Jeep Patriot

Introduction

 

Jeep Patriot

The Jeep Patriot is unmistakably from the Jeep garage, with its squared-off lines, seven-slot grille, and round headlights. The Patriot and its sibling, the Jeep Compass, are based on a car platform, but still deliver moderate off-road ability.

For 2011, Jeep Patriot has been significantly updated. The 2011 Patriot features fresh styling, upgraded suspension and steering, new interior materials, and a revised model lineup. The updates make the 2011 Jeep Patriot a noteworthy improvement over the 2010 model.

The four-door Patriot has plenty of room inside. There's adult-size headroom and legroom for rear-seat passengers. The 60/40-split rear seat folds flat, and a flat-folding front passenger seat is optional; with all the seats flat, you can slide an eight-foot kayak inside, for example.

Two four-cylinder engines are offered The larger of the two, a 2.4-liter four-cylinder, makes 172 horsepower and 165 pound-feet of torque, is EPA-rated at 23 mpg City, 28 mpg Highway with the manual transmission, and is standard equipment. It delivers good power; put the pedal down while cruising uphill at 75 miles per hour and it will accelerate. The smaller engine is 2.0 liters, makes 158 horsepower and 141 pound-feet of torque and is EPA-rated at 23/29 mpg with the manual transmission. The optional Continuously Variable Transaxle works well and we found the Auto Stick   manual-shift feature useful.

We found the Patriot light and nimble on twisty roads and when maneuvering around town. Turn-in is sharp. The body is well isolated from the wheels: You can hear the tires hitting the expansion strips on the freeway, but you can't feel it. The independent suspension works well. During a long day of driving on patchy two-lanes, hard-packed dirt roads, sandy off-road trails, shallow rivers and deep gullies, it delivered steadiness and comfort in every abusive situation.

The Patriot is available with front-wheel drive   or a choice of two all-wheel-drive systems, one that Jeep qualifies as Trail Rated. Those who like to go off the pavement (or tow more than 1000 pounds) should choose the Trail-Rated Freedom II AWD system. This uses gearing about 20-percent lower than the other models for steeper climbs and descents, but if you mistake it for a 4WD with a low-range transfer case like a Wrangler or Grand Cherokee you'll soon find yourself well and truly stuck.

Model Lineup

The 2011 Jeep Patriot comes with front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive   and a choice of engines with manual and automatic transmissions.

Patriot   Sport ($15,595) comes with cloth upholstery, carpeting, fog lamps,   tinted glass, reclining front seats, 60/40-split folding rear seat,   cruise control, smart-key engine immobilizer, and an AM/FM/CD/MP3/WMA   four-speaker stereo. All-wheel drive versions also have the 2.4-liter   engine and rear disc brakes. Options include front side airbags ($250),   17-inch aluminum wheels ($640), air conditioning ($895), media center   radio ($350), and the Power Value package ($1,405) with remote keyless   entry, power windows/door locks/heated mirrors. An all-weather group   ($795) adds tow hooks, block heater, floor mats, daytime running lights,   aluminum wheels and P215/65R17 tires.

Patriot Latitude X   ($22,195) gets the big engine and rear disc brakes, chrome trim, climate   control, leather upholstery, power driver's seat, Sirius radio and a   6CD/DVD audio system. Options include upgrades to radio ($290) with   Garmin navigation ($695), Boston-Acoustics speakers ($650), plus the Sun   & Sound, Security & Convenience, and tow packages.

Optional   on any Patriot are UConnect Phone with Bluetooth and/or Web service and   a smoker's package. The Freedom II Off-Road group ($550) upgrades 4WD   models with a bigger alternator, skid plates, electronic traction   assists, tow hooks, floor mats, P215/65R17 tires and full-size spare; it   requires the CVT2L automatic transmission ($1050). (All New Car Test   Drive prices are Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Prices, which do not   include destination charge and may change at any time without notice.)

Safety   features on all Patriot models include dual front airbags,   head-protecting curtain side airbags, ABS with electronic brakeforce   distribution, traction control, electronic stability control with   rollover mitigation, and active front head restraints. Torso-protecting   front side impact airbags are an option we recommend.

