2022 Jeep Renegade

2022 Jeep Renegade Overview

Is the Jeep Renegade a Good SUV?

Despite its ranking, the Jeep Renegade is a fine subcompact SUV . It's the most capable off-roader in the segment, packing much of its brand's exploratory nature into a small package. The Renegade comes standard with a somewhat peppy turbocharged engine, it offers commendable handling, and its infotainment features are intuitive.

However, it does have some downsides, like a wayward transmission, unimpressive gas mileage, and a permeable, noise-prone cabin. This Jeep also has less cargo room than many class rivals, and it comes with a history of mixed crash test results.

Should I Buy the Jeep Renegade?

You should really only consider the Renegade if you want a relatively affordable off-roader that can pull double duty as a city driver. If you have a long commute, do a lot of highway driving, regularly transport adult passengers, or need a lot of cargo space, this Jeep probably won’t make sense. Instead, consider the high-ranking Kia Soul , which costs less than the Renegade, or spring for something bigger like the Jeep Compass , which could still scratch that itch for adventure.

Find a 2022 Jeep Renegade for sale near you »

Why You Can Trust Us: 36 Reviews Analyzed

We analyzed 36 Jeep Renegade reviews – along with performance and interior specs, fuel economy estimates, and more – to help you decide if a new Jeep Renegade is the car for you.

This 2022 Renegade review incorporates applicable research for all models in this generation, which launched for 2015.

U.S. News Best Cars has been ranking and reviewing vehicles since 2007, and our staff has more than 75 years of combined experience in the auto industry. To ensure our objectivity, we never accept expensive gifts from carmakers, and an outside firm manages the ads on our site.

2021 vs. 2022 Jeep Renegade: What's the Difference?

Differences between the 2022 and 2021 Jeep Renegade include several subtractions. The formerly standard naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine has been discontinued, leaving the previously optional turbocharged four-cylinder as the standard power plant. Also, the trim lineup is reduced from eight models to four, and the formerly optional 8.4-inch touch screen is now standard.

Compare the 2021 and 2022 Renegade »

Here are the key changes for the Jeep Renegade over the last few years:

• 2022: turbocharged engine and a larger touch screen (8.4 inches, up from 7) became standard; slimmed-down trim lineup
• 2021: several driver aids, a touch-screen infotainment system, and smartphone integration added to standard features list; 80th Anniversary, Jeepster, and Islander trims debuted
• 2020: active safety features made available in more trims; a Kenwood premium stereo became available
• 2019: refreshed exterior design; more powerful turbocharged engine, adaptive cruise control, and automatic parking assist became available; manual transmission discontinued
• 2018: a rearview camera became standard; Android Auto and Apple CarPlay made available

If you're considering an older model, be sure to read our 2019 Renegade , 2020 Renegade , and 2021 Renegade reviews to help make your decision. Also, check out our Best New Car Deals and Best New Car Lease Deals pages to learn about savings and discounts you can find on new vehicles.

Pricing

How Much is a 2022 Jeep Renegade?

As of this writing, Jeep has not announced pricing for the 2022 Renegade. Typically, the Renegade's MSRP has been above average for a subcompact SUV . Expect that to remain true for this model year, especially with the newly standard engine.

Check out our U.S. News Best Price Program for great savings at your local Jeep dealer. You can also find excellent manufacturer incentives on our Jeep deals page .

Jeep Renegade Versus the Competition

Jeep Renegade vs. Jeep Compass

The Jeep Compass comes in above the Renegade in the brand's lineup and competes in the compact SUV class . While it typically suffers a low ranking, the Compass gets several enhancements for 2022 that should make it a more appealing pick. New features debut, among them an optional 10.25-inch fully digital instrument cluster, a 10.1-inch touch screen running newer Uconnect software, and highway driving assist technology. Jeep also refreshed the interior design, likely making the Compass more refined than the Renegade. Both of these Jeeps have starting prices in the mid-$20,000s, the same four-wheel-drive and off-road abilities, and so-so on-road performance. A larger cargo hold and better rear-seat room help seal the deal for the Compass.

Compare the Renegade and Compass »

Jeep Renegade vs. Kia Soul

The Kia Soul is the envy of most other subcompact SUVs , scoring a high ranking on the strength of its huge cargo hold, adult-friendly seating, and straightforward technology. As long as your top priority isn't off-roading, the Soul is a much better choice for a boxy, small crossover than the Renegade. The Soul retails for less than $20,000, a distinction few new cars can make anymore. It features a lengthy warranty, composed handling, and good crash test results, but you'll have to buy pricier models to get any active safety features of note.

Both the Soul and the Renegade have mixed-bag interior qualities and so-so acceleration, but Kia offers its small SUV with a punchy, 201-horsepower turbocharged engine option. If the Soul has any downsides, it's that it is not available with all-wheel drive.

