Coleroad

shopping for a new suv. Thoughts on the jeep renegade trailhawk would be appreciated.

Wandl

Purely self-observation based on a week long rental (Renegade Limited) for a 2017 model, the powertrain is really shoddy. The 9-speed transmission couldn't make up its mind in city driving, the engine is....best way to put it, anemic. I really like the infotainment system, interior quality is "middling" for me (for a $25k-$30k vehicle), but it is surprisingly roomy given the boxy shape. Depends on your priorities; for my $$ I'd go for a Jeep Grand Cherokee for more refined powertrain, better comfort, and you can find deals on them (even a pre-owned 2016 GC for less than a new Renegade Trailhawk). Again not to say anything overly negative about the Renegade but I wasn't too big of a fan personally. May be worthwhile to wait a few months till the 2018 Jeep Wrangler comes out, it could be a viable option around the same $$$ with (based on what i've read) far better capabilities/bang for your buck?

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

A revised Cherokee with more conventionality styled headlights should be coming shortly too.

pbm317

The Compass, which now share the platform, is probably the better all around Jeep Mini ute. So unless you love love love the boxy Renegade styling, you may want to go with the Compass. I can't remember about the new Compass as it's been a few months since I was in it. But the Renegade a-pillar was massive, hampering some visibility. Power is definitely a bit lacking, as Wandl noted.

What price point are you trying to stay near? There are plenty of great cars on the market today. Just depends what your priorities are.

bagwell

thank gawd, that thing is fugly...!! Just the headlights ruin it.

Fizzboy7

Please consider reliability and future headaches. Nearly all Jeep products rate at the bottom.

mmarshall

I did a full-review on one when it first debuted.....here it is for reference:

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/car...-renegade.html

But, if you don't have time for a long read, in a nutshell, I'll sum it up quickly:

PRO:

Boxy space efficiency.

Sub-compact size for easy parking and maneuverability.

Outward visibility.

Wide choice of both dull and bright paint colors.

Long 5/100 powertrain warranty.

Relatively simple control layout.


CON:

Potentially iffy reliability.

Substandard interior materials.

Relatively uncomfortable road manners (on a paved road...I did not sample it off-road).

Derived from a rather unimpressive Fiat 500X platform.

S2000toIS350

Please avoid buying cry slur products

There have to be some good choices out there

Do you want to trust your life and those of your loved ones to the folks who "work" at cry slur?

We should never forget the cry slur auto workers caught on tape smoking dope and drinking malt liquor on their lunch break and how the union made cry slur re-hire them (after they were fired)

Htony

Doesn't it have same 8 speed tranny like new RX350? Make sure it does not have similar problems with it.

Coleroad

What do you recommend in that size suv . I looked at the renegade this afternoon. Wasn't impressed with it. Wanting to stick with something domestic since that's the only dealers here within a hundred or more miles from me.

mmarshall

Probably the most important question is if you are actually going to go off-road. If not, there are many good choices, both domestic and otherwise, for use in everyday driving, with all-weather capability for winter (and I could write a whole book describing them). But, if you want to actually play Crocodile Dundee in the Boonies, then your choice is generally going to be much more limited....especially with smaller SUVs and/or in the relatively low-priced field.

The Renegade Trailhawk, despite its well-discussed drawbacks here, is an OK low-priced vehicle for going off-road. But, if you are going to do serious off-roading, the slightly larger Wrangler (the traditional Jeep), especially with the Rubicon package (named for the extremely difficult Rubicon Trail in California) is probably a better buy, though, like some other Jeeps, reliability could be an issue. And the Wrangler, especially with the ultra-stiff Rubicon package, is not very comfortable on a regular paved road. The Toyota 4Runner offers superb reliability (many of them go 300,000 miles if serviced properly), generally good off-road capability, a truck-frame for towing, and somewhat better comfort on the highway than the smaller jeeps, but may (?) be larger or more expensive than what you are looking for.

If you can wait a couple of more years, Ford promises a new off-road-capable Bronco by 2020, which will be somewhat smaller than the last 2-door behemoth that was dropped twenty years ago....GM has made some vague references to a new Blazer, but seems less-committed to the idea. The Bronco will (likely) be built in an American plant, if you want something domestic.

Last, one should not necessarily consider the Renegade a "domestic" vehicle. Though using the iconic American Jeep nameplate, it is, in fact, a reworked Italian Fiat 500X platform with a different body and interior......and Chrysler itself, who owns Jeep, is owned by its parent Italian Fiat Corporation.

Coleroad

Looking for more of a regular driver. Going to get rid of the Land Rover lr3. Got back from vacation out in the southwest, and off-roading just wasn't as much fun as it used to be. I guess I'm just getting to old for that now. So figuring that I should downsize, and reduce my fuel costs. The lr3 is what I drive most often. So I need something I'm ok with driving I the rain and snow. My other cars I never drive in inclement weather. So if it's a more utilitarian vehicle. I seem to be able to rationalize it's ok to drive in those conditions. Otherwise I'm just way to **** about my cars. I know I got issues

oh, you want a good laugh? The salesman at the Chrysler dealer asked me "who makes Land Rover ?" I just simply replied Land Rover makes land rovers. I really hate car salesmen who know absolutely nothing about cars.

Htony

Unless you go off roading now and then, how about Ford Escape? Regarding Jeep checked CR? Only Jeep I'd drive might be Grand Cherokee. Too bad you are limiting the choice to domestic ones.

mmarshall

Not only that, but a number of insurance companies won't cover off-road use.


A LR3, like most Land Rover products, can be a real money-pit if not under warranty. I wouldn't keep one unless it had extended coverage. Like I said above, if you aren't going off-road, you've got many good choices (literally dozens), both from domestic and foreign nameplates. Also like I said above, keep in mind that some "domestic" vehicles are actually designed and built overseas, and vice-versa. Today's industry is truly global. If it is a smaller crossover SUV you're looking for (though they are slightly larger than the Renegade), then generally good choices are the Toyota RAV-4, Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5, Kia Sportage, Hyundai Tucson, and Subaru Forester (though many Subarus use a CVT, and some late-model non-turbo Subarus may have an oil-consumption issue). The Lexus NX and Audi Q3 are in that size category if you want to spend a little more, but dealer service will be more expensive. For something smaller, sub-compact, about the size of a Renegade (but not quite as space-efficient), check out the Honda HR-V and Mazda CX-3. Both are markedly better-built than a Renegade, can expected to be more reliable, but are crossovers, not meant for serious off-roading.

http://automobiles.honda.com/hr-v

https://www.mazdausa.com/vehicles/cx-3



No problem....we all have our own individual likes and dislikes. I wasn't your typical teen ager, for example, in two senses. First, I drove carefully, and actually listened to those who warned about speed, alcohol, and carelessness (and never regretted a day of it). Second, I liked big luxo-cruisers....vehicles some my high-school friends laughed at and called "Grandpa" cars. So, don't be ashamed of your own likes and dislikes.

mmarshall

One rolls the reliability dice with an Escape. I'm not saying every one will be a lemon, but Consumer Reports has its reliability markedly below average. I also have not been impressed with the overall build-quality of the 3rd-generation models.

The JGC, I agree, can be a real temptation behind the wheel.....it drives very nicely. Again, though, reliability seems to vary quite a bit by owner and model year. Some have been near flawless....others troublesome.