Throwback Thursday: The Quirky Jeep YJ Renegade That You Probably Forgot About

If you are one of those that still can’t accept the YJ because of the square headlights, then you are really going to hate the YJ Renegade.

Ford has the Mustang II. Porsche has the 996-generation 911. And Jeep has the YJ Wrangler. Even the most successful models in the history of the automobile have a generation that is generally frowned upon by enthusiasts. For Jeep enthusiasts that is the poor YJ Wrangler and its square headlights. If you are one those that just can’t accept the YJ even to this day. Then have I got a YJ model for you. The Jeep YJ Renegade. If you think square headlights are bad, Jeep went to great lengths to make this the squarest Jeep ever. I had forgotten this thing even existed until I stumbled upon one at a local car show recently. And I must admit. I actually kind of like the thing.

This week’s “Throwback Thursday” is all about the Jeep YJ Renegade. The Renegade package was offered from 1990 to 1994. The official name of the package was the ‘Renegade Decor Group’ and it was a $4,300 option back in the day. That is nearly $10K in todays dollars so it was not a cheap option by any means. But it certainly made your YJ more distinctive. The most obvious change was the large fender flares. The front and rear bumpers were also painted. You also got side steps, different wheels, and decals. And Jeep doubled down on the square light theme by putting two square fog lights in the front fenders.

YJ Renegade

The YJ Renegade was not actually built by Jeep. At least the Renegade part wasn’t. Jeep would ship a finished YJ to a company called AutoStyle. It was AutoStyle that installed all of the bodywork that made the YJ Renegade so distinctive. It gave the Jeep a sort of sport truck look. But performance was the same as a regular YJ. It was powered by the legendary 4.0L straight six. All Renegade models were loaded with all available Wrangler options. The only additional option that a buyer could choose would be the hard top.

RAD

Vehicles from this era are seeing a resurgence in popularity due in part to the RADwood shows that include everything made in the ‘80s and ‘90s. A standard YJ Wrangler would certainly qualify. However, the Renegade package just makes it that much more ‘90s. This Jeep packs a ton of personality into a small package. You almost have to love it for its quirky looks.

Future Collectible

One thing that all Jeep Wranglers have going for them is value. They hold their value extremely well. The YJ models were unloved for a while, but people are beginning to appreciate them for what they were, and prices are starting to reflect that. The YJ Renegade is rare, bold, and was expensive when new. It has the recipe for being a sought-after collectible someday. It will never be worth as much as say a Ferrari 250 GTO. However, if you buy one today and keep it in good shape chances are you will never lose a dime on it. If anything, it may be worth more when the time comes to sell. In the meantime, you will be driving around in one of the most distinctive Jeeps ever made.

Images: Joe Kucinski; Bring a Trailer

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