Renegade hits the road

JEEP do have some catchy names for their vehicles, like Cherokee and Wrangler. Now the American company has come up with another classic, the Renegade.

Now you could say that

‘renegade’ is a word where the meaning has changed a little over the years. When I was young, to be called a

‘renegade’ was certainly not a compliment, but nowadays it seems to be accepted for what it really is: a person who rejects lawful or conventional behaviour. I had to check the dictionary for that description!

At the launch of the new range of Renegade Jeeps in Glendalough last month, Gerry Clarke, Jeep’s Irish manager, said they had no worries about the name as the younger generation didn’t see it as a problem. I’m sure he is correct.

Jeep, who are distributed in Ireland by Fiat, have started a big push to make more inroads into the Irish market and this is their first venture in the compact SUV market.

Externally the Renegade has a

‘square look’ to it, but it’s very impressive. The front end is dominated by the familiar Jeep seven-section grille which you can’t miss.

Most car companies go to great lengths to prove that their 4×4 vehicles can handle tough off-road conditions. Jeep is no exception and the Renegade showed it was well able to climb rough terrain among the Wicklow hills last month. But in reality the majority of Irish buyers of off-road vehicles will rarely get their wheels muddy.

I liked the high driving position and it was really comfortable on the road.

There is ample room for five passengers, a massive boot, but no spare wheel. However, there is plenty of room for a spare, so I would advise you to at least get a space-saver.

My family all enjoyed the Renegade and in the mornings we appreciated the two heated front seats. It’s a very neat motor and handled very well in an urban environment.

The Jeep brand has been with us since 1941 and that year is engraved on the dash. There are several other

‘easter egg’ type designs sprinkled throughout the car and children will have fun trying to find them. And the rear lights have a

‘jerrycan’ design.

Jeep say that the Renegade is a very important car for them in the Irish market where they expect the breakdown of buyers will be 60 per cent male and 40 per cent female. Jeep expect their new model to be as popular in Ballsbridge as in Wicklow.

Sales of new cars are booming once again in Ireland, but it’s also becoming a very crowded market with new SUVs coming to our shores nearly every week.

However, I think the Renegade, which is made in Europe, is as good as anything I have seen this year for comfort, looks and price.

For me, the Renegade brought back memories of that that old ad for Chenounction, a product to cure Mastistis in cows, which used to air on RTE radio many years ago:

‘It’s a quare name, but great stuff’.

Prices start at

?¬22,950 and there are four trim levels: Sport, Longtitude, Limited and Trailhawk. Jeep expect their 1.6 diesel to be their best seller.

I drove a white version, but it I think it looks even better in red.

At present Jeep has only seven Irish dealers, but they are planning to get more in the coming months.

You’ll find more information on www.jeep.ie