Jeep Renegade 4XE - forced into an electric mould?

The Jeep Renegade is like an enlarged small car, with headlights and front-end styling you can’t help but admire. This, Jeep’s most affordable model, now has an electric motor in its cavity, which at its best can go up to 50 kilometres on a single charge.

The Renegade is nothing new as a body style. Already in the Jeep range since 2015, the Renegade looks slightly aged on the outside.

More than the exterior, the interior has suffered from the ravages of time, with an old feel to it, if I may say so myself. The dashboard is lined with different buttons, and the central touchscreen and instrument cluster are in need of a facelift.

However, the signs of ageing don’t change the facts, with low fuel consumption, versatile features and a reasonably competitive price.

Urban and more difficult terrain

The Renegade 4XE is a fun car to drive. Light steering, high seat height and a huge spacious cabin make it feel safe and carefree. Around town, it’s a pleasure to spin and on the highway, the ride is steady.

The Renegade is available with an internal combustion engine only, as well as a test-driven 4XE plug-in hybrid. The Renegade 4XE is powered by a 1.3-litre, four-cylinder, naturally aspirated petrol engine and a 60-horsepower electric motor.

The combustion engine is available in two power versions, 130 and 180 hp models. The combined output with the electric motor is therefore 190 or 240 horsepower, depending on the model. The maximum torque for the internal combustion engine is always 270 Nm, and for the electric motor 250 Nm, regardless of the power version.

Four-wheel drive is achieved by distributing power from the internal combustion engine to the front axle and from the electric motor to the rear axle. Driving modes are available for snow, sand and mud, and for difficult conditions at low speeds, 4WD LOCK, 4WD LOW and downhill braking (always standard) are also available.

Fuel consumption was a positive surprise, even though this is a large and not so streamlined-looking SUV. In the city and urban areas, consumption was around six litres, while on the road it remained moderate at around seven litres. On electric power alone and a fully charged battery, you can actually cover 35 to 40 kilometres.

The Renegade’s charging hybrid always has a six-speed automatic gearbox.

Electric driving modes

Hybrid, Electric and E-Save driving modes give the driver the choice of driving on electricity, petrol or both. In Electric mode, the electric motor alone is sufficient to drive the car fully adequately in normal traffic.

In E-Save mode, driving is done solely by the internal combustion engine, and the electricity is saved for later use. In E-Save mode, when starting from a standstill, the electric motor will clearly assist for the first few metres, but the internal combustion engine will start up quickly after the start. This provides a small saving in fuel consumption without sacrificing much in the way of battery charge.

In E-Save mode, the battery charge level can be maintained or the battery can be recharged by the internal combustion engine. Charging, however, increases fuel consumption considerably.

The cooperation between the power lines is practically seamless, and the switch between them is not noticeable. The most difficult part of changing driving modes is reaching the small driving mode selectors, which are located in the lowest corner of the dashboard, right behind the gear stick.

The Renegade 4XE has a distinctive look, a comfortable ride and the electric motor allows you to cut fuel consumption and emissions. Updating the interior could do wonders for cabin comfort.