Buyer’s Guide – Page 3 – Driver Illustrated

The Jeep Renegade was released in 2015 and is slightly larger than its more popular cousin, the Jeep Wrangler. For the most part, the Renegade is a fairly average vehicle that seems to piggyback off the Jeep’s heritage, but that comes down to what you’re looking for in a car. Let’s find out if you should get a Jeep Renegade! Towing capacity is a great reason to get a hefty off-roader over something sportier. With a towing capacity of 2,000 pounds that rivals Wrangler's rear-wheel-drive variant, is the Renegade a good vehicle for you? Why Is Towing Capacity Important? Having a vehicle that can tow loads is great for multiple reasons. Whether you own an ATV or a dirt bike and want to transport them for off-roading, take your boat to the lake, or traverse over to the snow to joyride your snowmobile, you need a vehicle that can tow loads. Most people use trailers to tow their vehicles; however, the weight of the trailer that you buy should be significantly lesser than your vehicle’s maximum towing capacity. Since the Jeep Renegade has a towing capacity of 2,000 pounds, you can safely haul a 1,500-pound trailer, and you can only add 500 more pounds of cargo to it. Many people prioritize a vehicle’s towing capacity because it serves more uses than transporting recreational vehicles. Some of the things you can transport with a trailer include: Furniture and home décor. Livestock Supplies to stores. Don’t worry if you feel overwhelmed! We will discuss all these variables in the next section. https://youtu.be/9qJyv9pGM4s Understanding Towing Capacity There are some acronyms you should familiarize yourself with to understand what towing capacity your vehicle is capable of: Curb Weight and Dry Weight- The curb weight is your vehicle’s total weight when it is parked, including the weight of fuel, extra components, and necessary fluids. The dry weight is the weight of the vehicle without any fluids and fuel. GVWR- A vehicle’s Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) is the maximum weight it can safely carry. This value includes the curb weight, passengers, fuel, and any additional cargo. GCWR- Gross Combined Weight Ratings (GCWR) indicate the maximum total weight a vehicle can handle, including a loaded trailer. GAWR- Maximum loads that a vehicle’s front and rear axles can bear give the Gross Axle Weight Ratings (GAWR). TW- The tongue weight signifies the maximum vertical load that a trailer’s coupler can bear. What Does This Even Mean? If you’re confused, don’t worry. We understand that visualizing towing weight can be challenging, so we put together a list of popular cars in the US along with their curb weights. While a Jeep Renegade won’t be able to tow any of these vehicles due to its 2,000-pound towing limitation, we felt that it was a good way to visualize what your Renegade can tow. Car Name Weight (lbs.) Ford F-Series 4,769 KIA Rio 2,410 Honda Civic 2,762 Nissan Rogue 3,494 VW Golf 2,851 Toyota Corolla 2,995 Toyota Camry 3,310 Honda CR-V 3,337 KIA Stinger 3,611 *Figures may vary depending on the configuration. Which Renegade to Buy? Like most cars on the market, the Renegade offers multiple trims and configurations to choose from. Renegades are incredibly popular worldwide, having sold over 800,000 units across various continents due to their personality and off-road capabilities. Apart from the base “Sport” trim, Renegades come with creature comforts such as Android Auto and Apple CarPlay that make them desirable for anyone looking for specific features ranging from integration with smart devices. The SUV also comes with a premium Kenwood audio system for audiophiles. We have made a table to help you understand the differences between each variant and pick the one that suits your needs. Sport Style Drive Engine Power (hp) Torque (lb.ft) Fuel Efficiency 4-door FWD 2.4L (I-4) 180 175 25 (combined) 4-door 4 x 4 2.4L (I-4) 180 175 24 (combined) Latitude 4-door FWD 2.4L (I-4) 180 175 25 (combined) 4-door 4 x 4 2.4L (I-4) 180 175 24 (combined) Limited 4-door 4 x 4 1.3L (I-4) 177 175 26 (combined) Trailhawk 4-door 4 x 4 1.3L (I-4) 177 210 24 (combined) Regardless of which variant you choose, you get decent fuel efficiency combined with a 2,000-pound towing capacity. A Renegade in the Wild While all the Renegade options are capable off-roaders, you should buy the Trailhawk for the best-in-class experience. The Trailhawk boasts excellent off-road as well as solid on-road performance that makes it a great value. Check out this video review to learn