New Jeep Renegade yay/nay?

[Kaido]

Update: I got a lemon. In answer to the thread title, nay

History:
1. Bought a 2015 Jeep Renegade (new) in November of 2015. Have had endless problems with it - mine is a dud. Brakes, transmission, radio, electrical, electronic issues. I love the car, but do not love the glitches.
2. Has spent more than 30 days in the shop for repairs in 10 months of ownership. Have been stranded, have been towed in multiple times, lots of problems.
3. Spent 4 weeks working my way up the Chrysler Corporate support chain, only to be denied a buyback. Currently working with a third-party arbitrator to get a resolution. Should that fail, I'll have to pursue lemon law.
4. Been trying to get them to replace the BCM (central control computer for the vehicle) since the start, which they only recently authorized in place of replacing the vehicle. The first one they sent was DOA. The second one they sent refused to mate to my car. In a loaner (again).
5. I don't mind having a lemon, because hey, it happens - I understand that mass manufacturing sometimes gets it wrong, so get it fixed or swap it out, I don't care. What I do mind is Jeep's response in handling my problems. I bought this car in good faith that it would work, did not get a working car, and have repeatedly been sent to service to fix problems that service doesn't know how to fix. I put up with it for 9 months before pursing a better resolution & then getting shot down by Jeep corporate. I realize they are a big company & don't care, but I am pretty turned off to all FCA products now & don't see myself ever purchasing another one or recommending their company. Which is a pity because I really like my Renegade & know several owners with zero issues, but I'm stuck with a junker that Jeep won't take back. It's hard not to feel burned.

************

Update: Traded in my Civic, got a Renegade, love it!

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Saw one today - looks a lot better IRL than in the photos. I have a few months left on my Civic, but I think I'm going to buy instead of lease this time because I'm putting on a lot more miles with work now. Also looking for something with AWD (live on a hill...snow is fun). Only catch is it has to be automatic. For reasons

I've had a couple Kia Souls in the past & really like the smaller boxy designs (sit upright, roomy enough to tote some projects around in, nice size for parking, etc.). This is basically the equivalent but with better engines (1.4L Turbo 160hp or 2.4L 180hp; edit: auto tranny only w/ 2.4) & AWD. One concern I have is about the longevity of Jeeps...I have a lot of friends with them, including newer models, and they seem to constantly have issues, especially with the transmissions. It sounds like the Renegade shares some stuff with Fiat, so I'm not sure if that's better or worse.

Anyway, didn't see many threads on it, wondering what the general consensus is.

 

[Insomniator]

I think a Jeep Renegade is one of the few cars I'd rather have a Kia Soul over.

Renegades look absolutely terrible, and the last Jeep I was in (my friends ~08 Cherokee), the front wheel fell off on the highway at 60 mph. What a piece of **** that was. Never been in a new Renegade, maybe they are better. I did rent a new Jeep Wrangler on my last vacation.. uncomfortable and slow... but didn't seem terrible I guess.

 

[BurnItDwn]

Jalopnik has some useful Renegade info. Andrew Collins video is good showing what its capable of. Overall, while lots of people made fun of it because its unibody, or because its based on fiat design rather than a Jeep design, but, seems like otherwise, its quite good. It is no XJ, but, maybe the world isn't ready for a new XJ.

My concern would be reliability & dependability. Fiat isn't exactly known for building the most durable of machines.

http://buyersguide.jalopnik.com/jeep-renegade-the-ultimate-buyers-guide-1727070819

http://truckyeah.jalopnik.com/the-2015-jeep-renegade-is-just-as-good-as-you-hoped-it-1681008349

 

[SparkyJJO]

Isn't that the butt ugly abortion that Fiat came up with?

*barf*

 

[Kaido]

I think a Jeep Renegade is one of the few cars I'd rather have a Kia Soul over.

Renegades look absolutely terrible, and the last Jeep I was in (my friends ~08 Cherokee), the front wheel fell off on the highway at 60 mph. What a piece of **** that was. Never been in a new Renegade, maybe they are better. I did rent a new Jeep Wrangler on my last vacation.. uncomfortable and slow... but didn't seem terrible I guess.

It is definitely an ugly car haha.

 

[Kaido]

Jalopnik has some useful Renegade info. Andrew Collins video is good showing what its capable of. Overall, while lots of people made fun of it because its unibody, or because its based on fiat design rather than a Jeep design, but, seems like otherwise, its quite good. It is no XJ, but, maybe the world isn't ready for a new XJ.

