Patriot-ic moves

The Jeep patriot has not only heavy features but also cruise control, speed and driveability, says Paolo Rossetti.

I didn't quite get the Jeep Patriot as I circled it in the showroom – with already two other compact SUVs bearing the Jeep badge, why put out the Patriot?

The salesman eyed me suspiciously, and opted to stay quiet until I had finished looking over the spec sheet. So what's the deal with the Patriot?

Well, it seems that Jeep is making the most of its assembly platform, used for the Jeep Compass and Dodge Caliber, and positioning the Patriot a little more to the off-road side. As feasible as that explanation goes, I wasn't impressed.

I immediately went to look for the legendary "Trail Rated" Jeep badge of honour, which means the vehicle has passed a series of tough off-road terrains to the satisfaction of Jeep engineers – yes, there it was.

As proof, the all-wheel-drive version of the Patriot comes equipped with a low-range ratio for scaling steeper 4x4 trails and a full complement of skid plates to protect it from rock damage, which means it's more ready and willing to take on challenging terrain than its soft-roader Compass sibling ...

I decided to get in and drive. Well, the Jeep Patriot grew on me. At the end of the test drive I was very happy with it – brilliant little 4x4! I found it was comfortable on the inside, even if a bit spartan – but it's supposed to be a Jeep, right? – and on a long highway drive the seating position for driver and all passengers was comfortable and roomy enough.

The cargo space was barely sufficient for camping, but the fold-down speakers, coming down from the top tailgate when it's open, I felt was a nice touch for when you picnic with friends and want some music to set the mood – definitely aimed at the young crowd, but it helps set the character of the Patriot.

Cruise control is always good to have, and the Patriot did not disapoint in that department. Speed and driveability were good, and perhaps the engine is its best feature.

The standard engine is the 172-horsepower, 2.4-litre inline-4, shared with the Compass and Caliber, but unfortunately it is hooked up to a continuously variable transmission (CVT) which saps much power and
I felt smothers what would otherwise be an excellent engine – 170hp should make that car fly; instead, it drives smoothly.

One can't fault smoothness, I suppose, but I would have preferred a more hardcore feel if it is to be a real off-road machine.

The Patriot is front-wheel-drive with an electronically controlled coupling (ECC) to the rear differential, transmitting torque through a two-clutch system. Happily, the driver can lock the centre diff with a T-handle to ensure up to 60-per cent torque to the rear wheels, and so this is a big step forward in assuring the Trail Rated badge was awarded.

So, balancing off the blender-like sound of the CVT transmission with a central differential lock is a compromise an off-roader can live with, plus it renders the drive attractive to all the rest of us who want some civilised manners on-road.

Off-road the Patriot did surprisingly well, taming nasty potholes and even climbing wild dunes – yes, dunes. I didn't cross over to the other side lest I bang my test drive too hard, but I did take a few runs up and was pleased with the result – not just a pretty face!

Having looked at the parked Patriot numerous times over a weekend, I started to like its features. After it proved itself in the sands,
I grew attached to the square jaws up front, and the sharp box of its body.

This is a car that will tenaciously do its job. I think it has earned the right to carry its heavy features with pride.

One interesting feature that sealed it for me was that shifting the CVT from 'drive' into 'low' shuts off the electronic stability-control programme and adds hill-descent control, a first for a Jeep and for a vehicle in this price range.

This means the good people at Jeep know that a mature driver off-road does not want the stability control nanny looking over their shoulder all the time; another testament to this is you can manually shut off the hill-descent control while in "low" for faster descents.

So the Patriot is more than meets the eye – it is a smooth city operator, but also ready for a little rough and tumble when you require it.