Jeep Renegade 2016 News

Jeep international product planner Adrian van Campenhout says a strong reception for the small Renegade crossover and a volume-boosting "Com-patriot" replacement will be needed if the company is to comply with global boss Sergio Marchionne's demand to lift sales from 1 million last year to 1.9 million by 2018.We need to extend the line-up with new models, add variants to existing models and continue to lead our segments"Obviously he (Marchionne) has a vision for where the brand needs to go. And that's where we're going," van Campenhout says."To do that we need to extend the line-up with new models, add variants to existing models and continue to lead our segments."The Renegade is in play in the fastest-growing global segment. We have a new (compact) SUV in the pipeline and our new seven-seater (Grand Wagoneer)."We've got an all-new Grand Cherokee and Wrangler in 2017...with the vehicles we have now and the models we'll have soon...if you look at our growth over the last few years, we can meet the number."A Trail-Rated vehicle will always be the most capable off-roader in its segment with genuine four-by-four abilityVan Campenhout cites the Renegade as an example of how Jeep can adjust its "Trail-Rated" badging depending on the segment is selling in."Will the Renegade Trailhawk do the Rubicon Trail? No, it won't," he says, "That's what the Wrangler is for.""Will it go places most owners won't ever consider taking it? Yes it will. A Trail-Rated vehicle will always be the most capable off-roader in its segment with genuine four-by-four ability."Jeep is considering a vehicle smaller than the Renegade to cater to emerging marketsHe also says Jeep is considering a vehicle smaller than the Renegade to cater to emerging markets in Latin America and the Asia Pacific.He won't be drawn on whether that vehicle will be a rumoured three-door Renegade or a completely new model."The emerging economies represent a big part of our future growth and there's an argument the Renegade is too expensive for those markets," he says."We'll need a vehicle to (sell there). The brand is capturing a lot of market share everywhere around the world. We sell in 100-plus countries (so it could work).India would be an ideal market for developing a small vehicle with the usual Jeep attributes. "It would work in your neck of the woods (Australia), too, I would imagine."

But the start of 2015 is gearing up for more hot deals than usual because new car sales stalled last year for the first time since the Global Financial Crisis.It means dealers are overstocked and they're even more eager to make way for fresh metal.Adding to the pressure - and putting buyers in the driver's seat - is the uncertainty around Australia's currency, which has taken a hit in recent months. Buying a new car now could mean a double-saving; get the discount on end-of-year bargains and beat possible price rises.Record low interest rates and favourable exchange rates saw new car prices fall to 20-year lows in 2014 as affordability hit a 38-year high in 2014.But once the cars imported at last year's exchange rates are cleared, the chances are new models won't be discounted as heavily, or prices may even rise.Most cars sold in Australia are sourced from Japan (30 per cent), Thailand (20 per cent) and South Korea (12 per cent) - rather than the US (5 per cent) - but most car companies buy in US dollars as it has historically been more stable.The prices of Japanese branded cars are likely to remain steady because the Japanese Government artificially devalues the yen to boost exports. But the value of the Australian dollar against the currencies of Thailand, South Korea and the US is less stable.It means price rises are likely on almost every ute sold in Australia because most are made in Thailand, including the top-selling Toyota HiLux, Ford Ranger, Nissan Navara, Mitsubishi Triton and Holden Colorado, among others.South Korean brands Hyundai and Kia, two of the industry's biggest discounters, may also lose some of their bargaining power if the Australian dollar continues to head south.But one brand you may not be expecting to go backwards due to a shift in currency is Holden, which sources eight of its 12 models from South Korea and two from Thailand.With that in mind we have assembled the 10 cars we reckon are worth waiting for. Remember to always judge a car by its build date (the day it went down the production line and how its age will be measured when it comes time to sell), rather than the compliance plate (in effect, when the car cleared Australian customs).Be warned: there are still some 2013-built cars out there (Nissan, we're looking at you), so be sure to haggle hard and make sure the factory warranty starts the day you take delivery.Sometimes it's worth waiting for an all-new model, or at least knowing if you have more bargaining power if the dealer is trying to clear not only last year's model but one that is about to be superseded.The successor to Australia's cheapest car from a mainstream brand is just around the corner with a new look and a new name. The Suzuki Celerio is bigger than the Alto and the 1.0-litre three-cylinder has been tuned to run on regular unleaded (rather than premium like its predecessor), making it one of the cheapest cars to own and