more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0m2OU2sKqWE Renegades come with multiple features that make them an incredible off-roader, with extra features in the Trailhawk trim. These include: Selec-Terrain® Traction Management System Although the Selec-Terrain system is standard across all Renegades, only the Trailhawk trim has a Rock Mode for superior performance while rock crawling. Modes for snow, sand, mud, and automatic traction control are available on all Renegade models. Hill Descent Control The Renegade allows you to cruise downhill without keeping your foot on the brake pedal. The Hill Descent Control controls the SUV’s throttle, speed, and automatically engages the brakes for a comfortable descent. Water Fording Renegades are water-resistant and can easily cross streams and puddles thanks to their high ground clearance. You don’t need to worry about water-logging your engine since the air intake is higher than most other cars. Safety Safety features are essential whether you are off-roading or driving in the city and the Renegade comes packed with the latest safety equipment. These safety features include: Blind-spot monitoring. Traction control. Brake assist. Airbags. Lane departure warnings coupled with lane assist. Rear cross-traffic alerts. Forward collision warning. Adaptive cruise control. Parking-assist along with Jeep’s Parkview Back-Up Camera. The Competition If you are looking to buy a Jeep Renegade, you might also want to consider other vehicles in its class. We have put together a list of 5 cars that compete in the same category as the Jeep Renegade. 2021 Subaru Crosstrek The Subaru Crosstrek is a capable off-roader that comes equipped with AWD and an aggressive design. Not only is the Crosstrek more fuel-efficient, but its lower displacement engine makes the car feel sluggish to drive. Since the Crosstrek’s engine outputs lesser torque to the wheels, the Renegade takes the lead in off-road rock crawling and city driving. Another area where the Renegade outperforms the Crosstrek is towing capacity. While the Renegade tows up to 2,000 lbs., the Crosstrek is limited to 1,500 lbs. 2021 Honda HR-V As a basic off-roader, the HR-V lacks in many areas and does not come with off-road performance in mind. An off-road HR-V might be in the works; however, there is no confirmation from the company as yet. With a greater focus on city driving, the HR-V is sluggish with a lower-powered 1.8L I-4 engine which lacks the torque and power that the Renegade brings to the table. The smaller engine of the HR-V is more efficient than the Renegade’s; however, it is a guzzler compared to other vehicles with similar engines. The HR-V is also not as capable as the Renegade in terms of towing capacity. A properly configured HR-V can haul loads of 1,500 lbs. 2021 Ford Ecosport Ford’s Ecosport offers practicality and serves as a family car. With a lower capacity engine than the Renegade, the Ecosport feels sluggish and somehow manages to offer poorer fuel efficiency and a worse value. In terms of towing capacity, the Ecosport matches Renegade’s 2,000 lb. capacity when you configure it correctly. 2021 Chevrolet Trax The Chevrolet Trax comes in at an affordable price point but misses out on incorporating any useful features. Precisely as the name suggests, the base model offers basic functionality and no extras. The more premium trims add some features; however, they aren’t fun to drive either. If you assumed that the Trax’s 1.4L turbocharged engine would be its saving grace, then you’d better guess again. With uninspiring fuel efficiency and performance, the Trax is rather disappointing compared to the Renegade. The Renegade continues to outclass the Trax when it comes to towing capacity. Since the Trax can haul 1,263 pounds, it won’t be winning any tug-of-war competitions. Go Off-Road with All You Need After evaluating all the options available, the Jeep Renegade is one of the best options available for anyone looking for a capable off-roader with a decent towing capacity. The Renegade can easily tow small boats, campers, and carry extra luggage while having passengers on board. Before you buy a trailer, ensure that it and whatever you wish to transport with it weigh under 2,000 pounds before hitching it up to your Renegade. Suppose 2,000 pounds isn’t enough towing weight for you. In that case, you might want to consider investing in a Jeep Wrangler and find out whether its towing capacity meets your requirements. If you have any questions, we would love to help you out! Click here to reach out to us, and we will get back to you as soon as we can!