In production since 2014, the Jeep Renegade will turn eight this year. It has already undergone a facelift four years after assembly commenced, and a second one for Brazil a few months ago. Normally, we’d know what it means: that the Stellantis-owned brand would be working on its successor. But there is an uncertainty cloud hovering above the model.
We won’t delve into that, though a fortuneteller probably sees another small crossover in Jeep’s future, likely with a zero-emission powertrain. Instead, we’re wondering how the company is planning to send off the current one, when the time comes.
Sure, you might be tempted to say ‘limited edition,’ and so would we, but just for giggles, why not release a second body style, something in the veins of a pickup. It would be smaller than the Hyundai Santa Cruz and Ford Maverick, but it would also be cheaper, so that’s not necessarily a bad thing, is it?
We reckon that a Jeep Renegade with an open-bed design might further elevate the model’s sales, which were at 62,981 units in Europe last year, up from the 58,975 delivered in 2020, CarSalesBase reveals. In the United States, the brand sold 42,137 of them, down from 62,847 in 2020, and in China, contrary to what some may think, it did even worse. A total of 1,040 examples found new homes last year, and only 2,468 in 2020.
Now, maybe giving it fresh blood, in the form of a pickup variant, wouldn’t be that bad after all, and after deciding how many doors it needs, the whole transformation process should be a walk in the park. Photo.chopshop on Instagram went for the single cab styling, reinterpreting the whole design behind the B pillars.
Photo: Instagram | photo.chopshop
In this instance, the vehicle has tiny three-quarter windows, thick rear pillars resembling the original ones, a roof spoiler that looks identical to the one of the crossover, and a tailgate providing access to the bed, with the handle positioned too low (actually, it sits in the same spot as on the real Renegade). The OEM black plastic cladding on the lower parts of the body contributes to the more utilitarian nature of the virtual model, and so does the trim around the taillights, which also soldiers on from the subcompact crossover.
A single engine is responsible for powering the entire 2022 Jeep Renegade family in the United States: the 1.3-liter straight-four. Assisted by forced induction, it pumps out 177 horsepower at 5,750 rpm, directing it to the front wheels, or the all-wheel drive system depending on the specification, through a nine-speed automatic transmission. A hypothetical pickup version would obviously retain this mill, and would be offered with optional all-wheel drive too.
It wouldn’t be anything to write home about in terms of hauling, towing, and conquering the wilderness. However, we have little doubt that it wouldn’t sell, especially since it would likely be more affordable than the real Renegade, which carries an MSRP of $24,195 for the entry-level Sport. The all-wheel drive system is a $900 option in this flavor, which is followed by the Latitude, Altitude, Red and Limited. These kick off at $28,690, $29,290, $29,985, and $30,595 respectively. The top-of-the-line Trailhawk, which is also the most versatile, can be yours from $30,790, before destination, dealer fees, and options.
A Jeep Renegade pickup would be an interesting choice in the subcompact segment, and this comes from someone who has had his fair share of issues with the crossover (finally sold it, but that's another topic), but would it actually make any sense? Better said, would you consider buying it if Stellantis miraculously decided to give it the go-ahead?
After a series of unfortunate events put an end to Cristian's dream of entering a custom built & tuned old-school Dacia into a rally competition, he moved on to drive press cars and write for a living. He's worked for several automotive online journals and now he's back at autoevolution after his first tour in the mid-2000s. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News