1 Jeep Renegade Trim Has the Worst Resale Value
The Jeep Renegade provides one of the most enjoyable driving experiences in the subcompact SUV class. It also offers affordable off-road capability. And Renegades are typically long-lasting. Those qualities should make it a great candidate for new-car buyers who intend to resell in a few years while enjoying lower depreciation. And for most Renegade trims, that premise holds. However, consumers should be aware of one Jeep Renegade trim with surprisingly low resale value.
Recent Jeep Renegade models have some surprising resale value percentages
Jeep Renegade resale value percentages are very good compared to other compact SUVs. High secondary market demand for recent Renegades stems from solid fuel economy, better outward visibility than similar vehicles, and Jeep’s reputation in the SUV space. Though sales of new Renegade models have struggled, this SUV remains a strong resale market choice.
According to Kelley Blue Book (KBB), the fair purchase prices of the 2019, 2020, and 2021 Renegade Sport base models are $17,157, $17,424, and $18,083. Their original MSRPs were $25,020, $25,370, and $25,895. That means this whole run of Renegades hovers around a very solid 30% to 32% year-to-date depreciation.
That’s well in line with the expected average rate of depreciation. About 30% is considered very good, and anything below that is exceptional. But the higher Renegade trim levels become much more problematic.
Higher-tier Jeep Renegade trims have much lower resale value percentages
Resale depreciation becomes a problem with one trim in particular in the 2019 and 2020 Jeep Renegade: the top-tier High Altitude. For 2019, the High Altitude had an MSRP of $31,385, but KBB’s fair purchase price falls massively to $18,133. That’s barely more than the Sport’s resale value from the same year.
The 2020 Renegade runs into a similar problem. Used-car demand is slightly higher, keeping the fair purchase price buoyed to $22,803. But that’s still a hefty chunk chopped off the $31,990 MSRP.
That lack of interest in overspending on the highest Renegade trim level might have led to the High Altitude’s absence in 2021. But the off-roading Trailhawk trim still struggles with resale value retention. KBB’s $23,974 fair purchase price pales compared to the hefty $30,890 MSRP, even if it is a bit more reasonable than the previous model years.
Not all 2019–2020 Renegade models are in a bad spot in the secondary market
So, are any of these trims worth buying at the low prices KBB reports? People who bought them new might be disappointed to find how little value their vehicles retained. But the 2019 and 2020 High Altitude trims, alongside the 2021 Trailhawk, make for solid value propositions for used-car buyers.
These models all avoid the transmission and brake problems plaguing earlier Renegades. These trims are off-road ready from the Trailhawk up, where four-wheel drive is standard. And their black accents and granite-painted aluminum wheels add personality to the otherwise plain-Jane Renegade aesthetic, too.
A common complaint was that paying for the higher trims wasn’t worth it — not with 4WD available for every trim. But on the secondary market, where buyers have been shy to overpay for fully loaded Renegades, the value-to-price ratio is very sensible. A 2020 Jeep High Altitude, at just $18,133, is an incredible value for used-car buyers.
