They may be built in the same plant and based on the same platform, but apparently the Jeep Renegade and the Fiat 500X will not step on each others toes.
At least that’s what industry analysts believe, with only days before Fiat officially unveils the 500X at the Paris Auto Show. Analysts say the two vehicles will appeal to different types of customers.
According to IHS Automotive analyst Ian Fletcher, the Fiat 500X is a “cute, urban vehicle with off-road capabilities,” while the Renegade is a “rugged” off-roader. “They are almost like the male and female version of the same model, although I expect the two models to please both men and women,” Fletcher told AutoNews Europe.
While Fiat hopes the 500X’s design will win over customers, the Renegade’s main quality is its functionality, the analyst added. “The Jeep Renegade and 500X can coexist,” agreed Giorgio Elefante, a PwC consultant.
It’s not the first time Fiat and Chrysler have shared models (the Dodge Journey rebadged as a Fiat Freemont is the first example that comes to mind), but the 500X and the Renegade are the first vehicles developed and built from scratch by the carmakers.
Both cars are built in Fiat’s Melfi plant in central Italy, with a planned annual capacity for the Renegade of up to 150,000 units, with the 500X to account for 130,000 units. According to an estimate from IHS Automotive, Jeep will sell 109,425 Renegades next year, while Fiat will sell 72,897 500X SUVs. During the following year, sales are projected to grow by 45 percent and 33 percent, respectively. The Fiat 500X will arrive in European dealerships by the end of this year and in the US in spring 2015.
Image credits: Alvolante, Jeep
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