Walk Around

The Patriot has Jeep's favorite styling cues, namely round headlights   and seven vertical openings for a grille, in a boxy shape with fairly   upright windshield and hatch. Unlike jelly bean-shaped competitors,   Patriot's box shape translates to a more spacious feeling inside because   the roof doesn't curl in on you, and the vertical rear end allows more   cargo inside and better sheds snow and ice in the winter.

For   2011, the front end styling has been cleaned up, a little neater and   tidier than before. On Patriot Latitude X models much trim is done in   bright surfaces but we find the body-color trim of the other models more   appealing, and more befitting a Jeep. Tow hooks and roof-rail crossbars   are optional, and we'd prefer the fog lamps were further apart.

Eschewing   trends to make everything lower and more car-like, the 2011 Patriot   rides a little bit higher than the 2010 version and it has half-an-inch   more ground clearance. You won't find that a benefit until it's the   half-inch that makes a difference but it doesn't hurt in Patriot's quest   to make a cute-ute look more macho.

For 2011, the rear end gets   an update to match the front and it's the biggest improvement. Although   it's acceptable for trucks and genuine four-wheel drives to have lots of   mechanical bits visible underneath it's less desirable in a compact   crossover. To that end the rear bumper on the 2011 Patriot is deeper and   almost totally hides the muffler that looked like a large industrial   afterthought on earlier versions.

The Jeep Patriot is considered a   compact, although it looks larger. With a lot of space between front   and rear wheels and overall length less than 15 feet, the lack of   bodywork beyond the wheels adds dimension and improves backcountry   accessibility. It's only a couple of inches from identical height and   width and the ground clearance matches many heavy-duty pickup trucks.

The   standard wheels are 16-inch steel. Attractive 17-inch aluminum wheels   are standard on Latitude and X models, and optional for the Sport. The   Patriot looks much better with the aluminum wheels, or get your own when   the tires wear out and use the original steel wheels with dedicated   winter tires.

Interior

 

2011 Jeep Patriot

A high seating position gives the Jeep Patriot driver a commanding   view of the trail. The Patriot Sport's front seats have manual   adjustment and come with cloth upholstery; the Latitude has heated cloth   seats which we prefer for four seasons. The Latitude X gets leather   upholstery which previously seemed to overdress the Patriot; it fits   better in the revised 2011 interior but we're still adapting to Jeep and   leather in the same sentence.

Interior materials have been   revamped for 2011. Soft-touch panels line the top of the doors, the   pockets have cleaner edges, the three-spoke steering wheel shared with   the Wrangler has cruise and audio controls on it and the console is   improved.

The cabin layout is functional and roomy. The dark   dashboard and instrument layout is simple, and the gauges are a tidy   white on black with glowing orange needles. The climate and sound system   controls are easy to understand and operate. Jeep says the available   UConnect Tunes system can hold up to 6700 songs, which can be ripped   from a CD or USB memory stick. We thought the doors sounded kind of   tinny when they were closed.

The space between the seats includes a   nook for change or cell phones, two fixed cupholders, and the parking   brake lever. The center console is split for two levels of storage and   is now padded.

The door pockets are on the small side, but they   can hold six CD cases; much of the space is taken up by the 6x9-inch   speakers. The door handles are easy to use. There's a nice tray over the   good-sized glove compartment that's big enough for books.

The   standard rear seat is a 60/40 split. It folds flat easily. Simply flip   up the seat cushion and flop down the seatback. Reclining rear seats are   optional, as is a flat-folding front passenger seat. With the rear   seats folded flat, there's a spacious 54.2 cubic feet of cargo capacity.   Fold down the passenger seat, and the Patriot has room for something   eight feet long. With all the seats in use there's 23 cubic feet in the   back, comparable with any compact SUV.

The hatch glass does not   open separately but the hatch itself isn't that heavy. A removable   carpeted floor lines the cargo area and hides a real full-size spare   tire underneath on most models. That cargo deck is a relatively high 31   inches off the floor so the maximum cargo height opening is 27.4 inches,   and taller people should watch their head beneath the open hatch.

