Compact 2008 Patriot has classic Jeep styling

Compact 2008 Patriot has classic Jeep styling

Wheels

2008 Jeep Patriot
By: Lorne Drury

If you're a Jeep fan these days, you have lots to choose from. Gone are the days when your only choices were the Cherokee (or Grand Cherokee) and Wrangler (or TJ).

Today, Jeep dealers can offer you a selection of seven vehicles, including the Patriot and Compass, which are both based on the same platform as the compact Dodge Caliber.

While the Compass has a more rounded, Liberty-ish look, there's no mistaking the Patriot for anything but a traditional Jeep.

It has what Chrysler describes as “a modern interpretation of classic Jeep styling.”

In other words, it has the boxy, rugged look associated with Jeep designs of the past. When equipped with the optional Freedom Drive 11 4WD system, the Patriot is Trail Rated and meets a variety of off-road standards.

While many of us will never take our vehicles off-road, the Patriot gives you that option and provides decent fuel economy to boot. With fuel prices heading well over the $1-a-litre level these days, that's certainly a plus.

My tester was a 2008 Jeep Patriot 4WD North Edition and it came at a perfect time for a trip north into snow country earlier this year.

While the roads were clear at the time, we had just been walloped with a major snowfall and the Patriot fit the bill nicely for a drive to an oldtimers hockey tournament.

The Patriot can be described as a compact SUV or a tall wagon, as many in the business like to describe them.

It has the packaging and interior flexibility of a sport utility combined with the performance, handling, fuel economy and price of a compact car or small pickup.

It is available in three drive configurations: front wheel drive, Freedom Drive 1 (a full-time active four-wheel drive system with lock mode) and Freedom Drive 11 (a full-time active 4x4 system with low range that provides the Trail Rated capability.

Three trim levels are offered including Sport, North (exclusive to Canada) and Limited.

Prices start at $16,995 for the Patriot Sport FWD. Add $2,000 for the AWD version of the Sport Package. The Patriot North Edition is $19,595 ($21,595 for AWD) and Patriot Limited $22,695 ($24,695 for AWD). Jeep claims the Sport version is the lowest priced 4x4 in Canada.

Standard engine is a 2.4-litre four-cylinder, producing 172 hp and 165 lb/ft of torque. A five-speed manual transmission is standard, but if you opt for the Sport FWD model with continuously variable transmission (CVT) you get a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, producing 158 hp. The CVT is a $1,300 option.

My tester, the Patriot North 4x4 with CVT,  topped out at $25,870. The Patriot North Edition includes air conditioning, power windows/ locks/mirrors, remote keyless entry, 60/40 reclining rear seats/fold flat front passenger seat and removable/rechargeable flashlight integrated with the rear cargo lamp.

Options included 17-inch aluminum wheels ($600), a security and cargo convenience group ($500),  heated   front  seats  ($300), CVT with AutoStick ($1,300) and speed control ($275)).

Also standard on the Patriot North is Chrysler’s YES Essentials seat fabric that resists water and stains. Perfect for anyone who has kids or dogs that can easily make a mess of the seats.

Inside, the cabin of the North Edition has a number of neat features, including the fold flat front passenger seat— ideal for hauling long loads or for use as a table for the laptop. The flashlight in the rear cargo area is a great idea and the younger crowd, who will likely make up a big chunk of Patriot buyers, will enjoy the optional swing-down liftgate speakers that would be neat for camping trips or tailgate parties.

The cabin is spacious and the instrument panel is well thought-out. Everything is accessible and easy to use. There’s lots of storage bins placed throughout the cabin. As for the seats, I found them comfortable and supportive even after a two hour drive up to cottage country.

A big negative for me with many Chrysler products these days is their use of too much shiny, hard plastic in their interiors. This was especially evident in the Patriot’s sibling, the Compass. With the Patriot, I didn’t find it nearly as noticeable and all in all, I found the interior attractive and functional.


On the road, the Patriot’s 172 hp four-cylinder engine is fairly quiet at highway speeds, although engine noise is evident on hard acceleration. Acceleration is not this vehicle’s strong point with the CVT and extra care is needed in passing situations. I haven’t driven a manual version so I can’t speak to that.

However, gasoline consumption is what it’s all about these days and the North Edition gives 9.9L/100 km (29 mpg) city and 8.2L/100 km (34 mpg) highway with regular gasoline, according to Transport Canada ratings.

The Patriot has a solid feel on the road, although there is some body lean on hard cornering. Steering is fairly precise and predictable.

The all-wheel drive system operated like a charm in the snowy north. It works with the front wheels most of the time but shifts grip back and forth between the front and rear as needed. For more severe driving situations, the drive system can be locked, giving a 50:50 split of the torque.

On the safety front, anti-lock brakes (ABS), electronic stability control (ESC), brake assist, traction control and electronic roll mitigation are standard along with front and side-curtain airbags.

In an increasingly crowded compact vehicle segment, the Patriot has a lot to offer with its attractive price and four-wheel drive options. It’s more Jeep-like than its Compass counterpart and well worth a look for anyone shopping this segment.

2008 JEEP PATRIOT AT A GLANCE

• BODY STYLE: Compact SUV
• DRIVE METHOD: front-engine, front/four-wheel drive
• ENGINE: 2.0-litre DOHC inline four-cylinder (158 hp, 141 lb/ft); 2.4-litre DOHC inline four-cylinder (172 hp, 165 lb/ft).
• FUEL ECONOMY:  2WD versions city: 2.0-litre CVT/2.4-litre CVT/2.4-litre manual, 9.0L/100 km (31 mpg)/9.7L (29 mpg)/9.0L (31 mpg); highway 7.3L (39 mpg)/8.0L (35 mpg)/7.1L (40 mpg). 4WD versions city: 2.4-litre CVT/2.4-litre manual 9.9L (29 mpg), 9.2L (31 mpg); highway 8.2L (34 mpg), 7.3L (39 mpg).
• PRICE: Sport 2WD/4WD, $16,995/$18,995; North 2WD/4WD $19,595/$21,595; Limited 2WD/4WD $22,695/$24,695.

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