The 2015 Jeep Renegade made its Latin American debut at the 2014 Sao Paulo Auto Show, with the small SUV to be produced in Brazil for local markets.
The Renegade will be built at a new plant in Pernambuco, in the Northeast of Brazil, with sales starting during the second quarter of 2015.
In Brazil, South America’s biggest car market, the Renegade will be available with two engine options: the flex fuel 1.8-liter E.TorQ engine with the choice of a five-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission, and the 2.0-liter Multijet II diesel engine mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission.
The Jeep Renegade will be the first compact SUV equipped with a diesel engine to be sold in Brazil and will be also the first Brazilian-made car offering the ParkAssist function.
“One of the biggest opportunities for the future growth of Jeep is in Brazil. We now have a locally built vehicle that perfectly fits Latin American roads, with the capability and technology features that are unique in this segment. The all-new Jeep Renegade perfectly matches the spirit of adventure and can-do attitude of Brazil and will attract thousands of new customers to our brand,” said Mike Manley, Jeep brand president and CEO.
It remains to be seen whether Jeep will bring a diesel-powered Renegade to the US market as well. The small SUV currently offers two gasoline engines in its home market (if we can call it that considering the small SUV is imported from Italy): a 1.4-liter turbocharged inline-four producing 160hp and 170lb-ft (230Nm) of torque paired to a six-speed manual, and a 2.4-liter four-pot with 184hp and 177lb-ft (240Nm) linked to a nine-speed automatic.
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