2018 Jeep Renegade Trim Levels with Comparisons & Configurations.

The Jeep Renegade is the famous off-road brand’s foray into the subcompact vehicle class. The Jeep’s newest nameplate, the Renegade is also the smallest Jeep currently on the market. However, this mini-Jeep is far from a collector’s toy or a bit of brand engineering. It is a fully fledged Jeep vehicle, with all of that implies, from an upscale interior to an amazing off-road ability.

Aside from slight modifications in its equipment, the Renegade has remained mostly the same since its release in 2015. For 2018, the base models get more standard equipment and there are a few additional infotainment options available, but the Jeep Renegade remains fundamentally the same vehicle as before. 

Like all Jeeps, the 2018 Jeep Renegade has a somewhat complicated lineup of trim levels, special editions, and optional equipment packages. To help you decide which trim level works best for you, we’ve put together this guide that details each of the available versions of the Jeep Renegade, listing both its standard and optional equipment, as well as the various special editions based on that model and how they differ from the standard configuration. With these tools, you should have no trouble finding the perfect Jeep Renegade for you.
 

Compare the 2018 Renegade Sport vs Latitude Trims. What is the difference?

The Jeep Renegade Sport, like all of the entry-level Jeeps, is fairly basic when it comes to flashy looks and comfort features, but is fairly sound mechanically. It is available with either a weaker 160 horsepower engine and a manual transmission or a 9-speed automatic with the stronger turbocharged engine rated at 180 horsepower.

Basic power features, a rearview camera, and a six-speaker sound system with a 5-inch screen and Bluetooth support are standard, though the base model does not come with either air conditioning or cruise control. Similarly, the base wheels are 16 inches steel ones with hubcaps.

However, the Renegade Sport has a decent selection of upgrades available. The power and air group adds power heated side mirrors, air conditioning, and cruise control, bringing the model up to modern standards. In the same vein, the Uconnect 7.0 package adds a 7-inch touchscreen with the latest Uconnect interface with support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as dual-zone automatic climate control and satellite radio.

Other packages add some interior and exterior visual upgrades such as aluminium wheels, while the Remote Start package adds a smart entry key with push-button start and remote start capabilities. Also available is a unique My Sky dual moonroof system, which can function as a conventional moonroof or have its panels removed for a Wrangler-like open-air experience. Front-wheel drive is standard, but all-wheel drive is available on this model.

The Upland is a special version of the Renegade Sport that is only available with all-wheel drive, an automatic transmission and the stronger engine. It adds aluminium wheels and a number of accents to both the interior and the exterior. It also comes standard with the smart key package, and otherwise offers the same optional packages as the Sport. It is a few hundred dollars more expensive than a similar Sport.

The Jeep Renegade Latitude is visibly more premium than the base Sport. It includes a large number of the optional Sport features as standard equipment, such as cruise control, the 7-inch Uconnect system, 17-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control as well as roof rails, fog lights, and automatic headlights. It offers the same powertrain, appearance, and equipment options as the Sport, with the exception of the ones that are included as standard equipment. It also offers a few more advanced options as well.

The Popular Equipment group adds a power driver’s seat, a rear-seat bypass, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and a power outlet. The Cold Weather group adds heated steering wheel and heated front seats, a de-icer for the windshield wipers, an extra interior heater, all-weather floor mats, and rain-sensing windshield wipers. The rain-sensing wipers are also part of the Safety and Security group, together with blind spot monitors, rear cross traffic alert, an alarm system and upgraded headlights.

It can be further upgraded with the Advanced Technology Group that adds a forward collision warning system, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, and a rear parking assist system. There is also a navigation package that includes a larger 8.4-inch touchscreen and a digital display in the instrument cluster. Beats premium audio is also a potential upgrade, and a dual-pane panoramic moonroof is also available as an alternative to the My Sky modular system.

The Altitude is a version of the Latitude model that comes with 18-inch wheels and high-gloss accents, as well as a special version of the standard cloth upholstery. It costs roughly $700 more than the regular Latitude, and is otherwise identical to that model.

