2014 Geneva Motor Show: 2015 Jeep Renegade

Story and photos by John LeBlanc

GENEVA – The new 2015 Jeep Renegade should come as no surprise to anyone. Fiat-Chrysler’s Jeep brand promised smaller and more fuel-efficient models to help jack-up sales worldwide. Last year’s compact Cherokee was example number one, and this year’s sub-compact Renegade (based on the Fiat Panda platform) is example number two.

Canadian’s will have to wait until late-2014 to buy one. That’s when the four-door, five-passenger Renegade will go on-sale with front- or optional (and Trail Rated) all-wheel-drive. A 160 horsepower turbocharged 1.4-litre four-cylinder gas engine mated to a six-speed manual gearbox or an optimal 2.4L naturally aspirated four with a nine-speed automatic are the powertrain options. The Renegade is Mini-like, in that customers will be able to have their way with lots of colour combinations. As well, there’s also a twin-panel, removable sunroof to give the Renegade a a quasi-Jeep Wrangler-like experience.