Jeep has always had a special following.
And last year the venerable brand (75 years) offered two limited-edition models to spice it up, just a bit. My tester was one of them – the 2017 Jeep Renegade Deserthawk 4X4 small SUV. The other model is the Altitude.
Both join an already strong lineup that includes Sport, Latitude, Limited and Trailhawk.
Deserthawk was inspired by the desert’s extreme conditions and builds on the Trailhawk’s rugged appearance and best-in-class, trail-rated capability. It receives a unique, edgy look and additional features including rock rails and a towing package.
“These two new Jeep Renegade models help to extend our popular small SUV’s continued global success since its launch last year, and to provide customers with the choice of two distinctive and unique special editions,” said Mike Manley, head of Jeep Brand – FCA Global.”
My tester came equipped with a battleship gray coat of paint with black star decals on both upper quarter panels. Other features included 17-inch black wheels and exclusive hood decals. Inside, the Renegade Deserthawk features an exclusive interior with black leather seats, light frost stitching and accents, all-weather floor mats and cargo tray mat.
But let’s get down to the nitty-gritty.
The Renegade Deserthawk comes standard with a 2.4-liter Tigershark engine with MultiAir2 paired to a nine-speed automatic transmission, rear backup camera and 7-inch, full-color, thin-film transistor cluster display.
Standard equipment includes Jeep Active Drive Low with 20:1 crawl ratio, Selec-Terrain system with exclusive Rock mode, 8.7 inches of ground clearance, skid plates, signature red front and rear tow hooks, up to 8.1 inches of wheel articulation, Hill-descent Control, up to 19 inches of water fording and up to 2,000-lb. towing capacity.
That qualifies Deserthawk as a serious off-road performer – whether it’s the desert, or in some good ol’ Pacific Northwest mud.
This Renegade seats four adults with room to squeeze in a fifth, with a generous cargo area behind accessed via a lift gate. During my week of on-road driving, the Deserthawk delivered almost 30-miles-per-gallon fuel economy.
I didn’t test this, because we are in the middle of winter, but Deserthawk comes with two segment-exclusive My Sky open-air roof panel systems that conveniently stow in the rear cargo area to provide passengers open-air freedom with ease.
The Renegade also features technology once limited to premium SUVs: award-winning Uconnect access, Uconnect touchscreen radios and the segment’s largest full-color instrument cluster.
And let’s not completely forget about safety. The Renegade is available with up to 70 safety and security features, including the segment’s first availability of Forward Collision Warning-Plus and LaneSense Departure Warning-Plus.
Whether you’re driving a Renegade Deserthawk, or a completely different model the Jeep brand delivers an open invitation to live life to the fullest by delivering vehicles that continue to provide owners with a sense of security to handle any journey with confidence.
Base Price: $26,895
Price As Driven: $33,665
Vehicles are provided by the manufacturer. List price may vary at local dealerships.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
