Compare the2023 Jeep RenegadeVS 2023 Fiat 500X

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tests front crash prevention systems. With a score of 6 points, IIHS rates the Active Braking optional in the Renegade as “Superior.” The 500X scores only 4 points and is rated only “Advanced.”

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Renegade Limited offers optional Park Assist with Rear Stop that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The 500X doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Renegade Trailhawk’s standard Hill-descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The 500X doesn’t offer Hill-descent Control.

The Renegade’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the 500X and is only available on 500X Sport.

The Renegade has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the 500X’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Renegade has standard Rear Cross Path Detection, helping the driver avoid collisions. Fiat charges extra for Rear Cross Path Detection on the 500X, and only on the Sport.

Both the Renegade and the 500X have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, rearview cameras, available daytime running lights and rear parking sensors.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, rear impact and roof-crush tests, with its optional front crash prevention system, its “Acceptable” rating in the new passenger-side small overlap crash test, and its available headlight’s “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Renegade the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2019, a rating granted to only 191 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The 500X was last qualified as a “Top Safety Pick” in 2017.

Jeep’s powertrain warranty covers the Renegade 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Fiat covers the 500X. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the 500X ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

Jeep pays for scheduled maintenance on the Renegade for 3 years and unlimited miles. Jeep will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance (up to 3 oil changes). Fiat doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the 500X.

There are almost 7 times as many Jeep dealers as there are Fiat dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Renegade’s warranty.

The Renegade stops shorter than the 500X:

For better traction, the Renegade’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the 500X (235/45R19 vs. 225/55R18).

The Renegade Trailhawk offers an optional full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the 500X; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which has mileage and speed limitations, or roadside assistance and a tow-truck.

The Renegade’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The 500X doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

The Renegade handles at .79 G’s, while the 500X pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Renegade Trailhawk’s turning circle is 1 foot tighter than the 500X’s (35.3 feet vs. 36.3 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Renegade has a greater minimum ground clearance than the 500X (8 vs. 7.9 inches), allowing the Renegade to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Renegade Trailhawk’s minimum ground clearance is .8 inch higher than on the 500X (8.7 vs. 7.9 inches).

The front grille of the Renegade (except Trailhawk) uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The 500X doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Renegade has 8.4 cubic feet more passenger volume than the 500X (100.1 vs. 91.7).

The Renegade has 2 inches more front headroom, 1.6 inches more front shoulder room, 2.7 inches more rear headroom, .3 inches more rear legroom and 2.3 inches more rear shoulder room than the 500X.

The Renegade has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the 500X with its rear seat up (18.5 vs. 14.1 cubic feet). The Renegade has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the 500X with its rear seat folded (50.8 vs. 39.8 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Renegade easier. The Renegade’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 30.2 inches, while the 500X’s liftover is 31.4 inches.

A standard locking glovebox keeps your small valuables safer in the Renegade. The 500X doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Renegade uses the Electronic Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The 500X doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Renegade’s available headlights were rated “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the 500X’s headlights are rated “Poor.”

On extremely cold winter days, the Renegade’s optional heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The 500X doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The Renegade has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning is only available on the 500X Sport.

For greater rear passenger comfort, the Renegade has standard rear heat vents to keep rear occupants more comfortable. The 500X doesn’t offer rear vents.

The Renegade offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The 500X doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Renegade Limited’s optional Parallel and Perpendicular Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The 500X doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The Renegade will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Renegade will retain 52.53% to 58.07% of its original price after five years, while the 500X only retains 36.13% to 38.37%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Renegade is less expensive to operate than the 500X because typical repairs cost much less on the Renegade than the 500X, including $80 less for a water pump, $281 less for fuel injection, $194 less for a fuel pump and $249 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Jeep Renegade will be $6113 to $8177 less than for the Fiat 500X.

Car and Driver performed a comparison test in its September 2015 issue and they ranked the Jeep Renegade Latitude higher than the Fiat 500X.

The Jeep Renegade outsold the Fiat 500X by over 31 to one during 2022.