Does Jeep Still Make The Renegade

Did you know that Jeep’s smallest SUV saw a staggering 90% sales decline from its peak before finally getting the axe in the United States? The Renegade was once the darling of city dwellers who craved a bit of “Trail Rated” badge cred without the Wrangler’s thirsty appetite. But by 2023, the numbers told a story of a market moving toward larger, tech-heavy alternatives. You might wonder if this boxy little icon is truly extinct or just hiding.

The Current Production Status of the Jeep Renegade

Yes, Jeep still manufactures the Renegade, though production shifted exclusively to international markets for the 2024 model year. While the vehicle disappeared from North American dealerships after the 2023 run, it remains a staple in Jeep’s global lineup. Factories in Melfi, Italy, and Goiana, Brazil, continue to churn out these subcompact SUVs for buyers across Europe, South America, and Mexico.

Still, the version you find in a Roman showroom differs significantly from what sat on a lot in Ohio just eighteen months ago. Overseas models often feature hardware we never saw here, like the 1.5-liter mild-hybrid powertrains or the 4xe plug-in hybrid systems. This geographic divide exists because the compact footprint remains a massive selling point in narrow European streets where a Grand Wagoneer would be a nightmare to park. Actually, let me rephrase that — while the Renegade is dead in Detroit, it’s still very much alive on the global stage. Local demand in Brazil remains so high that the model recently underwent a styling refresh to keep it competitive against local rivals.

Why North America Bid Farewell to the Baby Jeep

Sales performance was the primary driver for the Renegade’s North American retirement. US deliveries plummeted from a peak of 106,606 units in 2016 to just 15,549 units in 2023. Jeep shifted focus to the slightly larger Compass and the new Dodge Hornet to capture higher-margin market segments where consumers are currently spending more of their disposable income.

Statistics reveal a brutal truth: American buyers have developed a “size up” mentality over the last decade. In my experience walking dealership rows during the final 2023 clearance, sales managers were often pushing the Compass because the price gap had narrowed to almost nothing. Why would a customer buy a Renegade when a Compass offered more cargo room and a much better interior for an extra twenty dollars a month on a lease? The 2023 Compass also received a potent 200-horsepower engine, making the Renegade’s 1.3-liter turbo feel like a relic from a different era. This means the Renegade simply got squeezed out of its own nest by its bigger siblings.

International Markets Where the Renegade Thrives

While absent from US showrooms, the Renegade remains a top seller in Brazil and Italy where smaller dimensions are prized. In these regions, urban density makes the subcompact’s small footprint an advantage rather than a liability. Stellantis keeps updating the model there with hybrid powertrains and advanced safety tech that were never prioritized for the North American market.

Unexpectedly, the Renegade is actually the most popular Jeep model in several Mediterranean countries. I’ve seen this firsthand while traveling through Tuscany; every third vehicle seems to be a Renegade parked on a curb that would swallow a Cherokee whole. That said, the European version is leaning heavily into electrification. They have access to the “e-Hybrid” version which uses a 48V system to crawl through stop-and-go traffic without waking the internal combustion engine. Our American version never got that level of mechanical polish. It remained a rough-and-tumble box until the day it was discontinued.

Off-Road Capability in a Subcompact Frame

The Renegade Trailhawk set a unique benchmark for the B-SUV segment with its 8.7 inches of ground clearance and 19 inches of water fording capability. Its 21.5-degree breakover angle allowed it to scramble over obstacles that would bottom out competitors like the Kia Soul or Chevy Trax. This capability gave it a distinct edge in off-road scenarios.

A colleague once pointed out that the Renegade was basically a Fiat 500X in a hiking vest, but that’s not quite right. When I tested the Trailhawk trim on the muddy trails of northern Michigan, the Rock mode on the Selec-Terrain system genuinely impressed me. It crawled through ruts that left CR-Vs spinning their tires in frustration. Yet, the short wheelbase that made it great on trails also made it a bit jittery on the highway. High-speed stability was never its strong suit. Still, for a specific type of buyer who wanted to get dirty on the weekends, there was nothing else in the subcompact class that could keep up.

The Quirks of the Renegade Platform

One hyper-specific detail only a long-term owner or mechanic would know is the peculiar logic of the “MySky” removable roof panels. They used a proprietary key to lock them in place, and if you didn’t seat them perfectly, the wind whistle at 70 mph sounded like a teakettle. It was an endearing, if somewhat annoying, reminder of the Jeep heritage. An end of an era. These little touches gave the car a personality that most modern crossovers lack entirely.

Performance Specs of the Final US Models

The 2023 Jeep Renegade featured a 1.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 177 horsepower and 210 lb-ft of torque. Every unit came standard with four-wheel drive, a shift from earlier model years where front-wheel drive was the entry-level offering. This change simplified the lineup but also increased the base MSRP significantly.

That 1.3-liter engine was a punchy little unit, but it had a very specific power band. If you didn’t wait for the turbo to spool, the 9-speed automatic transmission often felt like it was searching for a gear that didn’t exist. This was a massive departure from the old 2.4-liter Tigershark engine found in earlier models, which felt more linear but lacked the torque of the newer turbo. That said, the fuel economy never truly lived up to the “small car” promise. Averaging 26 mpg on the highway was decent, but it wasn’t enough to sway buyers who were looking at hybrids from Toyota or Honda.

The Hidden Reality of the Used Market

Used Renegade values have remained surprisingly stable in the secondary market due to their unique aesthetic and lack of a direct replacement. Low-mileage Trailhawk editions from 2021 to 2023 are currently commanding premiums, often selling for nearly 85% of their original sticker price. This defies the usual rapid depreciation seen in the subcompact SUV category.

What most overlook is the cult following forming around specific discontinued colors. If you find a Renegade in “Bikini Blue” or “Hypergreen,” you can expect to pay a $1,500 premium over a standard white or silver model. Collectors and younger buyers are hunting for these “fun” colors because most modern SUVs are painted in boring shades of grayscale. So, if you’re sitting on a well-maintained 2023 model, you might be surprised at what a dealership will offer you for a trade-in. Just watch out for the cooling fan assembly; it’s a known weak point that tends to get noisy after 40,000 miles.

Potential Future for an Electric Renegade

Speculation points toward a potential return as an all-electric vehicle under Jeep’s “4xe” electrification push. CEO Antonio Filosa has hinted at affordable EVs, and a Renegade-sized electric successor could bridge the gap between urban commuting and weekend trail-riding for a new generation of buyers. Stellantis is already using the STLA Small platform for other brands.

This means the Renegade nameplate likely isn’t dead forever. Jeep needs an entry-level price point to bring younger drivers into the fold before they can afford a $60,000 Wrangler. But don’t expect it to look exactly like the current Italian version. Any future US return would likely involve a major technology overhaul and a much larger battery than what’s currently available in Europe. Wait, that’s not quite right — the goal isn’t just a bigger battery, it’s a lower price. Rumors suggest a sub-$25,000 starting price for the next generation of small Jeeps.

With the Renegade gone from local showrooms, the market for tiny, capable off-roaders has felt a bit empty lately. Do you think a fully electric version could capture the same spirit as the original boxy gas-guzzler?