Jeep Renegade hybrid 2020: specs, details and on-sale date

Full details of the Jeep Renegade 4xe plug-in hybrid – the first such model from the off-road-focused brand – have been revealed. Visually distinguished from its petrol and diesel-powered siblings by its blue badging, the car arrives in UK showrooms in September, priced between £32,600 to £36,500 depending on trim level.

The Renegade's plug-in hybrid powertrain – which will also appear in the forthcoming Jeep Compass plug-in hybrid – features a 1.3-litre turbocharged petrol engine and a rear-mounted electric motor: together they provide four-wheel drive, with power outputs of 187bhp in the Longitude and Limited trim levels and 237bhp in the range-topping Trailhawk.

The latter should do 0-62mph in around 7.5 seconds, Jeep says, with a top speed of 81mph in electric mode and 124mph in hybrid mode. An electric range of up to 26 miles is promised.

Charging the battery will take just over an hour and a half from a 7.4kW wallbox, while an ‘E-Save’ function allows drivers to preserve electric power for later in a journey. CO2 emissions of less than 50g/km mean it’s exempt from the London Congestion Charge (until October 2021) and has a 12% Benefit-in-Kind company-car tax rating during the 2020/21 financial year.

Jeep Renegade 4xe hybrid specifications and trim levels

The hybrid Renegade was initially sold in fully loaded 'First Edition' trim. This was offered to buyers in the UK and several other countries who placed an order through Jeep's dedicated web portal by 9 March 2020. The most powerful 237bhp version of the plug-in hybrid drivetrain is used for this edition, while a home wallbox and a cable for charging at public points were also thrown in. Standard kit encompasses full LED headlights and Jeep's Uconnect navigation system on an 8.4-inch touchscreen.

Buyers also get smartphone integration, a seven-inch TFT display showing information such as battery charge level plus electric and hybrid driving range, blind-spot monitoring, a rear-view camera, parking assistance, parking sensors, keyless entry and powered door mirrors.

Following the initial launch period, the Renegade hybrid will be offered in Longitude (£32,600), Limited (£34,500) and Trailhawk (£36,500) trim levels. The exact equipment included with each of these has yet to be confirmed, although Jeep has said that the seven-inch colour display, 8.4-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and DAB will be standard across the range.

A wide range of customisation options are available for the Renegade hybrid, with 18 different exterior colours including Alpine White, Glacier, Granite Crystal, Jetset Blue, Blue Shade, Sting Grey, Colorado Red, Carbon Black and Solid Black. Bikini and Omaha Orange and exclusive to the Limited and Trailhawk trims, while Matt Green is only found on the latter. In addition, four different wheel designs are available.

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Off-road capability

Jeep says that the main benefit of the hybrid system will be performance: the electric motor will deliver a large amount of low-down torque, aiding acceleration and off-road traction. The Renegade 4xe will come with a steel underbody to offer protection on the roughest terrain, while extensive waterproofing will give the top-spec Trailhawk variant a wading depth of 500mm.

“The move from mechanical to electric all-wheel-drive is a massive improvement – it’s more capable than the conventionally powered Jeep,” said the firm’s head of product marketing, Marco Pigozzi. “The enormous torque on offer from the electric motor allows [the car] to easily crawl over rocks and obstacles. And the fact that it’s mounted on the rear axle means [the car] is pushed up hills rather than pulled.”

Other Jeep hybrids

The same plug-in hybrid powertrain will be offered in the larger Jeep Compass and the company has also announced that the Wrangler will gain a plug-in hybrid variant; previewed at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January 2020, it’s also expected to go on sale in September.

Previously, Jeep has confirmed that it'll completely remove diesel engines from its range of vehicles over the next five years, with a range of hybrid and electric models taking their place. In all, the company is going to invest almost £8bn in electric and hybrid power by 2025.