No. 3
Jeep Renegade North (225.6 points)
So, you’re probably wondering: How can a vehicle that is fundamentally similar to the fifth-place Fiat 500X wind up third, ahead of the JUKE?
First of all, the Jeep Renegade deserves praise for its more “rugged” looks. In fact, it’s the only one here with traditional SUV lines. Next, it offers more headroom and easier access to the second-row seats (with or without a child seat installed). Of course, the fact that pricing is more affordable than the Fiat’s also contributed to a good score. What impressed us the most, however, was how different these two felt on the road.
The Renegade is far from perfect, obviously. The vertical windshield is framed by wide A-pillars that limit visibility at intersections, while the lack of aerodynamics causes plenty of wind noise at highway speeds. Some will like the more utilitarian look of the dashboard compared with the funky 500X, while others will find it too bland. One thing’s for sure: The Renegade’s ergonomics are better.
The removable roof panels will appeal to a number of drivers come summertime, but you should know that they’re not so easy to take off -- and even harder to put back in place. Additionally, fit and finish is quite unremarkable once said panels are stowed in the bag.
Jeep managed to create a vastly different vehicle from its FCA stable mate despite sharing the same 4-cylinder Tigershark engine and 9-speed automatic transmission. The latter isn’t a sure-fire long-term bet. Frankly, if you like the Renegade, you should opt for the 1.4L turbo mill instead, which makes a much better team with the 6-speed manual box. And unlike the 500X, the Renegade is available with a manual/AWD combo.
In terms of driving, the small Jeep crossover turned out to be more civilized than the 500X and surprisingly more fun to pilot than the Honda HR-V.