operate. Expect a super-sharp $13,990 drive-away starting price when it goes on sale in February.Australia is going to be crawling with pint-sized SUVs next year but the Mazda CX-3 is likely to take most of the spotlight. Available with a 1.5-litre turbo diesel or a 2.0-litre petrol engine it is expected to start between $20,000 and $25,000 when it goes on sale in March. It will join the Honda HR-V (February), Renault Captur (February), the next generation Suzuki Vitara (June), the unusually named Citroen Cactus (June), and the cutesy Fiat 500X (November).The city-sized soft-roader market is so huge globally even off-road brand Jeep has joined the fray. The Jeep Renegade may look like a scaled-down Tonka Truck but it is based on the same underbody as the Fiat Punto, Alfa Romeo Mito and the Fiat 500X. Powered by a 1.4-litre turbo petrol or 2.0-litre turbo diesel matched to a segment-leading nine-speed automatic transmission, the Renegade is due in showrooms in October priced between $20,000 and $30,000.The first new Nissan Navara in 10 years arrives in showrooms in April with two new 2.3-litre turbo diesel engines (one with a single turbo, the other with twin turbos). The outputs are almost the same as the previous 2.5-litre turbo diesel, despite being smaller in capacity (a 118kW/403Nm version and a 140kW/450Nm version). Payload and towing capacity are yet to be confirmed but bank on a one-tonne cargo rating and a 3500kg towing limit (bringing the Navara into line with class leaders). The 550Nm Navara with the Renault 3.0-litre turbo diesel V6 has been dropped. It will be a big year for utes, with a rebodied Mitsubishi Triton due in May, significant updates due for the Ford Ranger and Mazda BT50 in July, an all-new Toyota HiLux in October.Take a close look at the new Ford Mondeo due on sale in April. This is a pointer to the vehicle that will eventually replace the Falcon. Available in sedan and wagon body styles, likely with a choice of 2.0-litre turbo petrol or 2.0-litre turbo diesel engines, prices are expected to range from $30,000 to $50,000. It will also be loaded with technology including LED headlights, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, and industry-leading rear seatbelt airbags. A hybrid version will join the Mondeo line-up later in the year.Jaguar is making a second attempt at the lucrative mid-size luxury sedan market dominated by the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C Class. After learning from the ill-conceived 2002 X-Type based on the Ford Mondeo, Jaguar has started with a cleansheet design and aluminium construction. It will be available with a 2.0-litre petrol engine, and a 2.0-litre turbo diesel said to sip 4.0L/100km, less than the Audi A4 (4.8L/100km) and BMW 320d (4.5L/100km) aided by an eight-speed auto. At the other end of the scale: a supercharged 3.0-litre V6 with a 0 to 100km/h time of 5.1 seconds. Due on sale in September, it's likely to start about $60,000.The first new Volvo XC90 in 12 years is also the first all-new model developed since Volvo was bought by China's Geely motor company in 2010. Promising to the world's safest SUV it will automatically slam on the brakes if you're about to turn in front of an oncoming car, and can also spot cyclists and pedestrians at night. It even has eyes in the back of its head: a radar system can detect if you're about to be hit from behind, and will prepare the seatbelts and headrests for the sudden impact. It will be available with a choice of four-cylinder petrol or diesel power, and a plug-in hybrid that can travel up to 40km on battery power alone (before switching to petrol power), the first seven-seater of its type in the world. Due in showrooms in July priced about $90,000.Mazda has gone back to basics – in every sense of the word – and wound back the clock with the new MX-5 sports-car. The first all-new MX-5 since the original was launched 25 years ago goes back to its lightweight, low cost roots (each wheel only has four locating nuts instead of five, for example) and promises a soft-top roof and a sub-1000kg mass for the first time since last century. Since 2006 the Mazda MX-5 has had a folding metal roof to help it weather storms and thwart thieves, but this has added weight, complexity and cost. The new model is expected to be available with a choice of two engines – a 1.5- and a 2.0-litre – when it goes on sale in September priced below $40,000.The Ford Mustang returns to Australia in October for the first time since 2003, but it will be the first time in the nameplate's 50-year history that it will be made in right-hand-drive on a Ford production line (Flat Rock, Michigan). All models before this one were converted to right-hand-drive locally. It will be available with a choice of 2.3-litre four-cylinder turbo or 5.0-litre V8 power in coupe and convertible body styles. Prices will range from $50,000 to $70,000.Mercedes-Benz's answer to the Porsche 911 arrives in July priced about $270,000. Powered by a twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 that will also power the upcoming AMG C63 sedan, it can complete the 0 to 100km/h dash in just 3.8 seconds. Fun fact for the tech heads: it has a better weight distribution (47/53 front to rear) than either the Porsche 911 (39/61) or Cayman (46/54). Game on.