The Latitude comes with a much larger selection of both standard and optional equipment than the Sport, and comes in at an appropriately higher base price. The base model offers only a little more than a nicely equipped Sport, but it rapidly gains in value once you start adding the various optional packages. The advanced safety features are particularly notable, considering how rare they are among subcompact models.

If these premium features are important to you, then the upgrade to the Latitude is a worthwhile one. Otherwise, adding a few optional packages to the Sport may be the more thrifty choice. The special appearance packages for either model can be a good deal if you like their styling. With only a marginal price increase over a similar standard model, they are easily worth it if you like how they look better.

Compare the 2018 Jeep Renegade Latitude vs Limited Trims. What is the difference?

The Renegade Limited is the premium model of the 2018 Renegade, and inside it could easily pass for a smaller version of the luxurious Cherokee or Grand Cherokee models thanks to its upscale materials. The upholstery is trimmed out in nice leather, and comes with heated seats and steering wheel standard. The driver’s seat is also powered.

Other major standard features on the Limited are the smart key with remote start, 18-inch wheels, and a 7-inch digital instrument cluster display. The Limited comes only in all-wheel drive with the larger engine and an automatic transmission. Aside of the features that come bundled in with the model, the Limited offers the same optional add-on packages and options as the Latitude model. 

Despite being at the high end of the Renegade product range and coming in at a significantly higher price than the Latitude, the Renegade Limited is actually pretty modestly priced for the equipment it offers. Still, unless you must have leather upholstery on your subcompact, the Latitude can offer a very similar set of features to the Limited. The other downside of the model is that it is locked in to all-wheel drive and the larger engine, though that is likely to be a fairly common choice. In general though, unless the leather is a must-have, you will get more for your money with an appropriately outfitted Latitude.

Compare the Renegade Limited vs Trailhawk Trims. What is the difference?

No Jeep lineup, aside from that of the Wrangler maybe, is complete without a Trailhawk model. Designating the most off-road capable versions of each Jeep model, they come equipped with the full set of advanced Jeep off-road gear.

The Renegade Trailhawk comes with 17-inch wheels with special tires, an advanced all-wheel drive system with a terrain traction management system, a lifted off-road suspension, and a full range of tow hooks, skid plates, and other off-road hardware. Its transmission also has a special low-range crawl mode. The rest of its standard and optional equipment matches the Latitude model, though it also offers an optional Premium Leather group that can bring it up roughly to the Limited level of equipment when matched with other optional packages.

The Renegade Trailhawk is the most capable off-roader in its size class, though it can’t quite keep up with the larger Jeep vehicles when moving over broken terrain. Nonetheless, the Renegade Trailhawk is easily capable for scaling most standard trails, as well as beach outings or traveling over dirt tracks, without much trouble.

If this capability is of interest to you, the Trailhawk is a great choice. However, if going much beyonds the bounds of urban or suburban civilization is not in the cards for you, then the added expense of the Trailhawk is probably unnecessary.

Final Thoughts

The different trim levels of the 2018 Jeep Renegade have a significant amount of overlap as you can see, which makes selecting the one with the right equipment a relatively easy affair.

The Sport model will probably see limited attraction for most, at least without adding most of the available packages to it. The Latitude is the most versatile option, including a number of safety and convenience features, many of which are in short supply among subcompacts.

The Renegade Limited than combines the versatility of the Latitude with a nice leather interior, while the Trailhawk matches it with the lauded Jeep off-road technology. For most drivers, the Latitude is a great start point for creating the Jeep of their dreams, with an upgrade to either of the two more advanced models depending on your needs.

The Sport model can be a good budget option, but the Renegade is not exactly a budget subcompact, which makes it less of an attractive option for most buyers considering one. 

 

Jeep Renegade Buying Guides:

• Why buy a 2018 Jeep Renegade? w/ pros vs cons