Jeep Renegade vs Chevrolet Bolt

The 2021 Jeep Renegade was a compact SUV that drew inspiration from the iconic Wrangler, featuring a boxy profile, circular headlights, and a seven-slat grille. It maintained a modern, functional cabin design with an upright center stack, offering various trims like Sport, Jeepster, Latitude, Upland, 80th Anniversary, Islander, Limited, and Trailhawk. Each trim provided unique features, from the adventure-ready Upland with 4WD to the luxury-focused Limited with leather upholstery and heated seats. The Trailhawk stood out for its off-road capabilities, including skid plates and a lifted suspension.

The 2027 Chevrolet Bolt retained a familiar look, with slight styling changes that made it resemble a conventional gas-powered car. It offered a single body style, combining elements of a large hatchback and a subcompact SUV. The interior saw a more dramatic makeover, featuring a larger digital instrument panel and infotainment touchscreen. Despite its budget feel with hard plastic surfaces, the Bolt provided practical storage solutions and a comfortable seating arrangement. The RS trim added a touch of sportiness with gloss black exterior trim and Evotex synthetic leather upholstery.

The 2021 Jeep Renegade offered two engine options: a 2.4-liter four-cylinder with 180 horsepower and 175 lb-ft of torque, and a turbocharged 1.3-liter four-cylinder with 177 horsepower and 210 lb-ft of torque. Both engines were paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission, available in FWD or 4WD. While neither engine was particularly spirited, the turbocharged option provided better refinement and torque. The Renegade excelled in ride quality, maneuverability, and visibility, making it a great city car. The Trailhawk trim, with its terrain management system and 8.7 inches of ground clearance, was particularly capable off-road.

The 2027 Chevrolet Bolt featured a new 65-kilowatt-hour lithium-iron phosphate battery pack and a motor from Chevy's Equinox EV, delivering 210 horsepower and 169 lb-ft of torque to the front wheels. It achieved 0-60 mph in the low seven-second range, offering quick acceleration compared to gas-powered subcompact SUVs. The Bolt's one-pedal driving and brake regeneration settings enhanced its driving dynamics. With a firm ride and low center of gravity, it handled curvy roads well. The Bolt's range improved to 262 miles on a full charge, and its charging speed increased to 150 kW, allowing for a quick recharge.

The 2021 Jeep Renegade provided 50.8 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded and 18.5 cubic feet with them in use. Its tall, boxy design offered ample headroom and legroom, with helpful storage solutions throughout the cabin. The front passenger seat could fold forward for additional space.

The 2027 Chevrolet Bolt had an upright driving position and ample space for larger occupants. The rear seats offered plenty of headroom and thigh support, with a flat floor for center-seat passengers. It provided 16.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, with a large bin underneath the floor for extra storage. The Bolt lacked a frunk but offered ample storage for personal items, including a large bin with dividers, a floor tray, and a deep center armrest bin.

The 2021 Jeep Renegade came with a standard 7-inch touchscreen, with an optional 8.4-inch screen on higher trims. Both screens featured the intuitive Uconnect infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A Kenwood premium audio system was available.

The 2027 Chevrolet Bolt featured an 11-inch digital instrument panel and an 11.3-inch center touchscreen, running on a Google-based operating system. It lacked Apple CarPlay and standalone Android Auto, requiring Bluetooth pairing for personal music. The optional Technology package added a surround-view camera system, digital rear-view mirror, and wireless charging pad. The infotainment system was user-friendly, with logical menus and sharp graphics. The Bolt also offered vehicle-to-load charging for backup power.

The 2021 Jeep Renegade made several safety features standard, including automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-path detection. However, it received only four out of five stars from the NHTSA in crash tests. Optional features included adaptive cruise control and parking sensors.

The 2027 Chevrolet Bolt's crash test results were not yet available, but it was expected to perform well based on its platform. Standard safety features included forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitors, and a safety alert seat. The optional Technology package added a surround-view camera system, digital rear-view mirror, and traffic-sign recognition. GM's Super Cruise system was available for hands-free highway driving.