The 50th annual Moab Easter Jeep Safari is coming up with a quickness, and Jeep has put together a number of functional concepts->ke169 to bring to the party. Some are more interesting and more in-depth than others, but each and every one is special in its own way. Today I’m taking a look at the Jeep Renegade Commander Concept, and while it isn’t as crazy as the Jeep Trailcat Concept or as iconic as the Jeep Crew Chief 715, it does offer its own unique features that are well worth talking about.

Jeep->ke4468 and Mopar have been teaming up to build functional concepts for the Easter Jeep Safari since 2002, using a range of Mopar Performance Parts, and some custom parts to get the job done. Unlike some of the concepts, this Renegade Commander Concept could be replicated pretty easily if it was really something you wanted to take the time to do – a lot easier than the Trailcat Concept anyway.

As you would expect, this concept features a number of different add-ons to make it more worthy of off-roading, but Jeep and Mopar didn’t go overboard on this one. Of course, the Renegade wasn’t that bad for off-roading to begin with, but the features we’re about to discuss makes it that much better. Surely this model will be a blast on the trails in Moab, Utah this year.

Continue reading to learn more about the Jeep Renegade Commander Concept.

2016 Jeep Renegade Commander Concept

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2016 Jeep Renegade Commander Concept
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Pros
Cons

Exterior

As I mentioned before, there is nothing too extreme on the exterior. The hood has an interesting decal applied to it, and it wouldn’t be off-road ready if it didn’t have those Mopar off-road rock rails that cover the lower portion of the doors and provide more protection for the wheel arches. A two-inch lift kit has been added to the suspension to help make room for those 17-inch Rubicon aluminum wheels that are wrapped in 30-inch BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 tires.

To the rear, this concept features Mopar’s trailer hitch receiver. Auxiliary lights have been added to the front and rear. Skid plates have been added to help protect the undercarriage should the driver get too frisky, and the concept features MySky open-air roof with removable panels. The way I see it, this concept has the perfect mix of impressive manufacturer styling and Mopar upgrades that makes it more than worthy of a week on the trails.

Interior

To our disappointment, Jeep neglected to release any images of the interior of the Renegade Commander Concept. It did at least tell us a little about what is going on inside, so we’ll have to make do with that for now. From what we’ve been told, the stock Renegade seats have been fitted with Katzkin seat covers, and Jeep took the time to paint the bezels through the cabin in the same Flourescent Gray finish as the exterior. Other additions include a Mopar off-road kit, Mopar pedal kit, and all weather floor mats.

With any luck, we’ll get some shots of the interior in the coming weeks. Surely, we’re just as excited as you are to actually see what is going on inside the cabin.

Drivetrain

The real heart that makes this baby ready for the trails in Moab, aside from the lift kit and those 30-inch wheels, comes from the drivetrain department. The concept is powered by Jeep’s 2.4-liter Tigershark engine with the MultiAir2 valvetrain. The engine is mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission which sends power to the wheels via an Active Drive Low 4x4 system. This system features everything as the Active Drive I 4WD system, including automatic rear axle disconnect and Selec-Terrain traction management.

The rear axle automatically decouples to improve fuel economy when 4WD isn’t needed and reconnects when it’s time to get to business. Selec-Terrain offers four different modes – Auto, Snow, Sport, and Sand/Mud – that caters to the need of any off-road situation. With Active Drive Low, the 4WD system is capable of functioning in low range to provide better low-speed traction and prevent bogging in sticky situations. It features a 20:1 crawl ratio that gives better throttle response at lower speeds. Not a bad setup for a mini Jeep, huh?

Conclusion

Jeep did a pretty good job putting together this concept, as well as the other concepts for the Easter Jeep Safari. I’m actually impressed that it didn’t go too far overboard on any of them. It’s one thing to make an off-road vehicle, and another to make a redneck mobile. Not hating on you guys with your eight-inch lift kits, but just not my thing. Something like this concept, however, is right up my alley. Just enough lift to be functional and provide room for some worthy tires. Not sure I like the whole automatic4WD idea, as I’ve always been a fan of having more control, but it works well for what it is.

The coolest part about this concept is that just about everything that makes it special can be purchased from Mopar. So, if you really want one, you might as well hit up your local dealer and see how well they can hook you up. Surely, the few things that aren’t Mopar branded can easily be found or fabricated.