The Jeep Renegade has been recently spied testing in India but its not really India-bound. Jeep might be using the Renegade as a test bed for their upcoming sub-compact SUV.
It was long anticipated that Jeep would launch the Renegade SUV in India and it was very recently spotted testing in India in Udipi (Karnataka) on the Goa-Mangalore highway. This Jeep Renegade was even wearing a license plate that had a registration number from Maharashtra. Although the test mule was heavily camouflaged, there was no mistaking it for any other car as the seven-slat Jeep grille and the boxy silhouette were easily identifiable.
However, we recently disclosed to about Jeep’s India plans and while there are many new SUVs in the pipeline, the Renegade is not among them. Jeep is indeed prepping a sub-compact SUV for India and in all likelihood, this new SUV will be styled on the lines of the Renegade. But then what is the Renegade doing here in India? Well, the company could be testing various aspects about this upcoming SUV like the suspension setup and engine, using the Renegade only as test bed.
This new sub-4m Jeep SUV will be the brand’s most affordable product in India and will be particularly important for a market like ours. It is internally being called the Jeep 526 but it is yet to see the light of the day. This new compact SUV will first be seen wearing a Fiat badge for the South American market – this model has already begun its initial phase of road tests. Then there will be a Jeep derivative of the same with a true Jeep stance and a proper 4WD system.
Also Read : Much More Affordable Jeep SUVs Coming to India in Next Two Years
Jeep says that this SUV will feature a 4WD system that’s similar to the one on the Fiat Panda. It will have an upright stance and will be a ‘true Jeep’ according to sources. This will then be first sub-4m SUV with a 4WD system in the segment. This however is still some time away and its global debut is expected in 2022. But for 2021, Jeep has said that there are two more ‘iconic’ products, one of which we are expecting is the next-gen Grand Cherokee. The current-gen Grand Cherokee has been around for quite a while and it really needs an update now.
Also Read : Jeep Future Products for India – Seven-Seater SUV; Compass Facelift and More
It’s also too early to comment on what could be under the hood of this upcoming sub-4m SUV. However, we expect Jeep to plonk in a 1.4L petrol engine under the hood of this SUV. There’s certainly a lot going on at Jeep and there’s a lot to be excited about. Apart from this sub-compact SUV, Jeep also has the facelifted Compass and a new three-row SUV based on the Compass platform slated for India.
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