What you see here are the first images of what seems to be the 2015 Jeep Renegade, leaked via Jalopnik earlier today.The Renegade takes Jeep down to a size segment in which it’s never competed—at least outside of combat jeeps—and it does so wearing looks that are frankly sort of dorky. We have to say, though, we kind of dig the thing, in a cute brute, Cars character kind of way. And, at least at this early juncture, we think that a love-it-or-hate-it, funky design may have been the best route to sales success—most of the vehicles against which it will compete are also polarizing, including the Kia Soul, Mini Countryman, and Nissan Juke.
The version seen here is ostensibly a Trailhawk model, being gussied up in the same manner as the larger Cherokee Trailhawk—note the dark wheels and black hood decal—and wearing a “Trail Rated” badge at the base of its A-pillar. As reported when we published spy photos last fall (when we thought it would be called the Jeepster), power should come from Fiat Chrysler’s 1.4-liter turbo four.
With proportions clearly influenced more by the Fiat side of its family tree—it basically looks like a Jeep-ified Panda 4×4—the model is small and no doubt intended more for a global audience than an American one. That said, the Renegade will be sold here, where it will make a domestic (-badged, at least) play for Soul/Countryman/Juke buyers. Look for full details and photos of the Renegade to emerge over the next couple of days, as it’s scheduled to debut at this week’s 2014 Geneva Motor Show
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