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2012
Jeep Patriot

Starts at:
$15,995
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New 2012 Jeep Patriot
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Available trims

See the differences side-by-side to compare trims.
  • FWD 4dr Sport
    Starts at
    $15,995
    23 City / 27 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    Gas I4
    Engine
    Front Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs
  • 4WD 4dr Sport
    Starts at
    $17,745
    20 City / 23 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    Gas I4
    Engine
    Four Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs
  • FWD 4dr Latitude
    Starts at
    $19,745
    23 City / 27 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    Gas I4
    Engine
    Front Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs
  • 4WD 4dr Latitude
    Starts at
    $22,780
    20 City / 23 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    Gas I4
    Engine
    Four Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs
  • FWD 4dr Limited
    Starts at
    $23,560
    21 City / 27 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    Gas I4
    Engine
    Front Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs
  • 4WD 4dr Limited
    Starts at
    $25,330
    20 City / 23 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    Gas I4
    Engine
    Four Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs

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Notable features

Choice of two four-cylinder engines
Front- or four-wheel drive
Trail-Rated off-road model available
Manual or automatic transmission
Optional flip-down liftgate speakers

The good & the bad

The good

Inexpensive base model
Off- or on-road performance option

The bad

Anemic power

Expert 2012 Jeep Patriot review

our expert's take
Our expert's take
By Cars.com editors
Full article
our expert's take

Vehicle Overview

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.

New for 2012
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.

Exterior
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

Interior
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

Under the Hood
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
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

2012 Jeep Patriot review: Our expert's take

Vehicle Overview

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.

New for 2012
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.

Exterior
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

Interior
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

Under the Hood
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
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

Available cars near you

Factory warranties

New car program benefits

Basic
3 years / 36,000 miles
Corrosion
5 years / 100,000 miles
Powertrain
5 years / 100,000 miles
Roadside Assistance
3 years / 36,000 miles

Certified Pre-Owned program benefits

Age / mileage
6-10 MY and / or 75,001-120,000 miles
Basic
3 Month 3,000 mile Max Care Warranty
Dealer certification
125- Point Inspection

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Consumer reviews

3.8 / 5
Based on 66 reviews
Write a review
Comfort 3.8
Interior 3.8
Performance 3.4
Value 3.9
Exterior 4.1
Reliability 4.0

Most recent

  • I've had my Patriot for about 3 yrs now.

    I've had my Patriot for about 3 yrs now. I purchased with 82K on it and am up to 98K. The CVT took a bit to get used to as far as being not very quick when accelerating. I'm used to it now and it keeps me from having a lead foot...lol. Otherwise I've had no major problems and it serves it's purpose and is good in the snow.
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 4.0
    Interior 4.0
    Performance 3.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 4.0
    0 people out of 0 found this review helpful. Did you?
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  • Great for what it is

    Got a 2012 Latitude 4WD with 90k for a steal. A handful of optional packages including sun and sound. I personally love the interior. It gets a bad rep but it's comfy, spacious enough, simplistic, and easy to clean. A handful of minor reliability issues but that's more the previous owners fault than the car. Really the biggest issue comes in the performance. It drives how it looks, like a brick. This is a little harsh as I'd recommend it for city driving, light offroading, and snow driving but it just lacks any spark when it comes to passing and highway driving. Is it an amazing car, no. Is it a good car that gives you everything you'd expect for its value and a little more, yeah.
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 2.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 4.0
    Reliability 4.0
    46 people out of 49 found this review helpful. Did you?
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  • Very versatile vehicle with a smooth ride

    My second used jeep !! Easy to handle, solid, plenty of passenger and cargo room, just the right size in traffic, little to no maintenance and quite attractive. Large, square windows for easy all around viewing.
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Having fun
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 5.0
    21 people out of 21 found this review helpful. Did you?
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  • I love my Jeep

