There's
no denying that the new Jeep Renegade has some serious external appeal. it hearkens
back to the look of the classic Jeep that many have come to love. While
the new Jeep Renegade features some chic contemporary upgrades to the front
fascia, the boxy shape of the vehicle retains that old Jeep vibe. And
for that reason Jeep fans will likely find themselves appreciating this
throwback style with an updated twist.
What about the Subaru Crosstrek?
Its look is nothing special, but it's spacious. Up front and in the rear, there is plenty of head, shoulder, hip, and leg room to be found. Taller adults won't have any problem fitting into the rear seat of Subaru Crosstrek, which is not something that can be said for the Jeep Renegade.
One
factor people seem to like about the new Jeep Renegade is its off-road
capabilities. Renegade's Trailhawk transmission is powered by a standard
2.4-L engine that delivers 180-horsepower and has four-wheel capabilities. The
Select Train Traction Management System easily allows drivers to switch
between road condition settings (auto, snow, mud, and sand), and there
is a rock setting that comes in handy while off-roading on rockier
surfaces.
The same can't be said about the Subaru Crosstrek, which has moderate off-road capabilities at best even though AWD is standard on all trim levels (unlike the Jeep Renegade).
Both
vehicles have a good
amount of cargo space for its segment even though the Subaru Crosstrek does a
bit better. The Subaru Crosstrek manages to get 20.8 cubic feet of cargo space with all seats in place. With folded rear seat, one can maximize the
cargo space to 55.3 feet of cargo space. The Jeep Renegade gets 18.5 and
50.8 cubic feet respectively. So, when it comes to cargo space
the new Subaru Crosstrek has a slight edge.
One thing
that's not obvious, given the size of the Jeep Renegade, is the fact that it's
easy to enter and exit. Anyone who struggles with mobility issues or
has trouble ducking in and out of low-sitting sedans will
appreciate the fact that the Jeep Renegade sits at a not-too-high and
not-too-low distance from the ground. In addition, the rear doors are
shaped in such a way that they leave enough room for getting your head
in without hitting it on the upper part of door frame. The doors swing
wide for easy access, reaching out at about a 90-degree angle.
The same can be said for the Subaru Crosstrek, too. With the vehicle's tall roof and wide door openings, getting in and out of the rear is almost hassle-free. Additionally, the rear seat is definitely spacious enough to fit a couple tall adults.
Subaru Crosstrek engineers went out of their way to ensure the infotainment system is easy to use. Controls are thoughtfully laid out along the center console, and all of the controls that are located on the infotainment touchscreen are easy to access and use. The buttons themselves are large enough to read and are appropriately responsive to the touch. The touchscreen of the Crosstrek itself has a pleasant interface that makes it easy for even non-tech savvy drivers to use. Also, once you learn the voice control commands, using them becomes second nature.Â
But the Jeep Renegade has a lot to
offer in that department, too. It's Uconnect system is user-friendly;
graphics on the touch screen are clear and easy to read; browsing
through menu options is simple for even non-tech savvy drivers. And last
but not least, all of the physical knobs and buttons that can be found
up front on the center console are well within the driver's reach, are
clearly labeled, and take little effort to get used to. It also comes
equipped with a 7-inch touchscreen display. Apple CarPlay and Android
Auto are standard as well.
When it comes to safety features, both
vehicles have a great variety to offer. Subaru's EyeSight suite of advanced driver aids bundles helpful features such as blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, forward collision warning with automatic braking, adaptive cruise control, and lane keep assist with sway monitoring.
The Jeep Renegade hosts multiple standard safety features that were
previously optional or only available on higher trim levels. For this
model year, both Intelligent Speed Assist with Traffic Sign Recognition
and Lane Sense Departure Warning Plus come standard across the line-up.
This comes in addition to other optional safety features such as
blind-spot monitoring, full-speed forward collision warning with active
braking, and the ParkSense Rear Parking Assist System.
What about the price.?The Crosstrek is just a bit cheaper but is it better?Â
Our opinion is that the Jeep Renegade is a better deal for the money. It can
certainly be used as a capable off-roader but it handles paved surfaces
just as well while the same can't be said for the Subaru Crosstrek, which is slow to accelerate and has sub-par handling.
The Jeep Renegade
packs in plenty of seat
comfort and has technology that caters to all levels of tech users.
Jeep's focus on safety is obvious, and the brakes show refinement that
is difficult to find in its segment. And you get a Jeep, a brand that's
worth bragging about.
