Sharing a platform with the Jeep Compass and Dodge Caliber, the Patriot is supposed to be the most rugged of the three. It seats five people. To give its macho looks some teeth, the Patriot is available with two four-wheel-drive systems. The more capable of the two gets Jeep’s Trail-Rated designation, meaning it can meet certain off-road standards for traction, water fording, ground clearance and more. Patriot competitors include the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V and Subaru Forester.
The Jeep Patriot’s continuously variable automatic transmission has been refined for 2012, offering smoother deceleration, better initial acceleration, reduced engine noise and a more responsive gas pedal, Jeep says.
The Patriot has a seven-slot grille, round headlights and trapezoidal wheel-well openings. Last year, the crossover got a new front bumper that repositioned the standard fog lights. Other exterior features include:
- Standard side roof rails
- Standard 16-inch steel wheels; 17-inch aluminum rims optional
- Optional power heated side mirrors
- Optional sunroof
Two rows of seats provide room for five. All Patriot models have a rechargeable flashlight. Other interior features include:
- Standard cloth upholstery; leather optional
- Standard 60/40-split folding backseat
- Standard outside temperature gauge
- Standard CD stereo with MP3 jack
- Standard illuminated cupholders
- Optional flat-folding front-passenger seat
- Optional heated front seats
- Optional air conditioning
- Optional power windows, locks and side mirrors
- Optional touch-screen stereo with 28-gigabyte hard drive
- Optional Boston Acoustics audio with speakers that swing down from the liftgate
- Optional Garmin-based navigation system
Two four-cylinder engines are available for the Patriot. Both come standard with a five-speed manual transmission. A CVT is optional.
Buyers have three drivelines to choose from: front-wheel drive; Freedom Drive I four-wheel drive with lock mode; and Freedom Drive II Off-Road Package, a Trail-Rated four-wheel-drive system. Freedom Drive II has a CVT that incorporates a low range for off-road driving. The package also includes 17-inch all-terrain tires, a full-size spare tire and tow hooks. Mechanical features include:
- Base 158-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder
- Available 172-hp, 2.4-liter four-cylinder
- Both engines use regular gas
Safety features include:
- Standard side curtain airbags
- Standard electronic stability system with electronic roll mitigation
- Standard antilock brakes
- Standard traction control
- Optional side-impact airbags for the front seats
