2011 Jeep Patriot: First Look

After a significant refresh to the Jeep Patriot and Jeep Compass in 2009, which saw each model get a new dash, center console and door trim along with revised ride and handling, the 2011 Patriot is receiving another series of nips and tucks. And unlike today’s earlier announcements of more significantly updated models from Chrysler — the 200 sedan and Town & Country minivan — the company has provided more details on what the 2011 Patriot will offer.

The 2011 Patriot comes with front- or four-wheel drive in Sport, Latitude and Latitude X trim levels; last year’s Limited apparently has been dropped for Latitude X.

Starting with the exterior, the Patriot gets a redesigned grille, integrated fog lamps and new front and rear bumpers that extend lower than the current model. Four new colors are also available, along with new 17-inch wheel designs.

The interior gets Jeep’s new steering wheel — now found on the 2011 Liberty, Wrangler and Grand Cherokee — that provides better access to radio controls, cruise control and Bluetooth compared with the old wheel. To make the interior a bit more livable, new soft-touch front trim panels, padded upper dash and a new center armrest have been added. A new premium cloth fabric is used on the front seats, and there’s even new backlighting on the buttons like those for the power windows.

In terms of features, cruise control is now standard on all models. Uconnect Voice Command is a new feature available on the Patriot, allowing you to control audio, record memos and even play incoming text messages through the car’s speakers.

Improvements to the model aren’t just superficial. Jeep has further refined the ride and handling by implementing higher spring and damping rates and by beefing up the rear sway bar. Ride height has also increased by 1 inch on the 4X4 models to boost the Patriot’s off-road credentials, which we’ve been impressed with in the past. 

There’s no word if the powertrain will be upgraded, but Jeep does tout the 2011 Patriot’s class-best 4×4 fuel economy. (The 2010 Patriot already had the best fuel economy of any compact 4X4 with 23/29 mpg city/highway.) The 2010 Patriot had a choice of a 2.0-liter or 2.4-liter four-cylinder powertrain mated to a five-speed manual or continuously variable automatic transmission. We’ll keep you posted on updates about the powertrain when Chrysler releases more info.

The 2011 Jeep Patriot goes on sale before the end of this year. Check out the images below; click on any of them to bring up a larger version.