Driving Impressions

The Jeep Patriot comes with a choice of engines. The larger 2.4-liter   engine works best. It has good power, with 172 horsepower and 165   pound-feet of torque, and is responsive where it needs to be. You can be   going uphill at 75 miles per hour, and it will still accelerate. Our   only criticism is that it sounds gruff under heavy throttle. Fuel   economy for the 2.4-liter engine is an EPA 23/28 mpg City/Highway with   the manual transmission.

The 2.0-liter engine offers nearly as   much power and slightly better fuel economy. The 2.0-liter engine makes   158 horsepower and 141 pound-feet of torque and is EPA-rated at 23/29   mpg with the manual transmission.  The smaller engine needs to be revved   quite a bit to make power, however. So for the minimal price difference   and the extra torque, we recommend the larger 2.4-liter engine.

The   5-speed manual gearbox is a joy to use, even with its long throws. The   lever comes out of the center stack above the driver's right knee, an   improvement over being on the floor near the right thigh. The 5-speed   makes the Patriot feel like a Jeep. Properly used, it brings out the   potential of the engine.

The suspension works well in all   conditions. We gave it a good test over a 20-mile stretch of dirt road:   Hard-packed, potholed, a layer of loose dust, lots of uphill and   downhill curves. The Patriot was stable and confident. We drove fast,   and used the brakes hard; the ABS frequently activated on the slippery   dust with the all-season (not all-terrain) tires. We aimed for some of   the potholes, including a 50-foot-long row of little ones. The   independent suspension eagerly ate them up. Along came a washboard   surface, and the Patriot stayed true. We hit an elevated cattle crossing   at 30 miles per hour and tensed for an impact that never came. The   Patriot did a great job in these conditions.

On paved country   roads the Patriot feels light and nimble. The ride is steady over rough   asphalt patches. The body feels well isolated and you can hit a bump   with one wheel without your head being tossed.

We also drove a   Patriot with the trail-rated Freedom Drive II off-road package. It adds   one inch to the ground clearance for a total of 9.5 inches, allowing a   29-degree approach angle, a 34-degree departure angle, a 22-degree   breakover angle, and enabling the Patriot to ford 19 inches of water,   that last part thanks to more body sealing and higher drivetrain vents.   (To put things in perspective a Wrangler Rubicon fords 30 inches and a   Range Rover Sport almost 28.) Unfortunately, Freedom Drive II is not   offered with the manual transmission.

Both AWD systems have a   locking center differential that sends half the power to the rear   wheels. They also have a brake lock differential that can shift the   power from side to side on each axle, important in slippery terrain. The   Freedom II package also gives the CVT a low range with a ratio of 19:1,   good for crawling over obstacles.

We tested the Freedom Drive II   combination on an off-road trail in the Arizona desert, led by a member   of the local Jeep club. We crossed some ridges and ditches that raised   one front or one rear wheel two feet in the air. It felt effortless, as   the Patriot just slowly and securely picked its way over. We made a   sharp U-turn that showed off the tight turning radius. In a sand pit,   the off-road brake traction control dabbed the brakes of the slipping   wheel or wheels, and pulled the Jeep through.

The Freedom II   package includes Hill Descent Control that is automatically engaged when   in Low range on steep downhill grades. It keeps the Jeep under 5 mph   and under control, going down steep hills, even icy ones. You can take   both feet off the pedals and it will do its thing. It's a great setup.

We   hit a sandy gulley and floored it, racing up to 45 mph, engine   screaming at nearly redline with our foot on the floor, and the CVT   stayed in low range because it's usable up to about 45 mph. The main   thing is, driving flat-out in a straight line over the washboard   surface, with the wheels bouncing every which direction, the Patriot   remained controllable, responsive and tracked true. We hit a couple of   washboard curves, trusting in the stability control to keep the Jeep   from bashing into the rocks, and it did. Below 35 mph, the ESP only uses   the brakes to keep the Jeep on the line; above 35 it also cuts the   throttle, if necessary.

Summary

 

2011 Jeep Patriot

The Jeep Patriot offers off-highway capability in a compact SUV with a   capable four-cylinder engine that gets decent fuel economy. The   suspension is stable and comfortable, and cargo capacity is useful   because all the passenger seats can easily fold flat. The interior   updates for 2011 have improved the cabin greatly.