My concern would be reliability & dependability. Fiat isn't exactly known for building the most durable of machines.

http://buyersguide.jalopnik.com/jeep-renegade-the-ultimate-buyers-guide-1727070819

http://truckyeah.jalopnik.com/the-2015-jeep-renegade-is-just-as-good-as-you-hoped-it-1681008349

Thanks! That's one of my big concerns...it's the love child of Fiat & Jeep (Chrysler). Already been burned by Dodge personally (twice).

 

[iamwiz82]

I think a Jeep Renegade is one of the few cars I'd rather have a Kia Soul over.

Renegades look absolutely terrible, and the last Jeep I was in (my friends ~08 Cherokee), the front wheel fell off on the highway at 60 mph. What a piece of **** that was. Never been in a new Renegade, maybe they are better. I did rent a new Jeep Wrangler on my last vacation.. uncomfortable and slow... but didn't seem terrible I guess.

Not sure what having a retarded monkey for a friend who can't tighten a lugnut has to do with anything, other than to show you are probably of the same mental level.

That being said, it's a Fiat 500X reskinned. Yuck.

 

[master_shake_]

and i just threw up a little.

 

[Kaido]

I stopped on my way home & took the 2.4L auto 4x4 out for a spin. Thoughts:

Cons:
1. C-pillars are ridiculously bad. Just terrible visibility. Fortunately they put in enormous side-view mirrors, so that helps make it up for it a lot.
2. There is an extremely long delay in acceleration, when you want to goose it. Feels like a full 3 seconds. My base-model Civic is somewhat slow & I kind of have to plan ahead to pass, go up a hill, or merge on the highway, but the Jeep feels twice as long as this. I suppose you could get used to it, but it's really noticeable. It has enough punch to go though.
3. I didn't get to take it out on the highway (rush hour traffic near the dealership), but it seemed a little wiggle when I gave it the gas. Not like torque steer, but more like a small whole-body shimmy. It was strange.

Pros:
1. Great frontal visibility
2. Better-than-expected prices. I took out a well-equipped automatic 4x4 and they offered $24k. The 4x4 2.4L auto on the website starts at $26k base & about $29k for what I wanted, so I was really happy with their pricing, especially since even Truecar was $27.3k.
3. Nice roominess, felt even bigger than a Kia Soul
4. Has some sort of automatic adjusting suspension. Worked REALLY well. I took it over some crummy backroads I had been on before that jittered my teeth in the Soul & it was surprisingly smooth. It's a good 600+ pounds more than the Soul too, so that helps. Also going up steep/bumpy driveways was flawless.
5. Steering was great for electric. The Soul felt a bit like a video game, kind of disconnected, but they put in a good steering feel to the wheel. Feels really solid.
6. Sunvisor extenders. A small thing, but one of my favorite features.

$24k still seems too expensive for what it is, but then again, it's an AWD/4WD system that gets an advertised 29 MPG on the highway & is easy to park, which is really nice. I was really happy with the size. It basically feels like a better Kia Soul.

As far as competitors...I checked out an Impreza wagon awhile back, not too bad but felt pretty low to the ground. Not a fan of the Crosstrek myself. My wife has a Forester, which is pretty nice, but I was actually a lot more comfortable in the Jeep. Truecar says I can get a base Forester for $23.5k or a base Outback for $25.3. The Outback adds a lot of rear storage capability, which would be awesome, although it's bigger than I like. But the resale would be better than the Jeep, as well as the reliability. Plus, optional EyeSight for radar cruise, which is just the best feature ever.

 

[Kaido]

That being said, it's a Fiat 500X reskinned. Yuck.

Ah, that explains the Fiat roots. Also quite a bit cheaper for the same config...2.4L 4x4 500x is $2,000 less on Truecar. The Jeep body looks more roomy inside. Fiat is kinda...cute:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kTIWX7Lmhk

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

Much rather have an awd crv, hrv, Hyundai tucson, mazda cx5

 

[Kaido]

Much rather have an awd crv, hrv, Hyundai tucson, mazda cx5

CRV has vibration issues. HRV is junk, tiny inside & crap CVT, was really disappointed (wish it was based on the old Fit, not the new Fit with the ruined design). CX5 was surprisingly super nice. Hyundai Tucson is next on the list.

Only complaint is no adaptive cruise on the Tucson. That's really high on my wishlist.

 

[Insomniator]

Not sure what having a retarded monkey for a friend who can't tighten a lugnut has to do with anything, other than to show you are probably of the same mental level.

That being said, it's a Fiat 500X reskinned. Yuck.

