Are you searching for the perfect subcompact SUV that seamlessly fuses city driving with adventures off the beaten path? If you answered yes, then you should take a peek at the 2020 Jeep Renegade vs 2020 Honda HR-V.
The two pint-sized crossovers can carry five passengers and give off quite an athletic appearance. They are ideal rides for people who live and work in the city but love to go exploring on weekend road trips. Both are suitable for running errands or heading to the lake.
What’s Under the Hood?
As far as performance goes, the two vehicles are a bit different. The 2020 Jeep Renegade is available with two engine options. The first comes equipped on the lower Sport and Latitude trim levels. It’s a 2.4-liter four-cylinder motor that pumps out 180 hp and 175 lb-ft of torque. Coupled with a 9-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel-drive, this motor has an impressive fuel economy set at 28 mpg combined (24 city/32 highway). You can also opt for an all-wheel-drive system with this engine. Under the hoods of higher trims like the Limited and the Trailhawk is a turbocharged 1.3-liter four-cylinder engine that pushes out 177 hp and 210 lb-ft of torque. The Trailhawk model has the same transmission and has been fitted with a 4WD system for better handling over rough terrain. That puts the fuel economy at a lower average of 24 mpg combined (22 city/27 highway). The good news is that the Renegade can haul 2,000 pounds without breaking a sweat.
The 2020 Honda HR-V is powered by an upgraded 1.5L 4-cylinder turbocharged engine. The specs of this motor have not yet been confirmed, but the 2019 model put out 141 hp and got about 31 mpg combined (28 city/34 highway). With the addition of a more powerful, turbocharged engine, you should expect to see a bit more horsepower and a slightly lower average fuel economy.
What’s Inside?
Both the 2020 Jeep Renegade and the 2020 Honda HR-V have various trim levels that come with different interior comfort, convenience, and entertainment features. The Renegade is available in four trims, and the HR-V is available in five.
The base model of the Renegade is known as the Sport. It has some pretty nifty features and can be equipped with specific packages to make it even cooler. When you slip inside the Renegade Sport, the first thing you can do is adjust the driver’s seat and the tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel to suit your height comfortably. You can also hook your phone up via the USB port to charge it. The rearview camera will assist with backing out of the garage or parking space carefully, and the infotainment interface is displayed on a 5-inch touchscreen. If you need to make a call, you can do so hands-free with the help of Bluetooth. The Renegade Latitude gets a larger 7-inch touchscreen monitor for the infotainment interface. The cabin gets a few more classy upgrades, including LED ambient lighting, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, dual-zone climate control, and satellite radio. Next, the Renegade Limited takes things to an even more luxurious level. Subtle leather upholstery covers the seats, and several advanced safety features have been added. These include an automated parking system, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, emergency braking, and lane departure warning. You can drive confidently, knowing that the Renegade is working hard to keep you and your loved ones safe on the roads. Finally, the Renegade Trailhawk is equipped similarly to the Limited trim level. The main difference comes with the enhanced off-roading features that the Trailhawk boasts. These include hill-descent control, a revised suspension, and the previously mention 4WD mechanism with low-range settings.
As of now, Honda has not confirmed many details about the upcoming 2020 HR-V. However, the 2019 model was available in five trims levels, including LX, Sport, EX, EX-L, and Touring. It’s safe to assume that many of the features from last year’s model will carry over into the newer version. These features may include Bluetooth connectivity and compatibility with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on lower trims and heated seats with a navigation system on the higher trim levels. Honda Sensing will most likely also be included. This is a suite of advanced safety features like collision mitigation braking, road departure mitigation, adaptive cruise control, and lane-keep assist.
Let’s go over a few of these features. The collision mitigation braking system will apply the brakes and bring the HR-V to a complete stop if the vehicle senses that a collision is imminent. The road departure mitigation system will signal you if you cross a line without giving a signal. It can also provide steering assistance to keep you in your designated lane.
As for cargo room, the 2020 Renegade offers 18.5 cubic feet with all the seats in the upright position. You can fold the back row and the front passenger seat flat to expand the area to 50.8 cubic feet. The Honda HR-V is a little more spacious. It offers 24.3 cubic feet of cargo room behind the back row and 58.8 cubic feet with the seats folded down. The expanded area is due to Honda’s second-row Magic Seat, which allows more configuration options. Surprisingly, you can slide in oddly shaped items with lengths of up to 8-feet. Both the Renegade and the HR-V take utility to the next level.
Making a Great First Impression
Both of these petite crossovers are sporty looking with their curvy lines and LED lighting packages. Their sleek hood designs make them more aerodynamic and able to slice through air resistance like a hot knife through butter. Exterior details will vary based on the trim level that you choose.
The Renegade Sport rides on 16-inch steel wheels, but these can be upgraded to 17-inches if you add the Sport Appearance package. Opting for this package will also get you roof rails for extra storage space and rear privacy glass. The next noticeable difference can be seen on the Limited model with its larger 18-inch wheel and rain-sensing wipers. The Trailhawk is outfitted with all-terrain tires, skid plates, and tow hooks for optimized off-roading.
As previously mentioned, not many details have emerged about the upcoming HR-V. Consumers can expect to see roof rails, foglights, and privacy glass on higher trim levels. Models may also feature an aggressively styled honeycomb grille for a more athletic look and 18-inch alloy wheels.
Exterior paint options for the 2020 Renegade include Alpine White, Black, Sting-Gray, Glacier Metallic, Granite Crystal Metallic, Slate Blue Pearl, Jetset Blue, Colorado Red, Omaha Orange, and Bikini (turquoise). While the Honda HR-V colors haven’t been officially released yet, it’s safe to assume that they will be similar to last year’s color choices. These included Crystal Black Pearl, Platinum White Pearl, Modern Steel Metallic, Lunar Silver Metallic, Aegean Blue Metallic, Midnight Amethyst Metallic, Milano Red, and Orangeburst Metallic. However, some of these colors may only be available on certain trim levels.
While both of these models are great, as they stand now, the 2020 Renegade packs a little more punch than the Honda HR-V.
