4×4 | On the road

By Bill McCarthy

JEEP is a name synonymous with rugged off-road capability and power, tackling the toughest of obstacles. A wartime legend, the brand has evolved assuming many guises over the subsequent decades.

But if you thought the world was already full of SUV/crossovers, Jeep decided to get in on the act and fill a crucial hole in the range.

The style may not suit those who like svelte profiles, but for those who like the rugged look, there is no mistaking it is a Jeep.

It features the signature seven-slot grille, lower bodyside cladding, integrated roof bars, restyled headlights, and foglights and chunky profile. Except in place of the usual four wheel drive, on this model and spec, power is delivered to the front wheels only via a six-speed manual gearbox.

Sat on 18-inch alloy wheels, it is still enough of a rarity to attract passing interest on car parks or parked on the road.

Based on the Fiat 500x, it is the first Jeep to be built outside North America and comes in a number of trim levels and engine options, the competent and flexible one litre, three cylinder engine in this case.

Starting at just under £20k all models are well equipped, with this top trim model adding goodies like heated seats and steering wheel, dual zone climate control, adaptive cruise control and parking assist system.

The interior carries on with the chunky, no-nonsene theme with solid plastic trim and robust switchgear, rotary controls and convenient storage compartments. The dark interior is offset by bright finish to steering wheels and central console around the gear selector. It is a comfortable place to be with multi-adjustable leather seats in a commanding driving position.

The boxy shape means headroom is good all round, but legroom is more cramped in the rear while although room for three passengers, the middle seating area is tight.

The centrepiece is an 8.4 inch connect multifunction screen and a seven-inch TFT display screen behind the multi-function steering wheel. There are also other USB and 12-volt points available.

The touchscreen controls sat nav, entertainment climate and connectivity which includes Fiat’s uConnect, which allows phone mirroring via Apple Carplay or Android Auto connectivity.

The latest three cylinder turbo petrol engine delivers a healthy 120hp and 190 Nm and is surprisingly quick off the mark seeming a lot quicker than the 11-odd seconds to hit 60mph. Like most three pot engines, there is a pleasing, raspy sound, particularly under acceleration and the decent torque means it pulls well through the gears. It is also a decent motorway cruiser the only drawback being the bulky shape mean there is more wind noise. But engine is noise is kept to a minimum at cruising speeds.

Economy is also good, the 40-odd mpg claimed seeming pretty much spot on.

As crossover/SUV, practicality and flexibility is a must and the Renegade offers both.

Boot space is plentiful with the standard 351 litres capable of being expanded 1,300 litres with the rear seats folded down and handy points mean shopping bags, suitcases etc can be stowed securely via a large tailgate.

It also offers a full range of safety kit including, six airbags, stability and traction control, rollover protection, lane departure warning and traffic sign recognition for speed awareness.

This model also featured blind spot and rear cross path detection as a £300 option.

Not a go anywhere off roader, but a real alternative in the crowded crossover field.

Factfile

Jeep Renegade Limited 1.0 GSE T3

Price: £24,905

Mechanical: 120bhp, 999cc, three cylindel petrol engine driving front wheels via six-speed manual gearbox

Max speed: 115mph

0-62mph: 11.2 seconds

Combined mpg: 39.8

Insurance group: 11

CO2 emissions: 134g/km

Warranty: 3yrs/60,000 miles

Volvo XC40

By Bill McCarthy

IMITATION is the sincerest form of flattery but despite Volvo saying design-wise, the new XC40 compact crossover is more of a cousin than a sibling to the larger 90 and 60 Series cars,there is no doubt it a chip off the same block.

Like its bigger stablemates, it is a luxury 4×4 SUV that has just about everything including excellent engines, off-road capability and state of the art technology and it comes with its own personality, expression and character.

Volov says the XC40 is defined by a strong graphical design, a real feeling of strength and quality and a more playful nature in terms of colours and materials.

Marketing speak for smaller and cheaper than the big ‘cousins’, but the same quality is apparent throughout.

It has the same nod to Nordic mythology with the signature ‘Thor’s hammer’ light design, the LEDs built into the front light clusters in the shape of the Norse god’s hammer.

Cheaper, the model range starts at just over £28k, but is still pretty well equipped.

There are a number of power units and the two-litre petrol model here, mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox, delivers an impressive 190bhp, for plenty of pace but with decent economy.

It hits 60mph in under 8.2 seconds, while delivering official economy of around 40.4mpg

It does look good, with stylish light clusters to front and rear and a choice of striking alloy wheels.

The interior on this model features leather faced upholstery, soft touch trim to doors and dashboard and neat chrome touches.

A top end interior with leather and chrome throughout

The dash is dominated by a nine-inch tablet style touchscreen which controls major functions with voice activation, like the Sensus sat nav (which has full European mapping with traffic information and map updates, infotainment), climate and phone connectivity via Android and Appleplay as well as a number of apps and web browser capability.

Volvo On Call allows your smart phone or tablet to control various functions remote and is an emergency tracking service.

In fact the latest Sensus connect can even be configured to allow the car to pre-book itself for a service.

Car information can also be monitored on a 12.3-inch active TFT driver’s information display behind the smart, multi-function steering wheel.

It gets better, with classy touches like the starter knob, which is twisted rather than pressed and a knurled silver knob which allows you to select one of three drive modes of economy, standard or dynamic, depending on road conditions.

Standard kit on all models includes heated front seats, 60/40 split-folding rear seats, dual-zone climate control, rear parking sensors, cruise control, hill start assist and cruise control.

Well equipped it may be, but like many of its competitors you can spends thousands on add toys and goodies, which on this model included the Xenium Pack, comprising powered panoramic sunroof, automatic parking assist and 360 degree camera.

Even at high speed, engine and road noise is muted, with just a hint of wind noise.

Handling is better than it’s bigger stablemates feeling composed and bends, while the ride is comfortable but firm.

Boot space is decent and the 60/40 split folding rear seats open up a cavernous space for larger loads, although the load height quite high.

Volvo has always been at the forefront for safety and this car is no exception with its raft of technologies, such as autonomous emergency braking, pedestrian, animal and cyclist detection and front collision warning.

Also standard are full set of airbags and lane mitigation, which steers you back into the correct lane if drifting.

Smaller of the three XCs, but still pretty well formed.