Lol relax tough guy, the bolts sheered off. Maybe the shop's fault, car was still a POS regardless.

 

[Demo24]

I kinda like it, but its too expensive and slow imo. I'd rather buy a cx5 at that price point. Renegade just looks like it should be sub 20k.

 

[Kaido]

I kinda like it, but its too expensive and slow imo. I'd rather buy a cx5 at that price point. Renegade just looks like it should be sub 20k.

Yeah. I can get a base Forester or Outback for the same price, which has great AWD, reliability, safety, and resale value. But the Renegade has more character, which is fun. It would definitely be more appealing if the AWD version was like $21k base though.

 

[PricklyPete]

Would not buy a FIAT unless company output drastically changed. I have never been impressed with any FIAT that I have ever driven.

I would much rather buy a CX5 or CX3 depending on space needs...or get an Outback if I wanted to go the utilitarian route. Wish they would come out with a turbo outback instead of the flat 6 (as good as it sounds).

 

[LTC8K6]

I stopped on my way home & took the 2.4L auto 4x4 out for a spin. Thoughts:

Cons:
1. C-pillars are ridiculously bad. Just terrible visibility. Fortunately they put in enormous side-view mirrors, so that helps make it up for it a lot.
2. There is an extremely long delay in acceleration, when you want to goose it. Feels like a full 3 seconds. My base-model Civic is somewhat slow & I kind of have to plan ahead to pass, go up a hill, or merge on the highway, but the Jeep feels twice as long as this. I suppose you could get used to it, but it's really noticeable. It has enough punch to go though.
3. I didn't get to take it out on the highway (rush hour traffic near the dealership), but it seemed a little wiggle when I gave it the gas. Not like torque steer, but more like a small whole-body shimmy. It was strange.

Pros:
1. Great frontal visibility
2. Better-than-expected prices. I took out a well-equipped automatic 4x4 and they offered $24k. The 4x4 2.4L auto on the website starts at $26k base & about $29k for what I wanted, so I was really happy with their pricing, especially since even Truecar was $27.3k.
3. Nice roominess, felt even bigger than a Kia Soul
4. Has some sort of automatic adjusting suspension. Worked REALLY well. I took it over some crummy backroads I had been on before that jittered my teeth in the Soul & it was surprisingly smooth. It's a good 600+ pounds more than the Soul too, so that helps. Also going up steep/bumpy driveways was flawless.
5. Steering was great for electric. The Soul felt a bit like a video game, kind of disconnected, but they put in a good steering feel to the wheel. Feels really solid.
6. Sunvisor extenders. A small thing, but one of my favorite features.

$24k still seems too expensive for what it is, but then again, it's an AWD/4WD system that gets an advertised 29 MPG on the highway & is easy to park, which is really nice. I was really happy with the size. It basically feels like a better Kia Soul.

As far as competitors...I checked out an Impreza wagon awhile back, not too bad but felt pretty low to the ground. Not a fan of the Crosstrek myself. My wife has a Forester, which is pretty nice, but I was actually a lot more comfortable in the Jeep. Truecar says I can get a base Forester for $23.5k or a base Outback for $25.3. The Outback adds a lot of rear storage capability, which would be awesome, although it's bigger than I like. But the resale would be better than the Jeep, as well as the reliability. Plus, optional EyeSight for radar cruise, which is just the best feature ever.

I think your #3 con is the rear wheels being given power abruptly.

The Cherokee does the same thing. With the V6 in the Cherokee, if you slam on the gas, the rears come in so hard that they chirp. The whole vehicle shudders. Terrible 4 wheel drive system, I think.

 

[Kaido]

Would not buy a FIAT unless company output drastically changed. I have never been impressed with any FIAT that I have ever driven.

I would much rather buy a CX5 or CX3 depending on space needs...or get an Outback if I wanted to go the utilitarian route. Wish they would come out with a turbo outback instead of the flat 6 (as good as it sounds).

Other than the "punch-it" lag on the gas, I was pretty happy with the Renegade. Seemed like a surprisingly solid machine for a first model year, but I guess if it's based off the 500x, it has some history.

Yeah, I wish they offered a turbo Outback too. The 6-cylinder starts at $32k, which is a pretty big jump from the $25k 4-cylinder price. I took a 4-cylinder Legacy out for a spin a few months ago & didn't like it at all, engine gearing on the CVT was awfully weird - felt slow (yet was really good on the Forester!), not sure if the Outback is geared the same or not.

 

[Kaido]

I think your #3 con is the rear wheels being given power abruptly.