Compare the Renegade and Soul »

Compare the Renegade, Compass, and Soul »

Renegade Interior: Quirky, at Least

Renegade Interior Quality

The 2022 Jeep Renegade pairs its adventure-seeking driving ethos with some fun interior touches. There are cool, hidden Easter eggs related to the Jeep brand and imagery, as well as pops of color and utility helpers like grab bars.

Build quality is OK for the segment, and the overall design, while not the flashiest, is satisfying. However, a good bit of outside road and wind noise gets in the cabin.

Renegade Infotainment, Bluetooth, and Navigation

The Renegade comes standard with a touch-screen infotainment system running the praiseworthy Uconnect interface. On-screen menus are simple to dive through, and all the graphics look good. The lower center stack features chunky, easy-to-reach knobs for audio volume and tuning, and there are also clearly marked buttons for climate controls and other common functions.

• Standard infotainment features: an 8.4-inch touch screen, navigation, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth, a USB port, satellite radio, voice recognition, and a six-speaker stereo
• Available infotainment features: a rear USB port and a nine-speaker Kenwood premium stereo
• Additional standard features: dual-zone automatic climate control
• Other available features: a 7-inch digital instrument cluster display, ambient interior lighting, proximity keyless entry, remote start, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a household-style power outlet, and a dual-pane panoramic roof

For more information, read What Is Apple CarPlay? and What Is Android Auto?

Renegade Cargo Space

Behind the rear seats of the Renegade is 18.5 cubic feet of cargo space, which is among the lowest volumes for a subcompact SUV . However, the hatch opening is wide and squared off, allowing you to place big items without difficulty. It's also easy to load heavy cargo over the low bumper and floor.

The second row folds down to create a maximum space of 50.8 cubic feet, a value that's a little more average for the class.

How Many People Does the Renegade Seat?

The Jeep Renegade SUV seats five people. A boxy body style and high roof mean there’s ample headroom in both rows; in fact, the 40.5 inches of second-row headspace is tops in the class. The driver enjoys commanding outward views in most directions, though you'll probably appreciate the standard blind-spot monitoring that can make up for so-so visibility around thick rear roof pillars.

While taller people are unlikely to need to crane their necks, other seating aspects are less peachy. The standard manually adjustable front seats aren't overly comfortable, and it can be tricky to find an agreeable position. An optional eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat helps remedy that, at least for one person. Additionally, rear legroom is mediocre.

Renegade and Child Car Seats

There are two complete sets of LATCH connectors for the rear outboard seats and a tether anchor for the rear middle seat. The lower anchors are set deeply in the seats, but once you reach them, there's sufficient room to maneuver your hands around. All three of the tether anchors are clearly marked and distinct from other pieces of hardware.

Read more about interior »

Renegade Performance: Better Off Road

Renegade Engine

The 2022 Jeep Renegade comes standard with a turbocharged 1.3-liter four-cylinder engine, good for 177 horsepower and 210 pound-feet of torque. That latter figure is crucial in getting the little Jeep moving quickly, but overall, this is not a fast SUV. It can take some time to get up to higher speeds, and executing passing or merging maneuvers on a highway takes a few seconds.

A nine-speed automatic transmission is standard, and it earns derision for its penchant to hunt around for the correct gears or being slow to shift when you need to access more turbo power.

Renegade Gas Mileage

Fuel economy for the standard, front-wheel-drive 2022 Renegade comes in at an estimated 24 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway. That's below-average for a subcompact SUV , and fuel efficiency drops further in models with four-wheel drive.

Renegade Ride and Handling

This little Jeep is easy to drive, with fairly responsive steering and a tight turning radius. You can zip in and out of traffic or tight parking lots with little drama, and body roll is kept in check around turns.

Ride quality is good in most models, though the experience still isn't as comfortable as what you'd get in some other crossovers. The Trailhawk trim especially transmits more unpleasantness into the cabin.

Renegade Off-Road Performance

Any Renegade model equipped with four-wheel drive will be more capable than most run-of-the-mill all-wheel-drive small SUVs, but the Trailhawk trim is best-equipped for venturing off road. It has added low-range gearing, hill descent control, a couple of skid plates, off-road tires, and front and rear recovery tow hooks.

Most 4WD Renegade trims have 8 inches of ground clearance and selectable drive modes for Snow, Sand, and Mud. The trail-rated Renegade Trailhawk has 8.7 inches of ground clearance and an additional Rock traction control mode, but it still can't match the off-road prowess of many of the brand's other vehicles, like the Jeep Wrangler .

Renegade Towing Capacity

When properly equipped, the Renegade can tow up to 2,000 pounds. That's only for four-wheel-drive models; Jeep does not recommend towing with a front-wheel-drive Renegade.

Read more about performance »

Renegade Reliability

Is the Jeep Renegade Reliable ?

