Jeep Jamboree USA?
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Foobar, some of the Jeep reps are quoted as saying they don't think the Renegade has enough torque to "take on the Rubicon". Specifically, they are talking about some big ledge type climbs.
I've had the minijeep.TV Renegade Trailhawk on some trails around Moab and can confirm this suspicion. The 20:1 crawl ratio is not quite enough to easily get you moving from a dead stop on the bottom of a _steep_ climb / ledge in stock condition in imperfect conditions.
There are many such climbs in Moab--usually a little sandy at the bottom and if there has not been a fresh rain, there is a bit of loose sand all over the slick rock. With a manual, you'd be able to get higher revs in the powerband and dump the clutch, but in Rock mode with the 9-speed it hesitates too much (and clamps the brakes on the loose wheels too quickly) so it can't build the head of steam necessary to start launching uphill.
Multiple attempts were sometimes required on hill that a transfer case equipped jeep could have idled up in Low-Low. I've run several different such vehicles on those same trails and know them well. In the Trailhawk, I was running the factory tires and would say that changing those is a must before heading back to trails with steep hill climb challenges.
With a bit of a running start (like a gradually steepening hill) it will have enough power to keep climbing (once the revs are up there nicely).
When I return to Moab, I will experiment more with other settings (perhaps sand mode which allows much more power and free spinning to the tires) to start the same climbs and of course we'll be running better tires too.
I'm sure this is a discussion people will be interested in. In my Jeep concept overview video recently posted, you can see some of the climbs I'm referring to in the 1 minute teaser at the beginning. https://youtu.be/lpisF_RrQqo
The in depth video "Moab trail report card" is coming soon. Here you'll be able to see the stuggles and successes of the minijeep on various critical terrain. Stay tuned.
Four-plus decades of four-wheeling experience leads me to easily conclude that a 20:1 crawl ratio behind a 4-cylinder gasoline engine is not going to cut it for hard-core 4-wheeling, even taking into account the torque multiplication characteristics of the torque converter in an automatic transmission. People hoping for a fuel-efficient hard-core 4-wheeler in the Trailhawk are in for a disappointment.
Which begs this question: It is possible to buy a Subaru Forester Limited 2.5 or a Forester 2.0 XT Premium for about the same price as a Trailhawk. The 2.5 will get better fuel economy than the Trailhawk and the 2.0 Turbo will get about the same fuel economy as the Trailhawk (albeit on higher priced premium fuel, but with much better performance). Both versions of the Forester listed above come with X-mode standard, which likely makes either Forester about as off-road competent as the TH as far as gearing goes. Aftermarket full skid plating is available for the Subie, along with a lift kit that will get it better ground clearance than the Trailhawk. The Forester has a proven high reliability record, while the TH does not. So, does it really make sense to buy a TH, when the Forester will likely perform as well as the TH will as a soft-roader? I'm a two-decade plus Jeep owner, but, unless something proves different than what I expect to see, the Subie appears to be a better overall vehicle. I was hoping for a home run with the TH, but what I see is a weak single, so far.
Which begs this question: It is possible to buy a Subaru Forester Limited 2.5 or a Forester 2.0 XT Premium for about the same price as a Trailhawk. The 2.5 will get better fuel economy than the Trailhawk and the 2.0 Turbo will get about the same fuel economy as the Trailhawk (albeit on higher priced premium fuel, but with much better performance). Both versions of the Forester listed above come with X-mode standard, which likely makes either Forester about as off-road competent as the TH as far as gearing goes. Aftermarket full skid plating is available for the Subie, along with a lift kit that will get it better ground clearance than the Trailhawk. The Forester has a proven high reliability record, while the TH does not. So, does it really make sense to buy a TH, when the Forester will likely perform as well as the TH will as a soft-roader? I'm a two-decade plus Jeep owner, but, unless something proves different than what I expect to see, the Subie appears to be a better overall vehicle. I was hoping for a home run with the TH, but what I see is a weak single, so far.
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Unfortunately, I can't take the Scooby to Jeep Jamboree USA either!
Yeah, but the "Subie" doesn't look nearly as good as the Renegade. Besides, only about 1% of buyers will want to take the Renegade in places where you really should have a Wrangler.
Many Renegade buyers may not take their cars on gnarly trails at all. And who wants to be stuck with an ugly car all those times driving on the highway.
Maybe FCA will opt for a more power engine in the Trailhawk for 2016 or 2017. Who knows, maybe they will put in a 2:1 or even a 4:1 transfer case in future years. That will get the job done.
Many Renegade buyers may not take their cars on gnarly trails at all. And who wants to be stuck with an ugly car all those times driving on the highway.
Maybe FCA will opt for a more power engine in the Trailhawk for 2016 or 2017. Who knows, maybe they will put in a 2:1 or even a 4:1 transfer case in future years. That will get the job done.
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