The Rise and Fall of the Jeep Renegade
Originally published on Jul 31, 2023 | Updated on Aug 8, 2023
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Throughout the years, Jeep’s ever-creative marketing team has implemented countless special editions into its Wrangler line, ranging from the video-game-inspired Wrangler JK Call-of-Duty edition to the off-road-inspired Wrangler JL High Tide. However, one of the first and most polarizing is the Jeep Renegade, first available as an SSO (special sales order) for 1970 CJ-5s.
Throughout the years, Jeep has repurposed the “Renegade” namesake, adorning various Jeeps; in this article, we’re covering all of them! So buckle up for an in-depth analysis of the Jeep Renegade, one of Jeep’s most beloved (and despised) products to ever grace showrooms.
What Is a Renegade?
While yes, the Renegade is a Jeep product, let’s first discuss some etymology; after all, what is a renegade?
We typically view a “renegade” positively; at least, Jeep’s 1970 design team did. From music to movies, the media tends to paint renegades as black sheep, outsiders, and those who go against the grain and march to the beat of their own drums. However, that’s not necessarily the definition of the term.
The true definition of a renegade is a deserter, a double agent, and someone who switches allegiance, betraying their beliefs, traditions, or even country. Given the brand's prestigious military heritage, it's a bit of an odd title, isn't it? The Jeep CJ is synonymous with American valor and freedom, so why tack on a contradictory subtitle?
Alright, enough with the semantics; let’s dig into some history.
History and Implementation
Over the years, Jeep has applied the term “Renegade” to numerous models with vastly different results; let’s assess each iteration.
Jeep CJ Renegade I (1970)
In 1970, the same year AMC acquired Jeep, the Renegade package debuted on CJ-5s. This special sales order (SSO) was nothing more than a rebranded “462” performance package from 1969, featuring a nearly identical spec sheet, including:
A 3.7L Dauntless V6 engine
Front bucket seats and a rear bench
A roll bar
A heavy-duty chassis
A locking differential
An oil-pan skid plate
A rear swing-out tire carrier
An ammeter
An oil pressure gauge
Aside from these add-ons, the Renegade I featured two model-specific colors–Wild Plum and Mint Green–new 8-inch wide white road wheels, G70x15 tires, and a simple stripe across the hood. During the model year, Jeep produced an estimated 250–500 Renegades.
Jeep CJ Renegade II (1971)
In 1971, AMC retained the Renegade SSO, resulting in a nearly identical package to the previous year’s. The 1971 Renegade, dubbed the Renegade II, featured new alloy wheels, a center hood stripe, and debuted with four new color options, including Baja Yellow, Mint Green, Riverside Orange, and Big Bad Orange.
Jeep CJ Renegade (1972–1986)
After two years of the Renegade SSO, AMC opted to include the package as a regular production option due to its immense popularity. This change also debuted during AMC’s overhaul of the CJ lineup, resulting in an elongated nose to fit AMC’s muscly I6 and V8 power plants.
These new Renegades, offered from 1972–1986, packed AMC’s 304 V8, alloy wheels, and a Trac-Lok limited-slip rear differential, providing the Jeep with some much-needed AMC grunt. Reworked Renegade stripes adorn this generation’s rockers, while massive “RENEGADE” text stretches the length of the hood on either side.
In 1976, AMC unveiled the all-new Jeep CJ-7 platform, which also received the familiar Renegade package until its 1976 demise.
Jeep YJ Renegade (1990–1994)
In 1987, Chrysler purchased Jeep from AMC, who’d recently completed the design of the CJ’s successor, the Wrangler YJ. Chrysler rolled out the model in 1987, oddball square headlights and all! After three years of production, and upon noticing the popularity of the street-truck scene, Chrysler opted to transform its flagship 4x4 SUV into a certified street fighter!
When Chrysler announced the 1990 Jeep YJ lineup, an all-new package debuted alongside it. The Jeep YJ Renegade, officially titled the “Renegade Decor Group,” embraced the street styling popularized in the 1990s, including a massive, multi-piece fiberglass body kit color-matched to one of five available body colors. Molded rectangular fog lights were recessed into the front flares, a fully-loaded leather interior graced the cabin, standard body-matched hard tops provided much-needed insulation, wide aluminum wheels filled out the flares, and futuristic Renegade decals stretched the length of the body.
Though revamped for street use, the YJ Renegade remained a basic Jeep YJ at its core. The identical 4.0L fuel-injected I6 resided beneath the hood, mated to the same 3-speed automatic or 5-speed manual, and the chassis and drivetrain remained unchanged, resulting in an odd amalgamation of parts without a focused goal…or audience. While sporting street styling, the YJ Renegade packs no mechanical upgrades geared toward performance driving; plus, the package tacked an additional $4,000 onto the MSRP!
Though the YJ Renegade is an undoubtedly unique example of 90s car culture, it also marked the beginning of the end for the Renegade name.
Jeep Renegade (2015–Present)
After a nearly 20-year hiatus, the Renegade name returned to Jeep’s lineup, albeit not in the way most purists would have preferred. The 2015+ Jeep Renegade was nothing but a re-bodied Fiat 500x, designed and produced by Italian automaker Stellantis N.V.
This new compact crossover SUV is a far cry from the original CJ Renegade, losing even more of its off-road roots. However, we'll hand it to Jeep for producing a factory-lifted off-road variant, the Renegade Trailhawk, packing such features as:
The 2.4L TigerShark I4 engine
A 9-speed automatic transmission
Off-road-tuned suspension with a 20mm lift
Underbody skid plates
Jeep’s Active Drive Low 4WD system
17-inch alloy wheels
Package-specific front and rear fascias
Red tow hooks
Trailhawk decals
Legacy and Future
What began as a sporty, domineering package in Jeep’s lineup, eventually spiraled into the world of soulless, mundane crossovers we know today. However, it’s important to note that the Renegade SSO is one of the driving forces behind Jeep’s laundry list of special editions that debut each year with the Wrangler. Models like the Rubicon 392 undoubtedly reek of Renegade inspiration, sporting a fire-breathing V8 under the hood and several aesthetic modifications to match.
Will Jeep ever release another Wrangler Renegade? Who’s to say; however, if we know Chrysler, the company is no stranger to rehashing previous namesakes as special-edition Wranglers–“cough, cough”–Wrangler Willys–“cough.” With any luck, we may receive another V8-powered Wrangler Renegade in the future, maybe a special order 392 in Sublime, Go-Mango, or Plum Crazy with vintage slot-mag inspired alloys and decals; we can dream at least!
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