoming Fiat 500X.

It's not all good news though, as bringing the Renegade all the way from Italy has helped push the starting price almost $10,000 higher than the CX-3. That's a lot of dough in this segment, but Jeep reckons the Renegade's unique looks will help overcome this.

There are four trim levels to choose from, with the Sport, Longitude and Limited in two wheel drive, and the off-road focused Trailhawk is the only version to come with four wheel drive.

A two wheel drive may not sound very Jeep, but this reflects buyer preference in the segment, the Trailhawk will take you a lot further off the beaten track than you'd expect.

There are three, petrol, engines to choose from, with the cheapest version coming with a 1.6 litre manual, and all other versions aside from the Trailhawk come with a turbo 1.4 litre and dual-clutch auto.

The Trailhawk, steps up to the 2.4-litre from the bigger Cherokee, along with its nine speed auto.

We've only driven the 1.4 and the Trailhawk for now, but the 1.4 is particularly quiet on the open road, and delivers enough performance to keep up with traffic.

The 2.4 in the Trailhawk has a fair bit more grunt, but the bigger engine and heavier all-wheel drivetrain also push the combined fuel consumption up a fair bit.

The Renegade's European influence shows through on the road, with a comfortable ride balanced by the best handling of any Jeep to date.

The new Jeep succeeds in packing all the SUV brand's classic qualities of adventure, practicality and personality into a smaller package, and makes a much more compelling buy than the likes of the Patriot and the Compass.

The Renegade may be priced above its closest rivals, but you get plenty of extra personality, fantastic cabin space and the most refined Jeep they've made yet.

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