But clearly someone has run the numbers and determined that there is a financial upside to pushing these faux-SUVs onto the car-buying public - and passing a few to merciless auto journalists along the way. Look, I have a sneaking suspicion that the only reason Patriots and Compasses are still in production is to make the new Cherokee look like a great deal. Exterior appearance is nothing to write home about, but it's not as mal-proportioned as the Compass. Soft-touch materials abound on the dash and doors, and - what a concept! - everything seems to be bolted together solidly. The interior is actually pretty good - rugged, but far better assembled these days than it was just a few short years ago. I can't imagine how it is to drive with the 2.0-liter. It's slow enough with the noisy 2.4-liter I4. The Patriot is available with a five-speed manual, but, as with the tester Compasses that pass through our fleet from time to time, Jeep insists on sending us non-manual cars to test. That aside, there's not a lot to hate here besides the sub-par drivetrain. Maybe some of the anti-Patriot vitriol comes from an unwillingness to face this truth. Which is to say a lifestyle lived exclusively on-road. The harsh reality here - one that Jeep bros and broettes probably don't want to hear - is that the Patriot is (but for the mediocre fuel economy) ideally suited to the lifestyle that the average Jeep buyer lives. As a vehicle that shares a platform with the un-mourned Dodge Caliber (and other winners like the Dodge Avenger) yet can be ordered in “Trail Rated” spec, the beatdowns the Patriot, and its cousin the Compass, received aren't completely undeserved.
Full Floor Console w/Covered Storage and 1 12V DC Power Outlet.
Full Carpet Floor Covering -inc: Carpet Front And Rear Floor Mats.Driver And Passenger Visor Vanity Mirrors.Cruise Control w/Steering Wheel Controls.60-40 Folding Bench Front Facing Fold Forward Seatback Cloth Rear Seat.4-Way Passenger Seat -inc: Manual Recline and Fore/Aft Movement.4-Way Driver Seat -inc: Manual Recline and Fore/Aft Movement.