At the Seattle Auto Show, Jeep introduced Seattle to a new 4×4 vehicle to its outdoors lineup, but the addition doesn’t have the looks of your average Jeep.
Yes, the Jeep Renegade has that unmistakable Jeep front end and is said to have good off road capabilities when compared to other small SUVs, yet there’s something very quirky about the newest addition to the Jeep family.
And I like that.
Take the back tail lights for instance – they’re X’s. That’s awesome! They’ll mark the spot for the best tailgate parties at CenturyLink Field this season or help you find your vehicle after a long day’s hike and you’re looking in the dark. “X marks the spot!”
Similar to the Wrangler, you can take the top off, but if you want to put the top back on in a hurry, you’ll want to carry the panels in the back. This is Seattle, after all, and rain comes whenever it deigns. But, it’s those sunny, or mostly sunny, days that the drop-top community looks forward to all year long, and with the Renegade, you’d have a car for the other three-quarters of the year, too.
If you don’t like the color of the bezels inside, don’t worry, you can change that and the trim surrounds to better suit your wardrobe. Because that’s totally what outdoorsy people do – that and check our coach bag or fedoras in the backcountry.
Even the Renegade’s preview booklet is fun and full of quirkiness – it reads like an adult’s kids-book, the pages are cut for multiple story lines. The “Choose your own adventure” Jeep-style with the likes of Moab, non-descript city, snow, and more.
Despite all the quirk, the Renegade is still an off-road machine. It has a 2,000 lb towing capacity from the 2.4L turbo engine and has best in class 4×4 capability when compared to other ‘small SUVs’, but people who buy this whimsical looking Jeep may not be the Moab-romping owners Jeep showcases in their booklet.
Though, I may be very wrong about that. We’ll have to see in a future review. Take a look at it in person at the Seattle Auto Show, going on now at CenturyLink Field.