Most of the news from last week's North American International Auto Show in Detroit was about alternative fuels, green power and the poor state of the US economy. But if you looked hard enough, there were some cool cars to be found — as well as the wild concepts for which the Detroit show is famous. Even though makers spoke of being kind to the environment, 4WDs and SUVs were prolific, including innovative concepts by the big three: Jeep, Land Rover and Hummer.   Jeep Renegade Even the 4WD concepts were green-tinged. Jeep's Renegade buggy features a hybrid power train with a 1.5-litre, three-cylinder, turbo diesel engine and a pair of 200kW electric motors, one at each end. Touring range on electric power only is a claimed 64km from the 16kWh Li-ion battery, with a total range of 640km when used with fuel. It wasn't just the Jeep's power train that was designed to give show-goers a warm and fuzzy, saving-the-world kind of feeling. Much of its structure was created from recycled or recyclable materials. The Renegade's Palm Green metallic colour is moulded into its plastic body so as not to require paint (and the pollutants associated with paint). The seats were made using soy-bean foam and, where possible, parts were made from a single piece to avoid the use of toxic resins. The Renegade can be configured with a range of tops and rear sections to accommodate the various cargo requirements of an outdoor sportsperson. At the show, it was topless — and in the rear was a pair of water scooters ready for a scuba trip. If your idea of sport is limited to off-road driving, the Renegade won't disappoint. Its full-time 4WD system includes front and rear differential locks and low-range gearing. A combination of steep approach and departure angles, good ground clearance and low weight enhance the Renegade's off-road ability.   Hummer HX This was undoubtedly one of the stars of the Detroit show. The two-door, four-seater is smaller than the Hummer H3 and, although not built on an existing platform, could be a clue to the much-rumoured H4 said to be in development. Power comes from a direct-injection petrol V6 engine that gains its green credentials by being ethanol-compatible. Ethanol is GM's immediate answer to reducing vehicle emissions, and the company is investing heavily in technology to better produce the fuel. Like the Renegade, the HX is a versatile machine with removable tops and slant, square or no back sections. Its doors and wheel-arch flares are easily removable. Steep approach, departure and ramp-over angles, 35-inch tyres, long-travel, coil-over suspension, front and rear diff locks and a front-mounted winch are there for serious off-roading. Unlike the minimalist Jeep, the HX is loaded with tricks and gimmicks. In its many nooks and crannies were iPod/iPhone holders, a shovel, a fire extinguisher, satnav and LCD displays. A forward-facing camera in the rear-view mirror allows you to record your off-road driving adventures, which can be downloaded to the iPod. Lightweight folding seats, inspired by aircraft seating, have storage space underneath them. The HX was designed by a team of youthful designers whose input will appeal to younger Hummer buyers who want a no-compromise vehicle. If GM can create a production version of the HX that is anywhere near as wild and versatile as the concept, it's sure to be a hit and could heavily infringe on Jeep Wrangler sales.   Land Rover LRX Whereas the two American concepts are wild off-roaders, the LRX is a prestige compact SUV better suited tothe urban jungle. It's Gerry McGovern's first offering since he became Land Rover's chief of design, and is predicted to point closely to a fifth nameplate from the British marque, which celebrates its 60th year in 2008. If you think back to the Range Stormer concept and its relationship to the Range Rover Sport, hopes are high that we'll see something like the LRX in the near future. The LRX is a two-door SUV smaller than the Freelander 2, the smallest vehicle in Land Rover's current model line-up. Power comes from a two-litre turbo diesel/electric hybrid drive train with an electric motor integrated into the rear axle in what Land Rover calls Electric Rear Axle Drive (ERAD). Like most hybrids, the LRX runs on its electric motor only at low speeds, switching to a combination of electric and internal-combustion power under hard acceleration, then to diesel only for cruising. ERAD can supply additional torque to all wheels during off-road use or when more traction is called for. Like the Freelander 2, the LRX is more road-oriented than other vehicles in the Land Rover range. Its version of the acclaimed Terrain Response adds two new settings — “Sports” and “Eco” — to the dial. As their tags suggest, these settings optimise the mechanical systems in the vehicle for either enthusiastic or economical driving. The other Terrain Response modes are “Normal” for everyday use; “Grass, Gravel, Snow” for low-grip surfaces; and “Sand” for beach work. Any production version of the LRX would be pitched at upwardly mobile young executives who are looking for a premium sports SUV but don't want, or need, the ability and size of the Range Rover Sport.