[SBDFAN]

Last Saturday I dropped by my local Jeep dealer and test drove their red Jeep Renegade Latitude 4x2. The interior feels roomy but there is zero room in the back seat with the front seats all the way back. The transmission was AWFUL. The 9 speed transmission never seemed to find the right gear; almost the same feeling of driving a stick shift for the first time. Interior quality seemed to be really good and everything is logically placed. I would say there are way too many "Easter Eggs" on this vehicle and the spider saying "Ciao Baby" in the fuel door area is just plain silly. I'm sure Jeep will sell a ridiculous amount of Renegades but I won't be part of that statistic. I had high expectations for the Renegade but, to me, the vehicle was a letdown.

 

[Lackadazikal]

Sorry to hear all that!

 

[CalTom]

The interior feels roomy but there is zero room in the back seat with the front seats all the way back.

Define zero, there have been a number of reviews with the 6'1" reporter fitting in the back seat with the front seat all the way back.

This is a B Segment vehicle, to shorten the wheel base you have to remove length, remove length and you get less legroom.

This is sort of like someone wanting a Mazda Miata but complaining the is no legroom.

 

[PutnamJeep]

This is sort of like someone wanting a Mazda Miata but complaining the is no legroom.

This.

 

[bwbike]

Sorry you don't like the Renegade. I like mine a lot and have no problems with the 9-speed. It is just the right sized vehicle for me (when I'm not driving the Challenger ).

The so called Easter Eggs are small and subtle enough that they can be easily ignored.

But there is one thing that is certain. The Renegade is a good looking car and looks like no other car out there. That is the primary reason I traded a perfectly good 2009 car for one.

 

[bunburry]

Last Saturday I dropped by my local Jeep dealer and test drove their red Jeep Renegade Latitude 4x2. The interior feels roomy but there is zero room in the back seat with the front seats all the way back. The transmission was AWFUL. The 9 speed transmission never seemed to find the right gear; almost the same feeling of driving a stick shift for the first time. Interior quality seemed to be really good and everything is logically placed. I would say there are way too many "Easter Eggs" on this vehicle and the spider saying "Ciao Baby" in the fuel door area is just plain silly. I'm sure Jeep will sell a ridiculous amount of Renegades but I won't be part of that statistic. I had high expectations for the Renegade but, to me, the vehicle was a letdown.

sorry to hear, BUT, have you considered it may of been a bad truck? There were a few bad apples in the earle Cherokee test drives... Give it a second chance at least if not I understand...

What are your alternativeS?

 

[hoodoo]

I test drove a Latitude last week with my wife and went back on the weekend to test drive with our two teenage boys as well. We put in a purchase order for an Orange Latitude with My Sky and the 1.4T/manual as we really liked the Renegade!

I am 6'3" and my oldest son is the same height. I was still comfortable in the front seat even without putting it all the way back, and to be honest it felt like it was too far back to drive comfortably when the seat was all the way back. My son or myself can fit in the back seat with the front seat all the way back. Knees touch the seat but it's not too bad. When I put the seat a little forward where it felt pretty good, then my tall son could sit behind me with a fair amount of space (knees not pressed against the seat). We did find that seat height matters a lot though, so be aware of that. With the seat raised up there is more room in the back, and I prefer this "high up" driving position because of the increased visibility. Luckily the Renegade has loads of head room, which makes this possible. With the driver's seat lowered down, that really cut into the back seat knee space.

I preferred the driver's view out of the Renegade to the driver's view from the Cherokee models which I also looked at while we checked out the Renegade.

 

[Retiredguns]

I was a bit skeptical about the 9 spd auto, but after a week of driving it and 400 miles later it has performed very well. It is exactly what I expected and we no longer miss our Escape.

 

[Rebel]

I preferred the driver's view out of the Renegade to the driver's view from the Cherokee models which I also looked at while we checked out the Renegade.

My wife and I felt the same.

 

[SBDFAN]

sorry to hear, BUT, have you considered it may of been a bad truck? There were a few bad apples in the earle Cherokee test drives... Give it a second chance at least if not I understand...

What are your alternativeS?

No alternatives really as I was not serious about buying one. I was hoping the Renegade would be roomy enough to fit four adults but there is no way someone could be happy in the back seat for long! I have a Patriot and Corolla and will be sticking with them for the foreseeable future. This was just my impression of the test drive. From what I am reading, the Renegade will be plagued with problems just like its big brother the Cherokee.

 

[willk]

I had test driven the new Cherokee 3 times before I bought it. I never really liked the way it drove. Worse yet, I traded in a fully loaded 2013 Ford Escape that I liked a lot. I did not hang on to the Cherokee very long. I test drove the Renegade a few weeks ago. I really was impressed. It was actually fun to drive. I'm going to test drive it several more times before I buy but so far so good.

 

[Bionic]

Define zero, there have been a number of reviews with the 6'1" reporter fitting in the back seat with the front seat all the way back.

This is a B Segment vehicle, to shorten the wheel base you have to remove length, remove length and you get less legroom.

This is sort of like someone wanting a Mazda Miata but complaining the is no legroom.

I'm 6' 2" and can get into a Miata and drive it comfortably. It's just tight getting in and out, like putting your foot into a shoe. The back seat of the Renegade is a little close on the knees, but I can sit there.

 

[Strike Z]

No alternatives really as I was not serious about buying one. I was hoping the Renegade would be roomy enough to fit four adults but there is no way someone could be happy in the back seat for long! I have a Patriot and Corolla and will be sticking with them for the foreseeable future. This was just my impression of the test drive. From what I am reading, the Renegade will be plagued with problems just like its big brother the Cherokee.

Just drove over 100 miles with four adults, no problem with leg room. You do have to slightly compromise an inch or so up front, but by no means are you squeezed in. The auto tranny is super smooth.