    I have never owned a Jeep before so I didn't know what to expect but I love it. I love the look and feel. I love how it drives and I am interested to know how it will handle in the snow this winter. I got the 4x4... Ohio weather...UGH!!
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 4.0
    Interior 4.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 4.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 5.0
    15 people out of 15 found this review helpful. Did you?
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  • I got screwed

    I got my car at Lithia Dodge in Santa Rosa CA. I was told I couldn't test drive it because the brakes hadn't been done yet, but was assured it had been checked bumper to bumper and had absolutely no problems. We paid cash and picked it up the following evening. Well when opening the door, turning on the a/c*heater, even when it's just sitting there turned off there is a ticking/knocking behind the glove box. Also when accelerating the entire car studders, shakes & hesitates like it's going to fall apart. It's too dangerous to drive so I'm carless and pissed. The dealership has ingnord every call & email. Unreal! I'm sure the car would be great if it actually ran properly. I'd buy another but NEVER from Lithia tn Santa Rosa.
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Transporting family
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 4.0
    Interior 4.0
    Performance 3.0
    Value 2.0
    Exterior 4.0
    Reliability 2.0
    3 people out of 9 found this review helpful. Did you?
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  • Most reliable vehicle I've owned.

    Basic utility and adequate transportation with useful cargo area, comfortably seats four people, I bought it for the value, Great price, the white paint reflects the sun in the Texas heat, cargo rack on roof helps secure capsule for family vacation trips.
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 4.0
    Interior 3.0
    Performance 3.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 4.0
    Reliability 5.0
    4 people out of 4 found this review helpful. Did you?
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  • Cheap and unreliable

    I bought a 2012 Patriot Latitude, not trail rated, 4x4 in order to get out from under another vehicle I had bought with a high payment. At first it didn't seem to terrible, but that didn't last long. From the test drive I could tell that this thing had no power what so ever. By far this has got to be the weakest vehicle I have ever driven, and owned. It has 4x4 but to be honest, I would not trust taking this thing off the road. It does fine to get the vehicle out of the snow, for the most part anyway. Interior leaves a lot to be desired. For a 2012, it feels very dated and lack luster. It has SXM radio but no bluetooth option, at least not in my model. Heated seats, sure, but it's very cramped and the storage space feels up rather quickly. Even my kids don't like to ride in it because they complain that the space in the rear seating is cramped. To top off all of that, the CVT on this thing is a complete piece of xxxx! I can't even drive somewhere that's an hour away without the trans overheating and shutting down, leaving myself, and sometimes my wife and children stranded on the side of a highway. So vacations or longer trips (over an hour) are a no-go. I ended up making a household rule that whoever drives the Patriot that day has to stay local. Meaning only take it on super short trips. Overall I would not recommend this vehicle to anyone ever. It's super weak, lackluster, cramped, cheap, and dated. Spend a few thousand more somewhere else, on something else.
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does not recommend this car
    Comfort 2.0
    Interior 1.0
    Performance 1.0
    Value 2.0
    Exterior 3.0
    Reliability 1.0
    5 people out of 6 found this review helpful. Did you?
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  • good vehicle dependable

    i have FWD. gas mileage 24/city 28/hwy, but loses alot of mileage when hauling heavy items. cargo door is rounded so you cant get 4 ft wide items in, but pretty much everything else fits. seat material is cheap appearing, but has lasted well and is still intact. the cargo floor carpet is super thin, i added thick matts. this vehicle adjusts well to mountain driving and the power kicks in well. it can practically stand on its front bumper on a very steep hill, and turn 90 degrees at the same time, remaining stable. 7 year old vehicle- ive had for 4 1/2 yrs- only problems a squeaky belt, and a tpms came off, and the car stopped when a crank shaft sensor broke- after oil change at store, and driving thru high water. dunno which one caused it. you must keep up with maintenance, including tire rotations and re-alignments, dont drive on worn tires or this vehicle will pull side to side. it is boxy, and does catch the wind. just dont drive on ice at all unless you add weight in the cargo area. its just like a pickup, no traction in back. i havent had any transmission problems and none listed on carmax. the shocks are fine, no problems there. ive got 116,000 miles. plan on keeping it for a long time.
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 3.0
    Interior 3.0
    Performance 4.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 4.0
    Reliability 5.0
    1 person out of 1 found this review helpful. Did you?
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  • Great first car!