The 2022 Jeep Renegade has a predicted reliability score of 80 out of 100. A J.D. Power predicted reliability score of 91-100 is considered the Best, 81-90 is Great, 70-80 is Average, and 0-69 is Fair and considered below average.

Jeep Renegade Warranty

Jeep covers the Renegade with a three-year/36,000-mile basic warranty and a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty.

Read more about reliability »

2022 Jeep Renegade Safety

Score: 9/10

Crash Test Results

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gave the 2022 Jeep Renegade an overall safety rating of four out of five stars, with four stars in the frontal and side crash tests. The front-wheel-drive Renegade received four stars in the rollover test, while the four-wheel-drive model earned three stars.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has not crash tested the 2022 Renegade, but it gave the similar 2021 Renegade the highest rating of Good in four crash tests, the second-highest rating of Acceptable in the passenger-side small overlap front test, and the second-lowest rating of Marginal in the side test.

Safety Features

Standard driver assistance features:

• Blind spot monitoring
• Rear cross traffic alert
• Forward collision warning
• Forward automatic emergency braking
• Lane departure warning
• Lane keep assist
• Rearview camera

Available driver assistance features:

• Adaptive cruise control
• Automatic parking assist
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Automatic high-beam headlights
• Rain-sensing windshield wipers

Renegade Dimensions and Weight

The Renegade is 13.9 feet long, and its curb weight ranges from 3,161 to 3,527 pounds.

Where Is the 2022 Jeep Renegade Built?

Jeep builds the 2022 Renegade in Italy.

Which Jeep Renegade Model Is Right for Me?

The 2022 Jeep Renegade comes in four trim levels: Sport, Latitude, Trailhawk, and Limited. All models feature a turbocharged four-cylinder engine and a nine-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive is standard in the Sport trim, while four-wheel drive is optional in the Sport and standard in all other trims.

The base Sport model has an impressive list of standard infotainment and active safety features, so it makes a good pick right off the bat. For the best off-road abilities, the Trailhawk is the unquestionable choice.

At the time of writing, Jeep has not announced pricing for the 2022 Renegade.

Jeep Renegade Sport

Standard features in the 2022 Jeep Renegade Sport include cloth upholstery, manually adjustable front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, and an 8.4-inch touch-screen infotainment system with navigation, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth, a USB port, satellite radio, voice recognition, and a six-speaker stereo.

The Renegade also comes standard with blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, forward collision warning, forward automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, and a rearview camera.

Jeep Renegade Latitude

The Jeep Renegade Latitude trim gains a 7-inch digital instrument cluster display, ambient interior lighting, a rear USB port, proximity keyless entry, remote start, automatic high-beam headlights, adaptive fog lights, and alloy wheels.

This model's optional Convenience Group adds an eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a household-style power outlet, rain-sensing windshield wipers, heated front seats, and a heated steering wheel. There's also the Sun and Sound Group, which comes with a dual-pane panoramic roof and a nine-speaker Kenwood premium stereo.

Jeep Renegade Trailhawk

The Jeep Renegade Trailhawk adds heated front seats, an eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat, a leather-wrapped shift knob, a heated and leather-wrapped steering wheel, rain-sensing windshield wipers, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and a household-style power outlet. Leather upholstery is optional.

Unique to this trim are low-range gearing, hill descent control, skid plates, and off-road tires.

Jeep Renegade Limited

The top-of-the-line Renegade Limited adds standard leather upholstery, and this trim offers some features you can't get in other trims. Adaptive cruise control, automatic parking assist, front and rear parking sensors, automatic high-beam headlights, and LED headlights and fog lights are all part of the Limited's Luxury Group.

Check out our U.S. News Best Price Program for great savings at your local Jeep dealer. You can also find excellent manufacturer incentives on our Jeep deals page .

See 2022 Jeep Renegade specs and trims »

The Final Call

The 2022 Jeep Renegade is like the kid that goes off alone during recess to roll around in the mud. While it’s one of the most capable off-road vehicles in the class, many other subcompact SUVs follow a well-proven formula, offering more cargo room, better fuel economy, peppier acceleration, and/or nicer cabins than this Jeep.

Don't just take our word for it. Check out comments from some of the reviews that drive our rankings and analysis.

• "The Jeep Renegade is a fun little SUV with more personality than its main rivals. The ride quality is a little stiff and cargo space is lackluster, but otherwise the Renegade is pretty agreeable. Give it a shot if you want a small crossover SUV with character." -- Edmunds
• "With boxy styling, quirky design touches, optional Selec-Terrain traction settings, and go-anywhere Trailhawk trim, the Renegade offers fun and capability that leaves more pedestrian rivals in the dust." -- Autotrader (2021)
• "Unless you plan on going off-road with the Trailhawk version, there are better choices in the subcompact SUV class." -- Car and Driver (2020)