2008 Jeep Patriot Review

Specifications

The Jeep Cherokee, along with Nissan’s Pathfinder and Toyota’s 4Runner, will all go down in history as the vehicles that ushered in the SUV movement. It’s these SUVs that helped give the segment such a strong foothold in the automotive marketplace today. Unlike the too-much-for-the-road International Harvester Travelall and monstrous first generation Chevy Suburban (I guess the classic Jeep Wagoneer fits in here too), vehicles like the Cherokee were pioneers of sorts in their ability to scale the size and bulkiness down without getting rid of vital off-roading gear like the rigid body on frame construction and the low-range transfer case. And yet, they were still capable of taking their drivers and passengers well off the beaten path.

So, when 2001 came, and the Jeep Cherokee rolled off the assembly line for the last time, I’m not ashamed to say that I had a little tear in my eye. I was convinced that Jeep was making an error by abandoning the classic model, which had carved such a niche for itself. Its replacement, the Liberty, while cool, just didn’t quite have the muscle or no-nonsense air about it, and don’t even get me started on the treatment given to the front end of that vehicle. Yes, it had Jeep’s trademark seven-slot grille and rounded headlamps that hearken all the way back to the Willys that started it all during WWII, but the unpainted plastic fenders (Trail Rated versions, however, received body colored items) flanking the fascia and softly sloping hood softened the image as a whole, while the tall roofline and proportionally narrow width gave the impression that it wasn’t all that stable, even while stopped. Of course, the off-road dynamics of that truck were still respectable, but I just didn’t sense the same Jeep passion from that vehicle that I did when a Cherokee was present.

You can imagine my relief when the Patriot first made an appearance in New York during the 2006 auto show season. This, I thought to myself, was a proper Jeep. There was no slanted hood, steeply raked windscreen or rounded corners; the Patriot had enough 90 degree angles to make a mathematician blush, wonderfully flared fenders that looked like they belonged on an H3 (whose right to use a 7-slot grille was, coincidentally, authorized just after AMC - American Motors Corporation - purchased the Jeep Corporation from Kaiser - 1970 - and formed the General Products Division of Jeep for producing contract and non-commercial vehicles, which was almost immediately renamed AM General Corporation, the company that created the HMMWV or “Humvee”, later known in the retail world as the Hummer H1 when General Motors bought the rights to the Hummer name and began selling it and expanding the brand to include the H2 and H3) and a wicked set of dark gray five-spoke alloys that looked like they were straight off of a late ’90s Cherokee. I thought to myself “Jeep is back! This is the vehicle, from a stylistic standpoint anyway, that the Liberty should have been!” Now that I’ve had the chance to sample a Patriot first hand, I’m happy to say that its not a bad little vehicle underneath its muscular contours, either.

In the metal, so to speak, the aggressive angles are accentuated. The fender flares, in particular, appear to be even more prominent than I found from looking at pictures of it. Sure, some may say they make for a slightly busy view from the front or rear quarters, or from the side, but I disagree as I think they are instrumental in demonstrating what the little Jeep is all about. I say ‘little’ because, well, the Patriot is. This was my first surprise when I saw one in person as it appears positively squat compared to the tall standing Liberty. At 173.6 inches from nose to tail it’s definitely not long, and at 69.1 inches high it can’t exactly be called ‘tall’ either, especially when one considers that its little Compass brother (or sister) comes in at 173.4 inches and 65.2 inches, respectively. This was the one thing that took some getting used to — having girls approach me with lines like “that’s a cute car, what is it?” Guys, on the other hand, seemed to think it to be on the small side, often giving it confused looks, accompanied by something along the lines of, “What? That’s a Jeep?” But then you realize that this is what Jeep has been gunning for all along, a rugged-looking crossover. Underneath, it’s got a true unibody construction that proves it is a little more on the crossover side, which should appeal to a broader consumer base than your typical Jeep product. It’s got the tough Jeep line, but not the classic Jeep ride quality and macho-man image.

When one considers that the Patriot’s starting price is actually less than the Compass (making it the lowest priced 4×4 in America) it becomes even clearer how the little-big Jeep can hold such mass market appeal. Some styling traits that are ideal for the city also work great out in the wild. Take, for example, the short overhangs; they maximize interior space and make for a roomy cabin without requiring a large body. At the same time, they help to maximize approach and departure angles that are akin to a true Jeep. Between the Compass and the Patriot, I prefer the Patriot not just from a styling perspective, but because it’s more practical and more useful. Though the two cars have the same short rear overhang and departure angle, there’s more cargo space in the Patriot thanks to that 90-degree tailgate. It’s also kinder on rear passengers; the tiny rear doors on the Compass are borderline cruel - they’re much wider on the Patriot making for much easier entry and exit. As for market sectors, while Jeep would have us believe that they designed the Compass with women drivers in mind and the Patriot for men, I found that the latter actually appealed fairly equally to both sides, no matter what my friends said.

