Jeep Patriot??? What do you think of em??? (Tell me what you know..)

[Blaine B.]

Those mudflaps 4 gey.

 

[casm]

Well......maybe this picture.....notice the nerdy license plate......man on car porn......

My plate outgeeks that to a large extent, but with 100% less ass on Miata. Anyway:

I've said what I have to say about the Patriot both here and elsewhere, but really do feel that the bashing it's receiving is largely undeserved. No, it's not an XJ by any means - but it's a very capable vehicle for what it is (emphasis deliberate), the most capable off-road in its class, and more likely to save Jeep than all the WKs, XKs, and KJ/KKs combined. If anything, we should be looking at this vehicle and the JK as the two most likely to keep the brand from dying, as disparate as that may seem.

 

[Newbie94XJ]

wrangler doesnt look good with cornered edges... just my opinion... they all look like frickin mercedes merchandise anyway... from 2005 and up...

You like the XJ's looks but complain that the Wrangler's roof edges are too "cornered"?

 

[Newbie94XJ]

ok that commercial is friggin retarded XD and yeah the patriots 4 cylinder is a bit of a let down.. well actually it puts the truck to shame... ever since chrysler merged with mercedes all jeep products have been pretty much luxury off road... they dont look rugged anymore their engines r being downsized.... i think Mercedes is doing to chrysler what chrysler did to AMC...i mean shit the only company to actually get more and better cars to the line-up is dodge and even then they arent badass anymore... i think Mercedes may have had their eyes set on dodge for a while... eh we'll see right?? i think a V6 should be put in the patriot... then maybe it might be more patriotic eh???

I saw the first commercial for the Patriot during Smallville last night:
http://video.google.com/url?docid=3641687079481541450&esrc=sr4&ev=v&q=jeep+patriot&vidurl=http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DMonfGrOgg0o&usg=AL29H2286jZhc6GLUQpWAKAZohQ-LhuByw
One of the worst commercials i've ever seen. The Dodge Nitro commercial is still the worst.

 

[Newbie94XJ]

doesnt prove a thing... besides to be honest i have seen more hot female drivers in 4 door XJ's than i have seen remotely good-lookin guys in 2 doors.. so .... ummm load of crap

It is indisputably and irrefutably true. Proof? You want proof? Just look at me.

Nomi-farking-nated.

-----Matt-----

 

[General lee]

1T'5 T3H M4J0R H4RDC0R3!?!!1!!!!!one!!11

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2stIOe9QJg&mode=related&search=

 

[Darky]

That four banger still puts out almost as much hp as our beloved 4.0, and gets great mileage. You don't always need to be the fast guy. Look at the H3... slower than molasses, but with the right gearing, awesome off-road. For a stocker.

 

[casm]

I thought that a 'compare and contrast' exercise on the stock XJ specs vs. the Patriot's might be interesting. As it turned out, it did bring up a couple of surprises:

			Cherokee		Patriot

Wheelbase		101.4"			103.7"
Overall length		165.3"-168.8"		173.6"
Overall width		67.9"-70.5"		69.1"
Track			58"			59.8"
Height			64"			N/A
Height (with roof rack)	66.8"			64.4"
Ground clearance	7.3"-8.3"		[B]8.0"-9.0"[/B]
(at differentials) 
Approach angle		37.6°-38°		28.1°
Departure angle		31°-32.1°		[B]32.2°[/B]
Breakover angle		21°-21.9°		21.3°
Curb weight 2wd		2,891lbs.-2,993lbs.	3108lbs.
Curb weight 4wd		3,057lbs.-3,386lbs.	3251lbs.-3516lbs.
Cargo capacity		71.0 cu ft.		23.0cu. ft. / 54.2cu. ft.


			Cherokee (I6)		Patriot (I4)
Engine BHP:		177bhp-195bhp		172bhp
Engine torque:		220lb/ft-225lb/ft	165lb/ft

Looking at this, the overall specs are very similar. Granted, we're talking about two very different vehicles mechanically, but it's interesting to note that the Patriot exceeds a couple of key stock XJ specs, and comes either very close to or right in the middle of other ones.

 

[Kittrell]

Now if they'd just put the flippin' 3.7 in it. My moneys on the KK.

 

[casm]

Now if they'd just put the flippin' 3.7 in it. My moneys on the KK.

Or the diesel for the US market... Only 138bhp, but with 229lb./ft. of torque. Appears to only be available in the manual versions, so probably not suitable for use in the 4WD drivetrains.

 

[88-xj-laredo]

ok that commercial is friggin retarded XD and yeah the patriots 4 cylinder is a bit of a let down.. well actually it puts the truck to shame... ever since chrysler merged with mercedes all jeep products have been pretty much luxury off road... they dont look rugged anymore their engines r being downsized.... i think Mercedes is doing to chrysler what chrysler did to AMC...i mean shit the only company to actually get more and better cars to the line-up is dodge and even then they arent badass anymore... i think Mercedes may have had their eyes set on dodge for a while... eh we'll see right?? i think a V6 should be put in the patriot... then maybe it might be more patriotic eh???

I don't think daimler is that bad for Jeep, they have diesels, good diesels, I'd just say hold off for another couple years, keep the XJ and wait until the new Liberty comes out with the new diesel or the Grand Cherokee with the diesel, or they'll probablly put one in the Patriot.
If your wondering about the Patriot I'd look around on Jeepforum.com, there is more of the spec, DD, future product stuff on there.
Still thugh I say wait it out until they bring back the diesel liberty next year or they decide to make a diesel patriot, the FWD dissapoints me though.

