If you thought the Wrangler was the smallest and most enjoyable Jeep out there, then you clearly haven't seen the 2021 Jeep Renegade. This subcompact SUV is a perfect poster child for the brand, with its boxy but funky appearance and genuine off-roading capabilities. This puts it in a class of its own in the segment, with beloved rivals like the Kia Seltos, Honda HR-V, and Hyundai Kona left on the tarmac as the Renegade crossover ventures off into the unknown. That said, neither of the available engines are particularly powerful, and the 9-speed automatic transmission is unrefined. Luckily, you do get most of the features you'd expect from a family-friendly small vehicle, but is this enough for the 2021 Renegade to draw buyers away from the more mainstream, high-value competitors?
The Renegade crossover is quite far into its first generational cycle and continues to receive updates. For the 2021 model year, it receives additional standard safety features like blind-spot monitoring, lane departure warning, and lane-keep assist. The base Sport gets a seven-inch touchscreen with Uconnect 4 and SiriusXM radio, while the Trailhawk boasts eight-way power front seats, passive entry remote start, and GPS navigation. Naturally, the line features a number of special editions, which change every year. For 2021, there is the 80th Anniversary Edition, the Islander Edition, and the Freedom s.
See trim levels and configurations:
| Trim | Engine | Transmission | Drivetrain | Price (MSRP) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sport |
2.4L Inline-4 Gas
|
9-Speed Automatic
|
Front-Wheel Drive
Four-Wheel Drive
|
$22,850 |
| Jeepster |
2.4L Inline-4 Gas
|
9-Speed Automatic
|
Front-Wheel Drive
Four-Wheel Drive
|
$22,850 |
| Upland Edition |
2.4L Inline-4 Gas
|
9-Speed Automatic
|
Four-Wheel Drive
|
$24,965 |
| Freedom Edtion |
2.4L Inline-4 Gas
|
9-Speed Automatic
|
Four-Wheel Drive
|
$24,965 |
| Islander |
2.4L Inline-4 Gas
|
9-Speed Automatic
|
Front-Wheel Drive
Four-Wheel Drive
|
$26,115 |
The Renegade doesn't look like it belongs among its competitors, which helps it stand out. It's rugged and has the off-roading chops to back up its appearance. However, it's different in other ways, too, but these are mostly bad. On-road comfort is never particularly good, and both engines are weak and lose their breath quickly when pushed to perform. They don't even offer good gas mileage returns - even with the turbo engine.
Inside, there is limited space in the back, and cargo volume is adequate but far from impressive. On the plus side, there are a fair number of standard features, both comfort and safety. The NHTSA review of the 2021 Jeep Renegade returned a decent four-star safety rating, but the US automaker doesn't have the best reputation for reliability. Even after six years on the market, the Renegade was recalled twice last year. If you really want a daily driver that feels at home off-road, then you could do worse than the Jeep Renegade, but if you want a comfortable and practical 5-door daily driver, there are far better cars to choose from.
It's hard to recommend any one version of the Renegade, since they are all equally lackluster. Since the only justifiable reason to buy one would be its off-roading ability, we'd say the Trailkhawk is the only trim that makes sense. This model gets keyless entry and remote start, a heated steering wheel, and heated front seats with power adjustability. It also comes equipped with the Selec-Terrain system. The optional extras aren't worth the money, so keep things simple and go with the base spec. The price of this 2021 Jeep Renegade SUV build comes to $29,675.
Inside, there is limited space in the back, and cargo volume is adequate but far from impressive. On the plus side, there are a fair number of standard features, both comfort and safety. The NHTSA review of the 2021 Jeep Renegade returned a decent four-star safety rating, but the US automaker doesn't have the best reputation for reliability. Even after six years on the market, the Renegade was recalled twice last year. If you really want a daily driver that feels at home off-road, then you could do worse than the Jeep Renegade, but if you want a comfortable and practical 5-door daily driver, there are far better cars to choose from.
The most popular competitors of 2021 Jeep Renegade:
Acura
Alfa Romeo
Aston Martin
Audi
Automobili Pininfarina
Bentley
BMW
Bollinger
BrightDrop
Bugatti
Buick
Cadillac
Caterham
Chevrolet
Chrysler
Dodge
Ferrari
Fiat
Fisker
Ford
Genesis
GMC
Gordon Murray Automotive
Hennessey
Honda
Hyundai
Ineos Automotive
Infiniti
Jaguar
Jeep
Karma
Kia
Koenigsegg
Lamborghini
Land Rover
Lexus
Lincoln
Lordstown
Lotus
Lucid Motors
Maserati
Mazda
McLaren
Mercedes-Benz
Mini
Mitsubishi
Nissan
Pagani
Polestar
Porsche
Ram
Rimac
Rivian
Rolls-Royce
Spyker
Subaru
Tesla
Toyota
VinFast
Volkswagen
Volvo