The Cherokee does the same thing. With the V6 in the Cherokee, if you slam on the gas, the rears come in so hard that they chirp. The whole vehicle shudders. Terrible 4 wheel drive system, I think.

That might be it. It wasn't a shimmy I had felt before. My wife's AWD Forester definitely doesn't do that.

 

[brainhulk]

Murano or Rav4? i heard the new murano interior was fairly plush

 

[pmark]

CRV has vibration issues. HRV is junk, tiny inside & crap CVT, was really disappointed (wish it was based on the old Fit, not the new Fit with the ruined design). CX5 was surprisingly super nice. Hyundai Tucson is next on the list.

Only complaint is no adaptive cruise on the Tucson. That's really high on my wishlist.

I'm loving the new Tucson and choose it over the CX-5.

 

[evident]

has to be better than the POS jeep compass i drove

 

[Kaido]

Murano or Rav4? i heard the new murano interior was fairly plush

Murano is nice but more than I want to spend. Buddy just got a new AWD Rav4, it's pretty nice! But like the Forester, a bit bland. The Renegade is weird & has some character, which I like. I like goofy cars

 

[Kaido]

Test-drove a 4-cylinder Subaru Outback. Thoughts:

1. Fabric is way more comfortable than the leather, more cushy. I was disappointed in the leather, but after riding around in my buddy's WRX with leather, I wasn't really expecting much.

2. Definitely more solid on the road than the Forester. Forester is a bit more bouncy, Outback feels a lot more heavy & solid on the road, which I liked. Although, the Renegade I took out had some kind of adaptive suspension that I think even trumped the Outback's weight.

3. Headroom is definitely more car-like. The Forester has tons, but the Outback felt more like my Civic. Visibility is of course better in the Forester as well, although the Outback feels like it extends a lot further back (even though the cars are like within an inch of each other's sizes).

4. Acceleration didn't seem as bad as the Legacy, but it wasn't as zippy as the Forester. But at least it didn't have the Renegade's delay. I wanted to test-drive a 6-cylinder Outback, but they're pretty scarce, as are the turbo Foresters.

The lowest they'd go on the base 2.5i Outback (which still has A/C, Bluetooth, backup camera, etc. as standard) was $25.3k, which is exactly what Truecar had. The base automatic Forester is $23.4k on Truecar, which is nearly $2k less than the base Outback. imo the Forester is a better car due to the snappier acceleration response, extra headroom, and better visibility, not to mention cheaper price by $1,900. It's hard to beat the overall utility of the Forester. Only real bummer is adding EyeSight really jacks up the price, and adaptive cruise control is definitely on my wishlist.

 

[PricklyPete]

Test-drove a 4-cylinder Subaru Outback. Thoughts:

1. Fabric is way more comfortable than the leather, more cushy. I was disappointed in the leather, but after riding around in my buddy's WRX with leather, I wasn't really expecting much.

2. Definitely more solid on the road than the Forester. Forester is a bit more bouncy, Outback feels a lot more heavy & solid on the road, which I liked. Although, the Renegade I took out had some kind of adaptive suspension that I think even trumped the Outback's weight.

3. Headroom is definitely more car-like. The Forester has tons, but the Outback felt more like my Civic. Visibility is of course better in the Forester as well, although the Outback feels like it extends a lot further back (even though the cars are like within an inch of each other's sizes).

4. Acceleration didn't seem as bad as the Legacy, but it wasn't as zippy as the Forester. But at least it didn't have the Renegade's delay. I wanted to test-drive a 6-cylinder Outback, but they're pretty scarce, as are the turbo Foresters.

The lowest they'd go on the base 2.5i Outback (which still has A/C, Bluetooth, backup camera, etc. as standard) was $25.3k, which is exactly what Truecar had. The base automatic Forester is $23.4k on Truecar, which is nearly $2k less than the base Outback. imo the Forester is a better car due to the snappier acceleration response, extra headroom, and better visibility, not to mention cheaper price by $1,900. It's hard to beat the overall utility of the Forester. Only real bummer is adding EyeSight really jacks up the price, and adaptive cruise control is definitely on my wishlist.

Interesting comparison. I feel like the interior of the outback is a decent upgrade from the forester, but I realize that is pretty subjective. It also seemed to me like the act seat had more room in the outback ( I could see how the slightly shorter greenhouse could make it "feel" more cramped though. Also, doesn't the outback get slightly better gas mileage?

I'm more of a wagon guy, so looks wise I like the outback a lot more than than the forester. That being said, I wouldn't be buying either of them if looks were high on my list.