Jeep Renegade to be a Hyundai Creta Rival?

-    Is expected to come to India in 2019-    Will be the second budget offering from Jeep-    Local assembly at Ranjangaon plant-    India will get the facelifted model that is due later this year-    New front and rear end, alloy wheels and tail lampsJeep will expand its budget offerings in the Indian market with the Renegade. It’s a small SUV, in production by the American automaker since 2014, and shares much of its underpinnings with the likes of the Fiat 500X family of cars. Now, the fact that Jeep is offering another budget oriented car is not surprising as this is a tactic regularly used by them around the world. At the heart of things, the budget models give them volumes besides allowing them the luxury of selling their aspirational vehicles like the Wrangler and the Cherokee. Why we do find this car interesting is that when it is introduced here, it will be a rival for the Hyundai Creta - currently the most successful model in this part of the market. It’s a big challenge and here is why it looks like things may just work out for the Renegade. Jeep is expected to play it really aggressive (because that has worked really well with the Compass) and price it at a discounted price below par with Creta. Besides, the Renegade is a 4.2m car, smaller than the 4.3m Creta. So, if Jeep prices it around Rs 1 lakh lower than the Creta, the Renegade might turn out to be the biggest grosser that Fiat-Chrysler has seen in India ever and this is why it looks perfectly doable. 

Looks Crossover seems to be the new mantra and nearly every player has picked up on this train of thought. This is visible in the Creta, Duster, Terrano and possibly future models from Honda, Tata, Maruti Suzuki and Volkswagen. However, Jeep has stuck to its guns and core philosophy by giving the Renegade the boxy silhouette that defines old school SUVs. In these exclusive spy images, we can see that Jeep has not tampered with the USPs of the car and has, instead, merely updated certain elements and features to bring the car on par with the competition. Features On the face of things, the Renegade (even in its international specification) has been provided with what is considered standard in this part of the market. This list comprises touchscreen display with a mobile app, climate control, power driver’s seat, projector headlamps, auto dim IRVM, electrically folding ORVMs and split folding rear seats. Dimensions wise too, both cars are the same and offer similar levels of space. Engine optionsFor a car of this size, i.e 4.2m, Jeep would certainly want to employ the 1.6-litre Multijet that ended rather sadly with the first-gen S-Cross. The engine is potent and when built locally, it will not cost as much. Also, Jeep will have an automatic option for it along with the six-speed manual, if not the all-wheel drive. Also, the 120bhp 1.4 Turbojet that powers the Linea would also serve really well in the Renegade.Based on everything that we have seen, the Renegade has whatever it takes to carve out a niche for itself in the market. What Jeep needs to do now is to price it correctly as well as use the success that the Compass has achieved so far to push this car forward.