While Jeep hasn’t officially pulled the silk sheet off the second-generation Renegade just yet, the rumor mill is already spinning at top speed. Expected to land somewhere between 2027 and 2028, this new iteration carries the heavy burden of replacing a model that practically saved Jeep’s European balance sheet.
Those slick images floating around the internet aren’t official leak photos from a spy photographer. They are speculative digital renders. Yet, they give us a tantalizing preview of a boxy favorite attempting to grow up without losing its quirky charm.
Underneath the updated sheet metal, the outdated FCA Small Wide platform is finally being sent to retirement. In its place, Stellantis will likely slot either the STLA Small (or STLA One) or the budget-friendly Smart Car architecture.
This mechanical makeover allows the Renegade to stretch its legs to roughly 4.30 to 4.35 meters (around 170 inches). By growing slightly, the Renegade neatly bridges the gap between the tiny Avenger and the larger Compass.
Visually, designers are wisely sticking to the boxy silhouette that made the original stand out in a sea of jellybean-shaped crossovers, albeit with cleaner surfaces and sharper lines. The signature seven-slot grille gets a sleek modern makeover, flanked by slimmer headlights and muscular wheel arches. Around back, the iconic “X” graphic in the taillights will survive, reinterpreted with three-dimensional LED elements.
Step inside, and the cabin trades its plastic-heavy past. There’ll be a modern horizontal layout featuring a fully digital gauge cluster and a central touchscreen ranging from 10 to 12 inches running the latest Uconnect software. In true Jeep fashion, off-road variants will keep the hose-down-friendly, easily washable materials alongside recycled fabrics and clever storage cubbies.
The new Renegade will embrace a multi-energy strategy. Lower-tier trims will pack a 48V mild-hybrid setup pairing a 1.2-liter turbo engine with an e-DCS6 dual-clutch automatic transmission. Electric purists get full BEV options with LFP or NMC battery packs delivering an estimated 215–280 miles of range.
Crucially, Jeep isn’t abandoning its dirty roots. E-AWD models will mount a second electric motor on the rear axle, paired with the Selec-Terrain system and an inevitable mud-slinging Trailhawk trim to prove that electric boxes can still tackle trails.
