While the Jeep Renegade seemed fit to take the compact SUV market by storm, the years since its debut have seen larger SUVs becoming more and more popular among North American consumers. That’s particularly true in the U.S., where pickup trucks and larger SUVs make up more than 80% of new car sales. Compact SUVs are still popular, but with American’s regularly opting for bigger vehicles or higher-end mid-size 4x4s, the Renegade struggled to find a foothold in the overcrowded SUV market.
With Renegade officially on the way out of Jeep’s lineup in the U.S. and Canada, it’s hardly surprising that the manufacturer is looking to re-focus its energy on selling larger models. Jeep will likely have the well-reviewed Compass step up to serve as the manufacturer’s entry-level offering. As the two vehicles are similar in build and offer many of the same features, they have essentially been competing against each other since Compass was introduced in 2017. However, the Compass is several inches longer and wider than the Renegade, which may make it more appealing to some buyers.
A base model Compass starts at $25,900, which is cheaper than a base Renegade by over $2,500. Likewise, the company will no doubt continue to tout their larger, more expensive SUVs such as the Grand Cherokee and Grand Wagoneer, which continue to rank among Jeep’s most popular vehicles.
