The Jeep Patriot has made its way into the hearts and minds of many Jeep owners over several years. Even though the current model is aging, it offers a great value and is the least expensive SUV on the market at its base price. As a 2015 Kelley Blue Book Five-Year Cost to Own Award Winner, the Jeep Patriot is a great choice, but needs some upgrading to be in an acceptable range of equipment and comfort. The base model is very much a stripped down version, but add a few great features by climbing the trim levels and you can have a Patriot that offers some exceptional off road ability as well.
Showing up in the class with the Subaru Forester and Mazda CX-5 the Patriot offers better off road ability than both of these models. Unfortunately, and due in part to the need for a remade model, the Patriot does not offer the fuel mileage that is desired on SUVs of this size. For 2015 the Patriot adds a new Eco Green paint color and a Garmin Navigation system on the Latitude model. The removable flashlight as been replaced by an actual dome light as well.
As a mid-sized crossover SUV the Patriot is a bit of a trail hardened model that doesn’t make a great impression on the highways and streets it spends most of its time on. Even with this thought in mind, a trail ready version can make driving in snow, rain, or other weather easier and more confident than other models possibly could. The Patriot also is a great SUV for off road enjoyment because of the ability to take to the trails with ease and enjoyment for anyone who wants to spend plenty of time out in the wilderness and remote locations of the world.
The Patriot shows up with two engines to choose from, the ability to have any model enjoy the capability of four-wheel drive and a towing capacity of 2,000 pounds. While the towing is not much there is the opportunity to take some enjoyable gear to the off trail destinations. These engines are attached to either a manual transmission, a six-speed automatic transmission, or a continuously variable automatic transmission.
The first engine for the Patriot is the 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder model that offers 158 horsepower and 141 lb.-ft. of torque. This powertrain shows up with fuel efficiency numbers of 23 city/30 hwy mpg for the front-wheel drive manual, 21 city/28 hwy mpg for the front-wheel drive automatic, and 22 city/27 hwy mpg for the front-wheel drive CVT.
All four-wheel drive models us the larger engine which is a 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder engine that carries in 172 horsepower and 165 lb.-ft. of torque. This powertrain gives fuel number s of 23 city/28 hwy mpg for the front-wheel drive manual, 21 city/28 hwy mpg for the front-wheel drive automatic, 23 city/28 hwy mpg for the four-wheel drive manual, 21 city/27 hwy mpg for the four-wheel drive automatic and 20 city/23 hwy mpg for the four-wheel drive CVT w/Off-Road package.
With plenty of room for five to ride the destination the Patriot offers a range of trim levels that add great features to enjoy aboard this SUV. Owners can have a Patriot model that features a lot of hard plastic which is easy to clean and offers great utility, or they can gain a large amount of comfort from leather upholstery and outstanding equipment. The rear seats fold flat for extra easy cargo capacity and recline for rear seat passengers to gain a bit more comfort in this already enjoyable SUV. The control panel is full of great equipment to enjoy on just about every trim level except the base model.
On the outside the Patriot resembles many other Jeep models and is easily recognizable. With a high and boxy shape the Patriot shows off plenty of Jeep features that make it easy to know which family it belongs to. The Patriot has the signature seven-port grill and round headlights along with the signature five spoke heavy handed wheels, the Patriot looks like what it is built for which is utility and capability. Adding to the utility is a standard set of roof rails that allow for more cargo capability and gives the enjoyment of being able to strap down a surfboard or some outdoor gear for even more fun in the wilderness.
The standard features for the Patriot start at the Sport model with a list that leaves owners wanting more right away. The Sport trim offers a five-speed manual transmission, cruise control and a four-speaker audio system with an auxiliary port and that is all. Moving up to the Latitude model offers air conditioning, power door locks and windows, heated front seats, a power outlet and keyless entry to give a more enjoyable Jeep to owners. The top of the line Limited model adds leather upholstery, automatic climate control, a power driver’s seat, a larger engine and an upgraded audio system.
The optional features for the Jeep Patriot show up starting with the two Freedom Drive four-wheel drive systems. The Sport model can be outfitted with power windows, air conditioning and Bluetooth connectivity to make it a better model overall, The Latitude and Limited can enjoy the addition of an infotainment system, a navigation system, a 6.5-inch touch screen and a Boston Acoustics premium sound system with nine speakers. These added features help make the Patriot one great ride for just about any owner to fully appreciate and enjoy.
Starting at the base Sport model, the Patriot opens with an asking price of $17,500. Moving up to the Latitude will result in a price in the mid-$20,000 range with the top of the line Limited showing up just over $31,000. Even at the top end, the Patriot shows off a lower price than most of the competition, making it one of the most affordable and enjoyable SUVs on the market today.
This post may contain affiliate links. Meaning a commission is given should you decide to make a purchase through these links, at no cost to you. All products shown are researched and tested to give an accurate review for you.
