Overview:
This week we’re looking at the 2009 Jeep Patriot Limited 4X4 SUV. This is one step down in cost from the Liberty and of course in features and performance as well.
If you are OK with basic you will want to look at the Sport 4X2 to save about $5,000. You’ll probably flash back to the days when all cars were equipped with manual crank windows and manual door locks. A slight digression is that leather is not available on the Patriot… and that got me thinking how Naugahyde was so popular in days of old. Oh, for those who never heard of Naugahyde it is a Vinyl make believe (artificial) leather that was very popular in the 1950s and 60s. Today they call it Pleather for Plastic Leather. There are several reasons for substituting artificial leather for the real thing. The most important reason in my view is that it is far lighter and better for many applications.
Likewise, however, there are benefits to using cloth seats over leather other than cost. I don’t know about you but leather is very cold in the winter months and sweaty hot in the summer. I love the smell of leather and it is very luxurious in feel as well but being “Real” is a taboo to animal rights groups.
Parts – US/Canadian 66%; Mexico 19%
Assembly – Belvidere, Illinois, USA
Class: – SUV
Cars: – Commander, compass, Grand Cherokee, Liberty, Patriot & Wrangler.
Riding with a friend to town I had to pass on the right and my passenger barked how rude drivers can be. “Why didn’t he pull over to the right?” Well, sometime it can be a tough call of whether to move over or not, I responded. Relative speed is what makes the difference and if you are going with the flow of traffic and some “Rapid Robert” is weaving in and out I don’t believe you need to feel compelled to move over. The best rule of thumb is that if you are not passing traffic to your right then that’s the lane you belong in.
Good drivers are many things but to me they are NOT self appointed cops who drive slower in an attempt to slow other drivers down. Good drivers go with the general flow of traffic and pay attention to driving by using hands free “Bluetooth” devices to avoid dangerous distractions – and they don’t text or read their mail either. In short, they are considerate and sensitive to other drivers around them – and they are not too proud to move over if they are driving slower than the flow of traffic and they don’t tailgate or flip others off. I’m sure you have other pet peeves when you share the highway with others.
Comfortable ride but at 172 hp this inline 4 cylinder will struggle more, of course, than the Liberty with a 210 hp V6. Unfortunately the fuel economy doesn’t improve very much at all with the 4-cylinder. The only way to boost the MPG is to move away from the 4X4 to the 4X2 and then the highway numbers move up by about 6 mpg or about a 30% increase.
Styling:
Simply Jeep. You either love it or you don’t. Me, I’m a Jeep guy from way back and I particularly appreciate the names given to these All American vehicles. Enjoying the Liberty and being a Patriot – all things being equal is enough for me to lean toward Jeep.
Fit and Finish:
Good for the money.
Cost:
About $4,000 less than the Liberty. Not chump change.
Conveniences and comfort:
Very good.
Consumer Recommendation:
Consider the 4X2 for a more efficient cost to benefit. In every instance, in fact, where a 4X4 is considered remember only 5% of 4WD vehicles will ever be used that way. You’d have to live in the back woods on a steep dirt road or be an off road kinda guy or gal to justify the cost difference.
Recognized Competition:
Jeep Patriot $18-24,000, Jeep Compass $18-25,000, Chrysler PT Cruiser $18-25,000, Mitsubishi Outlander $20-26,000, Ford Escape $20-28,000, Saturn Vue $23-31,000, Subaru Forester $20-28,000, Suzuki SX4 Crossover $16-19,000, Mazda 5 $18-23,000, Kia Rondo $17-22,000, Hyundai Tucson $18-26,000, Nissan Rogue $20-23,000, Honda Element $20-26,000, Toyota Matrix $17-22,000, Toyota RAV4 $22-28,000, Chevrolet HHR $19-25,000, Pontiac Torrent $25-31,000, Dodge Caliber $16-25,000.
Good News:
Well equipped standard features, competitive pricing.
Bad News:
Only average fuel economy.
Standard Equipment:
2.4 liter 172 horsepower inline 4-Cylinder engine, continuously variable auto trans with off road crawl ratio, electronic stability program, electronic roll mitigation, 4-wheel ABS disc brakes with brake assist, multi stage airbags with side curtain bags front and rear, cruise control, power windows, speed sensitive door locks, Sentry key and theft deterrent system, power fold away mirrors, remote keyless entry, interior removable flashlight, rear window defroster with wiper washer, 115 volt and 12 volt outlets, air conditioning, heated front seats, passenger fold flat seatback, manual driver height and lumbar seat adjustment, rear 60/40 split folding / reclining seat, stereo with in-dash 6 disc CD/MP3/WMA player, Sirius radio service (1 yr. Incl.), leather seating and wrapped wheel (with audio controls), tilt steering column and vehicle information center.
Gas Stats:
$2.17/ Gal avg. April 5, ‘09
for more information.
20 City and 22 Highway MPG
Pricing:
MSRP $23,230.
