Jeep Renegade goes testing in India ahead of 2017 Compass launch

Iconic American SUV maker Jeep may be hard at work setting the stage for the imminent launch of its first made-in-India model, Compass, in India, but that has not been much of a distraction from its other projects. While Compass will soon be arriving in the market, the automaker has its hands on the pulse of the Renegade, its next model.

So far, the information we are privy to on the Renegade compact SUV of the Jeep suggests that the company has no plans of launching it in India before 2018. Even with the time in hand, Jeep is not lazing around and has already begun the testing of the model on Indian terrains. And the eagle-eyed spy photographers at India.com have managed to capture the Jeep Renegade on camera giving us a peek into the yet to release model.

While Jeep Compass is expected to be priced at around Rs. 15 lakh, which can even go down with the implementation of Goods and Service Tax (GST), the Renegade of Jeep is expected to carry a price tag lower than that. It is also rumoured that it could be priced at around Rs. 10 lakh. This would put the competition in the burgeoning segment even tighter. If the rumours are anything to go by, Jeep Renegade will be made at FCA's Ranjangaon plant in Pune.

From the early spy shots, the India-spec Renegade is expected to carry similar styling and design as that of the international model. It will also get the same Compass powertrains - 1.4-litre MultiAir petrol and 2.0-litre MultiJet diesel. In the international market, the Renegade is offered in 4X2 and 4X4 variants with four trims – Sport, Latitude, Altitude and Trailhawk. 

The Renegade will compete against the likes of Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza and Ford EcoSport in India.

Meanwhile, Jeep is going ahead with plans for the launch the new Compass in August this year. The compact SUV will be the most affordable offering of the brand in the country at present and it is already open for bookings.

Source: India.com