Let's look even closer now. The Patriot is built on a car platform, (a modified "GS" Mitsubishi Lancer platform) same as the Compass and the Dodge Caliber.
The Dodge Caliber is a unique looking street ride with some macho looking lines. Hurrah for the Caliber! I kinda like it...for what it is...a car for the street.
The Caliber even comes in an all-wheel drive package for those bad weather days depending on where you live and drive. Again, hurrah for the Caliber!
The Jeep Patriot shares much of the engine and drive train components of the Caliber, but has
more sophisticated 4-wheel drive system options for some off-road work.
Although the Patriot is a front wheel drive vehicle (like the Caliber) which means an independent
front suspension, it can be equipped with the Freedom II off-road package that gives it the "Trail Rated"
seal of approval from Jeep. It must pass some rigorous testing in many off-road conditions to get the
Trail Rating.
The 2-wheel drive version is nothing more than a Jeep Car or small SUV...while the 4-wheel drive versions
(especially the Trail Rated one) appears to approach some of the functionality of the time honored Jeep
tradition.
2008 Patriot (Rearview)
This is all well and good. The Patriot is beginning to sound more like a traditional Jeep, at
least when equipped with the more expensive Freedom II package option.
So... is the Patriot a true Jeep in the traditional sense, or is it merely another Jeep Car?
The answers are a vague "Maybe"...and..."Yes".
Does the Patriot compare with the Wrangler?...No Way!... Maybe more like the Jeep Liberty and the dreaded Compass... specifically due to the fact that these models have Independent Front Suspensions
(IFS) in 4-wheel drive mode.
Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...
my-2008-patriot
I recently purchased a 2008 Jeep Patriot. It has more height room then the compass and the dodge calibur. I got the metallic blue color. I am happy with ...
Jeep Bleep
I think the Jeep Patriot is a sorry excuse for an SUV.
A front wheel drive vehicle built on a Dodge Caliber chassis. The CVT transmission just kills ...
Best Jeep Made is My 2009 Jeep Patriot
There's no question that my 2009 Jeep Patriot is the best Jeep made. It's just the right size and, in my opinion, the best looking.
First of all, the ...
Not Impressed
I work for a large car rental company and drive many different types of cars but when I went down to Florida to visit family this past winter, I rented ...
Patriot is OK for Some
I like the Jeep Patriot 4x4. I think in general it is a well designed car for those who want an SUV for the road. It gets very good gas mileage compared ...