2021 Jeep Renegade vs 2020 Lincoln Navigator

The 2020 Lincoln Navigator stood out as a luxurious flagship SUV, distinguished by its unique design elements that set it apart from its Ford Expedition roots. Designers went the extra mile to give the Navigator a distinct identity, featuring completely different front and rear styling, a lattice-type grille with an illuminated Lincoln star, and full-width taillights. The Lincoln Embrace lighting system added a welcoming touch, sequentially illuminating the SUV as the owner approached. The Reserve Monochromatic Package, with its body-color enhancements and 22-inch black-painted wheels, further accentuated the Navigator's custom look. Inside, the Navigator exuded luxury with its Dark Slate leather interior, 30-way Perfect Position front seats, and a dashboard rich in mid-century modern styling cues. The panoramic glass roof and high-quality materials enhanced the sense of opulence, making the Navigator a convincingly luxurious choice.

In contrast, the 2021 Jeep Renegade drew inspiration from the iconic Wrangler, featuring a boxy profile, circular headlights, and an upright seven-slat grille. The Renegade's design remained largely unchanged from its 2019 refresh, with some previously optional features becoming standard. Inside, the Renegade offered a modern and functional cabin design, with an upright center stack reminiscent of the Wrangler. The Renegade came in various trims, including Sport, Jeepster, Latitude, Upland, 80th Anniversary, Islander, Limited, and Trailhawk, each offering a unique set of features. The Renegade's interior was practical, with ample headroom and legroom, and a range of storage solutions. The Trailhawk trim, in particular, emphasized off-road capability with its skid plates, tow hooks, and upgraded 4WD system, making it a versatile choice for adventure enthusiasts.

The 2020 Lincoln Navigator was powered by a robust twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 engine, delivering an impressive 450 horsepower and 510 lb-ft of torque. This engine outperformed the most powerful version of the Ford Expedition by 50 horsepower and 30 lb-ft of torque. A 10-speed automatic transmission efficiently transferred power to the rear wheels, with an option for four-wheel drive. The Navigator offered multiple drive modes, including Conserve, Normal, Excite, Slippery, and Deep Conditions, catering to various driving situations. With a maximum towing capacity of 8,700 pounds for rear-wheel drive and 8,300 pounds for four-wheel drive, the Navigator excelled in towing capabilities, aided by the Pro Trailer Backup Assist system. Despite its size, the Navigator demonstrated strong acceleration and excellent body motion control, though fuel economy was a concern, averaging 16.4 mpg during testing.

The 2021 Jeep Renegade offered two engine options: a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine producing 180 horsepower and 175 lb-ft of torque, and a turbocharged 1.3-liter four-cylinder engine with 177 horsepower and 210 lb-ft of torque. Both engines were paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission, available in front-wheel drive or four-wheel drive configurations. While neither engine was particularly spirited, the turbocharged option provided better torque and refinement. The Renegade's ride quality was solid, with composed handling through corners and a suspension that absorbed rough road surfaces well. The Trailhawk trim, with its off-road suspension and 8.7 inches of ground clearance, excelled in off-road conditions. The Renegade's short wheelbase and impressive visibility made it a practical choice for city driving, while its terrain management system enhanced its versatility on various terrains.

The 2020 Lincoln Navigator offered a spacious and comfortable interior, with ample room for passengers to stretch out. The optional Luxury Package included 30-way Perfect Position front seats, which required some time to adjust but provided exceptional comfort. The Navigator's second row could be configured with either a three-person bench or two captain's chairs, with the latter option offering a large center console. Triple-zone climate control ensured comfort across all three rows, and the third-row seat provided generous legroom and thigh support. Cargo space was class-leading, with 19.3 cubic feet behind the third row, 57.5 cubic feet behind the second row, and a maximum of 103.3 cubic feet in the standard-length model. The longer Navigator L offered even more cargo space, making it a practical choice for families and travelers.

The 2021 Jeep Renegade provided 50.8 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded and 18.5 cubic feet with the seats in use, which was above average for the subcompact SUV segment. The Renegade's tall, boxy design allowed for ample headroom in both rows, with the front seats offering great legroom. While the rear seats were less spacious, they remained suitable for adults. The Renegade featured numerous storage solutions, including small cubbies and trays, as well as optional equipment tie-down solutions. The front passenger seat could fold completely forward, providing a table for gear or additional space for long items, enhancing the Renegade's practicality for everyday use.

The 2020 Lincoln Navigator's Sync 3 infotainment system was considered the least impressive aspect of the vehicle, as it took time to load content. However, it offered Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Lincoln Connect services with a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot, and wireless device charging. The "Phone As A Key" technology allowed the smartphone to function as the vehicle key. The voice recognition system worked reasonably well, though it required specific command pathways. The Reserve's Luxury Package included a 20-speaker Revel Ultima audio system, providing a compelling audio experience. Additional technologies included a surround-view camera system and a head-up display, though the test vehicle lacked the optional Lincoln Play rear-seat entertainment system.

The 2021 Jeep Renegade came with a standard 7-inch touchscreen, with an optional 8.4-inch screen available on mid-tier trims and standard on higher trims. Both screens featured the intuitive Uconnect infotainment system, known for its logical menu layout and easy-to-read graphics. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard on both screens, and a Kenwood premium audio system was available. The Renegade's infotainment system was user-friendly, with a helpful dock at the bottom of the screen for major functions, enhancing the overall driving experience.

The 2020 Lincoln Navigator came equipped with the Lincoln Co-Pilot360 collection of advanced driving assistance systems, including forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assistance, blind-spot warning with trailer coverage, rear cross-traffic warning, and automatic high-beam headlights. The Reserve trim added adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability. The Navigator's adaptive cruise control operated with refinement, and the lane-keeping assistance system was subtle yet effective. The Navigator received a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA, though the rollover resistance rating for RWD was three stars. The IIHS had not tested the 2020 model.

For 2021, the Jeep Renegade made previously optional safety features standard across the lineup, including automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-path detection. Adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, and front and rear parking sensors were available as options. Despite the addition of standard safety features, the Renegade received a four-star crash test rating from the NHTSA. Parallel parking assist was also available as an option, enhancing the Renegade's safety features.