2021 Jeep Renegade vs 2021 Lexus RX

The 2021 Jeep Renegade, introduced in 2015, shared its underpinnings with the Jeep Compass but drew design inspiration from the iconic Wrangler SUV. It featured a boxy profile, circular headlights, and an upright seven-slat grille. The 2019 refresh carried over to 2021, making previously optional features standard. Inside, the Renegade had a modern, functional cabin with an upright center stack reminiscent of the Wrangler. It offered various trims, including Sport, Jeepster, Latitude, Upland, 80th Anniversary, Islander, Limited, and Trailhawk, each with unique features and equipment.

The 2021 Lexus RX showcased the modern design aesthetic of Lexus with a large grille, angular headlamps, a shapely body, and a floating roof. The interior featured sumptuous seating, perforated leather upholstery, and a somewhat bland center console. Lexus offered the RX in five variants: RX, RX F Sport, RXL, RX Hybrid, and RXL Hybrid. The RX and RX Hybrid were the base models, while the RX F Sport focused on performance. The RXL and RXL Hybrid had extended bodies and a third row of seating. The 2020 design changes, including elongated headlights and a refined front end, carried over to 2021.

The 2021 Jeep Renegade came with a base 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine producing 180 horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque. The upgraded turbocharged 1.3-liter four-cylinder engine delivered 177 horsepower and 210 pound-feet of torque. Both engines were paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission, available in front-wheel drive (FWD) or four-wheel drive (4WD). The turbocharged engine was more refined and provided better torque, though the transmission sometimes struggled with smooth shifts. The Renegade offered a solid ride quality, good maneuverability, and impressive visibility, making it a great city car. The Trailhawk trim, with its terrain management system and off-road capabilities, was the only trim with Jeep’s “Trail Rated” designation.

The 2021 Lexus RX, RXL, and RX F-Sport were powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine delivering 295 horsepower and 267 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The RX Hybrid and RXL Hybrid combined a 3.5-liter V6 with three electric motors, producing 308 horsepower managed by an electronic continuously variable transmission (e-CVT). The RX offered a comfortable ride with good handling, though there was some body roll at higher speeds. The F Sport Handling package added adaptive variable suspension and other performance features. The RX accelerated from zero to 60 mph in 7.7 to 7.9 seconds, depending on the drivetrain, with a top speed of 124 mph.

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. Its tall, boxy design offered ample headroom in both rows, with great legroom in the front seats and adequate space for adults in the rear. The Renegade featured various storage solutions, including small cubbies and trays, and the front passenger seat could fold forward for additional space.

The 2021 Lexus RX offered seating for five in the two-row RX 350, RX F-Sport, and RX 450h, and seating for six or seven in the three-row RXL and RXL Hybrid. The front and second-row seats provided ample space, while the third row was tight. The RX had 18.4 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row and 56.3 cubic feet with the seats folded. The three-row versions offered 7.5 cubic feet behind the third row, 23 cubic feet behind the second, and 58.5 cubic feet with both rows folded. A power liftgate was standard, with a hands-free liftgate available.

The 2021 Jeep Renegade came standard with a 7-inch touchscreen running the Uconnect infotainment system, with an optional 8.4-inch screen on higher trims. Both screens featured Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Uconnect system had a logical menu layout, easy-to-read graphics, and a helpful dock for major functions. A Kenwood premium audio system was available.

The 2021 Lexus RX featured standard technology, including dual-zone automatic climate control, keyless entry, an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen, voice recognition, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, satellite radio, HD Radio, a WiFi hotspot, six USB ports, and a nine-speaker sound system. Upgrades included a 12.3-inch touchscreen, additional USB ports, a moonroof, wireless charging, navigation, and a 15-speaker Mark Levinson surround-sound system. The touchpad controller for the infotainment system was functional but took up valuable center console space. The RX did not offer wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

The 2021 Jeep Renegade made previously optional safety features standard, 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 parking sensors were optional. The Renegade received four out of five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The 2021 Lexus RX received the IIHS Top Safety Pick designation and scored well in crashworthiness tests. The NHTSA rated the RX 350, RX 350L, and RX 450h with four out of five stars overall and five stars for side-impact crashworthiness. Standard safety features included a rearview camera, 10 airbags, enhanced vehicle stability control, and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. The Lexus Safety System+ 2.0 suite included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian and cyclist detection, automatic high beams, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, lane-trace assist, and road sign assist. The RX had two complete sets of LATCH connectors for child safety seats.