About 10 years ago, Jeep had the opportunity to beat the Ford Maverick. It could have provided a compact truck years before the Maverick hit the scene and stole the show. Unfortunately, the tiny truck was turned into an SUV that was already discontinued.

Jeep almost made a compact truck before the Ford Maverick happened 

Around 2015, the Jeep Renegade hit the scene. The entry-level model could be purchased for $15,000, making it a true bargain. However, Stellantis let it fall through the cracks, and it was discontinued in America. 

But it might have stuck around if Jeep had made the Renegade truck instead of the SUV. Before the Renegade dropped, Stellantis put a lot of thought into a compact Jeep truck. 

There was even a concept model in circulation known as the Jeep Comanche. It even went to the Easter Safari in 2016 to gauge customer interest. It must not have impressed many drivers as it never made it to production. 

However, some of its aspects made it to the Renegade SUV. For example, the truck basically looks like the front half of the Renegade was paired with a truck bed. It was also built on the same frame. 

According to Car and Driver, the concept was a little beefier for off-roading than the Renegade. It had a two-inch lift kit, a winch mounted to the front bumper, and a low-range rear locking differential. 

Plus, this truck was equipped with a turbo-diesel 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. The American Renegade never got to experience the joy of diesel. I don’t know why Stellantis turned the concept truck into a production SUV, but I wish it would tell me what they were thinking.