 

[88-xj-laredo]

Totally forgot, if you want a RWD vehicle that gets good mileage, is fairly dependable and is liftable and actually has a following get a diesel liberty, my brother and sister in law have been looking at them and now that the new low sulfur diesel has come out they work very well, most companies make a 2.5" lift for them, enough for 31"s, ARB makes a bull bar. It has potential, I think this is probably exactly what you were looking for, they are everywhere around here, people bought them and didn't know what to expect from the diesels and traded them in is what I've seen, they seem to run between $15k and $20k for the limiteds.
Completely forgot about that. Hope it helps.
Oh if you are interested check out the lostkj forum.

 

[TrueBlueXJ]

At first I thought it would be a decent replacement of the XJ, but it's starting to look like the 2008 Liberty might better fit that bill. The Liberty always has been the "new Cherokee", and is even fitted with a Cherokee badge in the European market, where "Liberty" isn't as important a word in their culture. If you haven't seen it look it up. It's definitely a huge step forward from the model out now, and a much more worthy replacement, but let's face it: there will never be another Cherokee.

 

[Blaine B.]

Hahah, we'll see a ton of threads "Look at Europe's Cherokee!" when it releases.

 

[bjoehandley]

I thought that a 'compare and contrast' exercise on the stock XJ specs vs. the Patriot's might be interesting. As it turned out, it did bring up a couple of surprises:

			Cherokee		Patriot

Wheelbase		101.4"			103.7"
Overall length		165.3"-168.8"		173.6"
Overall width		67.9"-70.5"		69.1"
Track			58"			59.8"
Height			64"			N/A
Height (with roof rack)	66.8"			64.4"
Ground clearance	7.3"-8.3"		[B]8.0"-9.0"[/B]
(at differentials) 
Approach angle		37.6°-38°		28.1°
Departure angle		31°-32.1°		[B]32.2°[/B]
Breakover angle		21°-21.9°		21.3°
Curb weight 2wd		2,891lbs.-2,993lbs.	3108lbs.
Curb weight 4wd		3,057lbs.-3,386lbs.	3251lbs.-3516lbs.
Cargo capacity		71.0 cu ft.		23.0cu. ft. / 54.2cu. ft.


			Cherokee (I6)		Patriot (I4)
Engine BHP:		177bhp-195bhp		172bhp
Engine torque:		220lb/ft-225lb/ft	165lb/ft

Looking at this, the overall specs are very similar. Granted, we're talking about two very different vehicles mechanically, but it's interesting to note that the Patriot exceeds a couple of key stock XJ specs, and comes either very close to or right in the middle of other ones.

It'd be intersesting to park an XJ next to a Patriot just for size comparison or compair acceleration times. When we looking at them during the Chicago Auto Show the Patriots looked like a 7/8th's scale replica of the XJ and had less interior room than any of the four XJ's we've owned.

 

[Weasel]

Noticed thought that the Patriot weights another 200lbs more and has 23 horsepower and 60 ft-lbs of torque less then the XJ did. Eh no thanks..

 

[casm]

Noticed thought that the Patriot weights another 200lbs more and has 23 horsepower and 60 ft-lbs of torque less then the XJ did. Eh no thanks..

Point taken, and it is comparatively down on power-to-weight. However: driving it with the CVT, you've got to be looking for it to notice it. It moves surprisingly well, though admittedly without the 4.0's grunt.

For as much as I thought the Compass was an OK AWD car, I have to say that the Patriot outdoes it in most of the ways that we'd expect from a Jeep. Not saying it's an XJ by any means, but it's a damned capable little bugger all the same.

It'd be intersesting to park an XJ next to a Patriot just for size comparison or compair acceleration times. When we looking at them during the Chicago Auto Show the Patriots looked like a 7/8th's scale replica of the XJ and had less interior room than any of the four XJ's we've owned.

And this is something that bugs me as well. All I can figure is that the need for improved crash protection has resulted in an overall-longer vehicle with less interior space. If you look at the interior, everything's a lot chunkier than it was on the XJ. I don't know how much of this was to cover up mandated reinforcements or simply for looks, but overall legroom (especially in the rear) seems to be much better. My best guess is that they were aiming for a happy medium between crash requirements and usability.

 

[bjoehandley]

Point taken, and it is comparatively down on power-to-weight. However: driving it with the CVT, you've got to be looking for it to notice it. It moves surprisingly well, though admittedly without the 4.0's grunt.

For as much as I thought the Compass was an OK AWD car, I have to say that the Patriot outdoes it in most of the ways that we'd expect from a Jeep. Not saying it's an XJ by any means, but it's a damned capable little bugger all the same.



And this is something that bugs me as well. All I can figure is that the need for improved crash protection has resulted in an overall-longer vehicle with less interior space. If you look at the interior, everything's a lot chunkier than it was on the XJ. I don't know how much of this was to cover up mandated reinforcements or simply for looks, but overall legroom (especially in the rear) seems to be much better. My best guess is that they were aiming for a happy medium between crash requirements and usability.

Dad noticed more rear seat legroom over the XJ, but the front seems alot smaller than any of the XJ's we've owned. I've felt a little cramped in my '98 compared to Dad's or my Sister's '90 & '92 and this Patriot seems worse.

 

[IslanderOffRoad]

I wish the mags would stop comparing it with the XJ

 

[kevin s]

My wife drove one yesterday when she had the ZJ in the bodyshop. She absolutely loves the thing. Says it has plenty of power. $5k less than a Libby, 5 mpg better. Plenty big enough for a grocery getter. On principle, she would get the 4wd, but we have other toys for the hardcore offroad stuff. I love my XJs, but last time I checked, they weren't making any new ones. I'd buy one today, but the fleet needs culled out a bit first.

I think it may shake out biased Compass 2wd / Patriot 4wd, but I guess we'll see.