Jeep is continuing to expand the Renegade subcompact crossover SUV model line with the addition of two new trims: the Altitude and the Deserthawk. Both will formally be unveiled at the 2016 Los Angeles auto show next week.
Like other Jeep models to previously wear the Altitude badge, the 2017 Jeep Renegade Altitude lands on the lot with a host of exterior and interior features dolled up in Gloss Black. This includes the crossover’s 18-inch wheels, badging, seven grille rings, and taillamp surrounds. Although the Altitude is available in a variety of colors, the interior is limited to just one?black.
Based on the $22,490 Renegade Latitude, the $23,385 Altitude includes features such as a rearview camera and proximity key with push-button start. A 160-hp 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine connected to a six-speed manual transmission is standard; however, $1330 buys a bigger, 180-hp 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine paired with a nine-speed automatic. All-wheel drive is available with either powertrain for an extra $2000.
The 2017 Jeep Renegade Deserthawk, meanwhile, appears to be little more than a U.S.-spec version of the Renegade Desert Hawk the brand revealed at the Paris auto show, itself based on a concept Jeep trotted out at its Easter Safari event in 2015. Despite its name being condensed to one word, the Deserthawk wears the same Moab map on its hood, U.S. Army?style star decals on its D-pillars, and black-painted, 17-inch wheels that can be found on ...