Used 2022 Jeep Renegade

Don’t let its small stature fool you; the 2022 Jeep Renegade is a serious off-roader when properly equipped. It has pleasant road manners for the daily commute, but when equipped with all-wheel drive — especially in Trailhawk guise — the Renegade is among the best off-roaders in its class.

Although it’s built alongside a Fiat, you can easily make the case that the Jeep Renegade is an authentic Jeep through and through. Not only does it carry the distinct, military-inspired aesthetic associated with its iconic brand, it also has the off-road chops to back it up. It’s also quite composed in daily on-road driving, and its infotainment system is one of our favorites. However, we wish it was a little more fuel-efficient.

The Jeep Renegade competes with subcompact SUVs like the Subaru Crosstrek and Kia Seltos, which can hold their own off-road. The Crosstrek has standard AWD and generous ground clearance. Like the Renegade, the Seltos has standard AWD on all but one trim. All three are worth a test drive if you’re looking for something on the rugged side of practical small SUVs.

The Jeep Renegade is an SUV that shines in two settings: the city and the trails. That might sound like a contradiction, but hear us out. Thanks to the small footprint and standard turbocharged engine in the Renegade, it has eager acceleration from a stop, and it’s maneuverable around corners. It’s also a very easy SUV to park.

When the pavement ends, the Renegade is more capable than most rivals when equipped with 4-wheel drive. Specific modes further help contend with conditions such as snow, sand, and mud. This off-road worthiness is especially true with the rugged Trailhawk trim, thanks to its low-range 4WD, Rock mode, and all-terrain tires. If you want a small SUV that’s practical for the daily drive but also want to play in the mud once in a while, few can do both as well as the Renegade.

This Jeep is less impressive on the highway than it is around town. The turbocharged 4-cylinder engine tends to run out of breath at high speeds, and highway passing is weak. It’s also a bit louder in the cabin than we’d like during highway cruising.

Another weak point of the Renegade is the 9-speed automatic transmission. It’s a bit unrefined in the sense that it seems like it’s constantly hunting for a gear. Shifts aren’t as quick or as smooth as they should be.

This interior has almost as much character as the exterior of the Renegade. The design has a rugged look, but it’s also practical and pretty spacious. There are some hard plastics here and there, but we don’t mind them considering the rough and tumble personality of the Renegade.

The inside of the Renegade is packed with fun Easter eggs. If you look around, you’ll find hidden Jeep grille images, silhouettes of the original Jeep, paintball splatter on the tachometer, a trail map of Moab, Utah, inside a cubby of the Trailhawk model, and much more.

This cabin is reasonably roomy for its size, thanks to its boxy, space-efficient shape. Headroom and legroom are very generous in the front seats, and the back seats are roomy enough to accommodate two average-sized adults. Cargo space is above average for this segment, but a few rivals, including the Subaru Crosstrek and Honda HR-V, are roomier still.

We also like the commanding view of the road from behind the wheel of the Renegade, which sits up higher than most SUVs in this class.

The exterior is one of our favorite things about the Jeep Renegade. It has a lot more personality than the average SUV. It draws on the heritage of the Jeep brand with its boxy shape and distinct front-end with a 7-slat grille and round headlights. The square taillights with a jerrycan motif further add to the character of the Renegade.

The appearance of the Renegade can change a bit depending on the trim. The Limited model adds more chrome and a more premium-looking grille. The Traihawk model has a rugged appearance with unique wheels and red tow hooks to hint at its improved capabilities. An available Altitude package for the Latitude trim adds cool black accents inside and out.

The size of the Renegade is in line with much of the subcompact SUV class. It’s similar in size to the Fiat 500X, Nissan Kicks, Chevrolet Trax, and Honda HR-V.

RUGGED TRAILHAWK TRIM
The Trailhawk trim is more than just a cool appearance package. It has a low-range 4WD system, a Rock mode, all-terrain tires, and real skid plates.

UCONNECT INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM
This user-friendly infotainment system loaded with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay is one of our favorites in the business.

The base Sport trim of the Renegade has some pretty nice features. The standard engine is a 1.3-liter turbocharged inline-4 linked to a 9-speed automatic transmission.

The standard infotainment system is a 7-inch Uconnect 4 system with Android Auto, Apple Carplay, and SiriusXM. This is a responsive touchscreen that’s intuitive and easy to use.

Standard safety tech features in the Renegade include blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-path detection, lane-departure warning with lane-keep assist, forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, and a backup camera.

Other standard features in the Sport model include dual-zone automatic climate control, push-button start, heated mirrors, steel wheels, and 6-speaker audio.

The Sport model is the only trim with standard front-wheel drive. All other trims have standard 4WD.

Upgrading to the Latitude trim adds a few standard features and option packages you can’t get on the Sport model. Added standard features include AWD, automatic headlights, roof rails, an extra USB port, and 17-inch alloy wheels.

The Altitude package changes the look of the Latitude model with black exterior trim, black 18-inch wheels, and black interior trim, including a black headliner.

An available Convenience Package ($1,395) adds heated front seats, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, a heated steering wheel, a household-style power outlet, and rain-sensing wipers. A Sun/Sound package ($2,195) adds a panoramic moonroof and premium audio.

The Limited trim makes the Renegade a more premium SUV. The contents of the Convenience Package for the Latitude trim all come standard. On top of that, extra standard features include leather seating, remote start, an 8.4-inch infotainment system with navigation and HD Radio, and an appearance package. An available Sun, Sound and Wheels package ($2,395) upgrades the wheels and the audio system and adds a panoramic moonroof.

Off-road enthusiasts will be interested in the Renegade Trailhawk. This has a unique 4WD system with low-range gearing and a Rock drive mode. It also has all-terrain tires, a rugged appearance package with skid plates and red tow hooks, and more ground clearance. It has much of the same equipment as the Limited model, but without the standard leather seats, which are optional. There’s a Sun/Sound package that’s the same as the one for the Latitude trim, plus an available Trailer Tow package ($595).

The sole engine option in the 2022 Jeep Renegade is a 1.3-liter turbocharged inline-4. It has eager acceleration at low speeds, but passing power on the highway is subpar. Fuel economy is just okay for this class; it can’t achieve 30 mpg when equipped with 4WD.

The base trim of the Renegade has front-wheel drive, while all other trims have standard 4WD. You used to be able to get a Renegade with a manual transmission, but every 2022 Renegade has a 9-speed automatic transmission.

1.3-liter turbocharged inline-4
177 horsepower @ 5,750 rpm
210 lb-ft of torque @ 1,750 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 24/32 mpg (2WD), 23/29 mpg (4WD)