    had this as my first car and it was great! has an suv feel but is actually pretty small, very easy to park, and has a lot of room inside!
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 4.0
    Performance 4.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 4.0
    1 person out of 1 found this review helpful. Did you?
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  • Early transmission failure. Buyer beware!

    I would not recommend the Jeep Patriot to anyone. I purchased the 2012 Patriot brand new and regularly got it serviced at my local Jeep dealership, making sure it received all the TLC it needed, never going the cheap route. Even after taking good care of the Patriot, my transmission failed at 82,000 miles...soon after I paid it off completely. 82,000 miles is way too early for a transmission to fail on any vehicle. I began doing research online and found out that it is very common to have early transmission failure in Jeeps that have the CVT transmission such as my Patriot does. I was just quoted at $6,000 for a refurbished transmission with labor by my Jeep dealership. I feel like Jeep should take care of these early transmission failure costs, especially if they occur before 100,000 miles but that’s wishful thinking. I will never purchase a Jeep again and will alway tell my friends and family to steer clear!
    • Purchased a New car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does not recommend this car
    Comfort 3.0
    Interior 3.0
    Performance 1.0
    Value 1.0
    Exterior 4.0
    Reliability 1.0
    6 people out of 6 found this review helpful. Did you?
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  • Car has low miles and still a terrific vehicle.

    This car is a great commuter vehicle and good on gas. It has room for 4 people comfortably or 5 if needed. The rear of the vehicle has plenty of open space for storage travel. The jeep is still clean, in good condition and has a like new set of tires on it.
    • Purchased a New car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 4.0
    Interior 4.0
    Performance 4.0
    Value 4.0
    Exterior 4.0
    Reliability 4.0
    2 people out of 2 found this review helpful. Did you?
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  • Car is good in snow

    I like this car but has become very noisy since I have owned it. 80000 miles at this time. Can’t find what’s wrong. Would keep forever if quieter.
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Transporting family
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 4.0
    Interior 4.0
    Performance 4.0
    Value 4.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 3.0
    1 person out of 1 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No

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FAQ

What trim levels are available for the 2012 Jeep Patriot?

The 2012 Jeep Patriot is available in 3 trim levels:

  • Latitude (2 styles)
  • Limited (2 styles)
  • Sport (2 styles)

What is the MPG of the 2012 Jeep Patriot?

The 2012 Jeep Patriot offers up to 23 MPG in city driving and 27 MPG on the highway. These figures are based on EPA mileage ratings and are for comparison purposes only. The actual mileage will vary depending on vehicle options, trim level, driving conditions, driving habits, vehicle maintenance, and other factors.

What are some similar vehicles and competitors of the 2012 Jeep Patriot?

The 2012 Jeep Patriot compares to and/or competes against the following vehicles:

Is the 2012 Jeep Patriot reliable?

The 2012 Jeep Patriot has an average reliability rating of 4.0 out of 5 according to cars.com consumers. Find real-world reliability insights within consumer reviews from 2012 Jeep Patriot owners.

Is the 2012 Jeep Patriot a good SUV?

Below are the cars.com consumers ratings for the 2012 Jeep Patriot. 74.2% of drivers recommend this vehicle.

3.8 / 5
Based on 66 reviews
  • Comfort: 3.8
  • Interior: 3.8
  • Performance: 3.4
  • Value: 3.9
  • Exterior: 4.1
  • Reliability: 4.0

Jeep Patriot history

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