Here is my take on the new Renegade:
Initial Thought:
WTF is Jeep thinking these days?
Further analysis:
Sure, the Jeep name has long strayed from the days when doors were optional and farm implements were available as well. Not that long ago, however, the entire Jeep lineup still utilized solid axles front and rear. So what has happened since then (2002)?
(1) Government regulations are much more strenuous and are getting stronger. IIRC each brand has to have a 30 something mpg average within like 5 years or something like that. Now, that does NOT mean Jeep has to meet that standard it just means Fiat-Chrysler as a whole does. Nonetheless, the need and desire for better gas mileage is stronger than ever so it is in the best interest of the Jeep name to get better in this category as a whole.
(2) Why is everyone so mad? Is it the fact that this Jeep is about the same size as a Nissan Cube? No. ****, stock TJs were ****ing tiny and nobody really cared because of how capable they are.
Is it the fact that it doesn't have solid axles? No. The GC lineup hasn't had f/r solid axles for almost 10 years and I think I speak for more than just myself when I say I love both WKs and WK2s. I also love XKs, KKs, and even the new Compass doesn't look that bad.
So what is it? The name? This is a big part of it. I feel like people would love this Jeep if, for example, it replaced the Compass and took its name. On the same token, I think more people would be open to the Cherokee if it took the name of, and replaced, the Patriot. The Renegade and the Cherokee both hold a special place in Jeeple's hearts and for good reason. The Jeep manufacturers think they are holding onto the brand's heritage by recycling names. There is a good and bad aspect to this. Good in the sense that non-Jeep people who are looking into buying a CUV see these as more rugged than say, a Kia Soul or Rav4, because they remember 15 years ago a Cherokee was a big bad Jeep and they saw Renegade on the hood of a CJ in a movie 40 years ago. Bad in the sense that fundamentalist Jeeple feel they aren't worthy because they aren't "Real Jeeps."
So does it matter that it isn't a "Real Jeep." And WTF is a "Real Jeep" anyways. A Ford? A Bantam? A Willys-Overland? A Kaiser? An AMC? A Chrysler? A Fiat? To me, a Real Jeep is a vehicle that has tremendous off-road capability in a small package that looks in one way or another similar to this...
So, by my definition, a "Real Jeep" is a GPW, an MB, a CJ2,5,6,7,8, a YJ, a TJ, a LJ, a JK, a JKU. But does that mean I don't like WJs, XJs, KJs, KKs, etc? No. These vehicles were made so the Jeep brand would appeal to a wider audience. They put the Jeep name into the small SUV class, the standard class, the luxury class. The Compass was introduced to fill a void in the CUV class. The new KL and Renegade do the same. These vehicles are revenue builders. They enable the Jeep brand to continue making "Real Jeeps" so people like me and you can buy a new "Real Jeep" in 10 years, 20 years, and so on.
Conclusion:
So what is the bottom line?
Jeep needs the Renegade. The market has evolved and continues to evolve. People do not want Land Cruisers and H2s and Armadas anymore. They want small SUVs that get good gas mileage. The Renegade fills that void. Plus it has 7 slots, round headlights, a potential diesel, and 4wd. Don't compare it to the Wrangler cause that is not what it is meant to be. Compare it to the Rav4, the Kia Soul, the Nissan Cube, etc. IMO, it kicks their *** every way possible.
As soon as I saw the images leaked I sat for a while thinking. My fiancee then walked in the room. Mind you, I own a TJ on 35s and a 82 Waggy. She owns a 09 KK. She understands the "Jeep thing." I told her Jeep was releasing this as a sub-compact SUV and asked her what she thought of it. Her response? "That thing is ADORABLE!"
So no, it isn't a "Real Jeep." But it is necessary and it enables the "Real Jeep" to be made. So be it.