Move to the inside and you’ll find a host of hard plastics; at first I was a little put off by this. The dash, the center console and the doors are all made of shiny, hard plastics, which can be off-putting at first, but sensible when one considers Jeep’s intentions concerning the Patriot. While you can’t safely soak every square foot of the interior from the floor mats to the HVAC system like you can in, say, a Nissan Xterra, the Patriot’s plastic surfaces are easy to clean. And while I didn’t even scuff the door panel with my shoe, you know that it’ll wipe up well after repeated outings on trails and to campsites. The base Patriot, dubbed Sport (D Package), comes with Vinyl-Tech covered seats (who still uses vinyl on seats these days?), and has wind-up windows and manual locks. It’s a very rudimentary vehicle, and what’s more it can’t be upgraded with the toys most Jeep buyers like. To get a Patriot with power windows and keyless entry you’ll need to step up to the Sport model with an E Package, which also adds YES Essentials seat fabric, a material that’s chemically treated to ward off stains by anything from spilled soda to permanent marker. The Limited trim package offers leather seating, but to tell the truth I wouldn’t trade the upholstery on my test car for anything; not only does it protect itself, but it breathes well too, preventing the frustrating “skin caught on seat syndrome” often felt during hot days on the road.

Other neat interior features of the E Package include a 115V power outlet to charge your cell, MP3 player on longer journeys where outlets might not be so readily available, as well as heated front seats, an auxiliary input, and a removable cargo bay floor that’s easily washed. To keep things secure, my Patriot featured tinted back windows plus an easily removable tonneau cover for the cargo area. To add to the practicality, the rear seats fold either 60/40 or completely flat, resulting in 54.2 cubic feet of cargo volume, enough for any road-tripping couple. Great stuff that all helps the Patriot perform on a much larger scale than its size suggests.

As for my particular example, I find the Jeep Green color apt, and the optional 17-inch gray wheels to be sporty, but at the same time I wasn’t worried about getting them dirty. Yes, the Patriot is a crossover, but it is also a Jeep and thus should be driven like one if you have the chance. In the city, however, it is quite good. The suspension is not overly stiff, but not so soft that you’re worried about tipping on the sharper bends, either. The car copes well with everyday bumps like train tracks and cracking roads, and I never got the bone jarring rattles common to off-road oriented vehicles. ABS brakes and ESP are standard, so there were actually times where I felt confident enough to travel around bends that would normally leave me wary in other compact SUVs. Suspension duties are handled by MacPherson struts up front and a multilink trailing arm setup at the rear. This is definitely a setup more akin to that of cars than of full-bore SUVs, and translates to some good manners in the city. Braking, meanwhile, is a responsive combination of four wheel vented discs and the aforementioned ABS, which is thankfully of the unobtrusive variety and doesn’t intervene unless the pedal is mashed hard. One of my biggest pet peeves when it comes to these systems is the all-too-common over-anxiousness of ABS, which activates at even the slightest prod of the left pedal on the most conservative of inclines. This wasn’t an issue throughout my week with the Patriot, as I can hardly recall the ABS intervening at all. To further sweeten the deal, when the 4WD lock mode is activated, the ABS is tuned to become even less active, ensuring that the owner has control in trickier off-road situations.

One of the most important components to the Patriot’s off-roading abilities is its CVT2 transmission. On regular Patriots it acts like a CVT transmission, designed to save fuel, but it now also features a manual mode to select between six artificial gear ratios, cutting back on the so-called rubber band effect. This isn’t anything new, and is the same transmission found in the Dodge Caliber. It’s only when you upgrade to the Freedom Drive II Off-Road Package that things get different and the CVT takes on a much bigger role. Instead of mimicking six different ratios in a manual mode, it instead replicates the functionality of a low-range mode on a transfer case, which enables drivers to get out of really sticky situations. This package also includes extra ground clearance, underbody protection and more.

With the gear lever positioned in “D”, and the CVT left to its own devices, I found the Patriot’s 2.4-liter engine felt a little overwhelmed. Coupled with sluggish throttle response, I found myself flooring the throttle just to get the SUV up to speed. The 172 horsepower and 165 lb-ft of torque it makes isn’t exactly what I’d call invigorating, so I’d recommend staying away from the lesser 2.0-liter model which is found in FWD-only Patriots. Things got a little better when I used the CVT’s manual mode, as it seemed to improve the car’s reactions, and, because you’re shifting “gears”, you don’t have to listen to the little four-banger rev to its redline when accelerating hard. Personally, I would still tick the 5-speed manual option if I was thinking of closing the deal on a Patriot of my own. If I’m going to be constantly shifting my own gears, why not have the thrill of occasionally popping the clutch and letting‘er rip?

The rest of the driving experience, however, is memorable. Along with the aforementioned handling characteristics, the steering wheel is chunky and well-weighted, giving just enough boost for easy maneuverability in tight spots, while the Patriot’s short nose and wheelbase is handy whether negotiating a tight hairpin on a gravel road or the parking stall at the local supermarket. Forward visibility is good, and the convex windscreen does its best to limit wind noise, always a challenge when a vehicle has as many square surfaces as the Patriot does. Safety was never a concern, as my typical example had a tire pressure monitoring system, dual front and side curtain airbags, and advanced ESP with roll stabilization.

When all is said and done, I must say that I was pleasantly surprised by the Patriot, especially its handling dynamics and everyday usability. Better power delivery would be a definite plus, but at least the current state of the engine makes for some low fuel consumption ratings of 21 and 25 mpg in the city and on the highway respectively. The styling is a definite hit, as are the confidence inspiring brakes and responsive steering dynamics. I find it entirely reasonable to give the Patriot ‘baby Cherokee’ status, as it succeeds at walking the line between the dynamics of a car-based (re: unibody) crossover, and the off-road abilities (not too mention muscular styling) of a full-blood SUV, which Jeep has prided itself in creating ever since Willy had his way overland on the world stage in the 40s.