Ok, maybe the base model looks and feels too plain for some (air conditioning is optional). This Patriot reminds me of the Jeep 475 manufactured by Willys after World War 2 — a family-oriented yet bare-boned truck. The North and Limited trim levels both prove a lot more generous with regard to standard features.
Equipped with Jeep’s Freedom-Drive I system, the Patriot becomes an ideal weather-busting companion. Add the available Freedom-Drive II ($2,800) and it turns into a feisty little off-roader. This package was indeed designed for drivers who will occasionally take their Patriot far from paved roads. I got the opportunity to test the upgraded system along with a continuously-variable transmission ($1,400) that replaced the standard 5-speed manual gearbox.
More capable than you think
All 4WD models receive the 2.4-litre, 4-cylinder engine that you can also find under the hood of the Dodge Journey. More powerful (172 vs. 158 hp) and torquier than the base 2.0-litre engine, it delivers zippy accelerations befitting of the family-oriented Patriot. My CVT-equipped tester reached 100 km/h from a standstill in 8.5 seconds, whereas a 2006 Subaru Forester XS with automatic transmission (which I tested simultaneously) took 9.8 seconds.
Who said that the CVT puts a damper on performance? These people surely pay too much attention to the noise generated by the high-revving powerplant under hard acceleration. They somehow fail to realize that the Patriot sprints with relative authority!
Practical Patriot
While the dashboard has been given a new life for 2010, plastics are still plastics. Sure enough, though, the interior feels roomy, even for a quartet of normal-sized adults on a long trip. It certainly wasn’t the case of the 2006 Forester, which offered very little foot room and legroom in the back.
Equipped with Jeep’s Freedom-Drive I system, the Patriot becomes an ideal weather-busting companion. Add the available Freedom-Drive II ($2,800) and it turns into a feisty little off-roader. This package was indeed designed for drivers who will occasionally take their Patriot far from paved roads. I got the opportunity to test the upgraded system along with a continuously-variable transmission ($1,400) that replaced the standard 5-speed manual gearbox.
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| All 4WD models receive the 2.4-litre, 4-cylinder engine that you can also find under the hood of the Dodge Journey. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |
More capable than you think
All 4WD models receive the 2.4-litre, 4-cylinder engine that you can also find under the hood of the Dodge Journey. More powerful (172 vs. 158 hp) and torquier than the base 2.0-litre engine, it delivers zippy accelerations befitting of the family-oriented Patriot. My CVT-equipped tester reached 100 km/h from a standstill in 8.5 seconds, whereas a 2006 Subaru Forester XS with automatic transmission (which I tested simultaneously) took 9.8 seconds.
Who said that the CVT puts a damper on performance? These people surely pay too much attention to the noise generated by the high-revving powerplant under hard acceleration. They somehow fail to realize that the Patriot sprints with relative authority!
Practical Patriot
While the dashboard has been given a new life for 2010, plastics are still plastics. Sure enough, though, the interior feels roomy, even for a quartet of normal-sized adults on a long trip. It certainly wasn’t the case of the 2006 Forester, which offered very little foot room and legroom in the back.
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| While the dashboard has been given a new life for 2010, plastics are still plastics. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |