Jeep Patriot : A REAL PATRIOT?

A Jeep that you don't have to get all muddy to really enjoy? That's the Patriot. June Neary checks it outâ€¦.

People like me are the kind of people who buy modern day 4x4s. We like the elevated driving position, the versatility and the faintly macho image. We don't like the weight, the poor fuel consumption and the ecological sniffyness of our neighbours. Every manufacturer you can think of has been churning out SUVs to suit these specifications but few of them have the badge clout that comes with a Jeep. Previously, Jeep's only offering in this sector was the Cherokee, a model that still couldn't help being very serious about its off roading pretensions. Now, as if to make up for lost time, the company has slotted two more relevant contenders into this part of the market. There's the Compass and the subject of this particular test, the Patriot. At starting prices of around £16,000, the Patriot gives me Jeep image, that 4x4 feeling, family hatchback running costs and an affordable price. What's not to like?

I was told from the outset to think of the Patriot as the Compass' `more outdoorsy sibling'. While the two cars do share a decent number of parts, the Patriot is beefier, more upright and more focused on the task of going where no Compass would dream of. It's the car that will appeal to existing Jeep buyers who want something affordable and relatively capable. Not many cars look old when they're brand new but in the Patriot's case that can only be a good thing. Let's get one thing clear from the start. Although the Patriot is better off road than it ever needs to be, it's still a step or two down from the true Rubicon Ready vehicles at the top end of Jeep's range. Although there are beefier four-wheel drive setups around, the Freedom Drive I system does have a trick or two up its sleeve. This full-time electronically-controlled all-wheel drive setup has a locking mode to set the front/rear torque split for especially slippery conditions. The retro lines of the Patriot's exterior will be a major reason why lots of customers buy one. The high beltline, narrow side windows, flat body panels and upright windscreen angle are all design cues reminiscent of the early Cherokee, while the boxily flared wheel arches look straight from a Wrangler. The seven-slatted grille and round lights have become a Jeep totem and some rugged looking alloys complete the look. The interior, is where some Jeeps of the past have come unstuck but the latest Patriots do a comprehensive job of addressing this. The design and materials are a tangible improvement over what has gone before and Jeep fans will search in vain for the low cost hard plastics that used to blight the brand's cabins. There are bigger compact 4x4s than the Patriot and while seating four adults isn't a problem, the chunky transmission tunnel running down the centre of the vehicle will give anyone in the middle berth of the rear bench a foot space problem. The boot is reasonably sized and there are some clever touches including the folding, reclining seats.

I wasn't overwhelmed by this car's on-tarmac performance but I thought it little different to its Compass sibling on-road, despite its greater off road capability. The MacPherson strut front suspension and multi-link rear set-up has apparently proven well up to the most demanding tests and is a tried and tested configuration that works well enough in the Compass and which has been further stiffened in the Patriot. Also seen in that model is a 2.4-litre petrol engine option with a rather nasty CVT transmission that will be cold shouldered by the vast majority of right-thinking people. Of more relevance is the Volkswagen-derived 138bhp 2.0-litre diesel I tried that gives the Patriot a suitably aggressive growl.

The American marques aren't known for selling customers short when it comes to optional equipment and the Partiot comes very well-appointed even in entry-level Sport guise. A recent round of improvements saw the CD stereo gain an AUX input and MP3 compatibility as well as a carpeted boot floor, floor mats and even more chrome detailing for the exterior. That little lot comes on top of air-conditioning, keyless entry, electric windows and a neat rechargeable torch mounted in the boot. Customers wanting more can step-up to the Limited specification which now gets a six-CD multichanger, tinted windows and a host of styling accessories. Beyond that is the fully-loaded S-Limited. Even the basic Patriot has ABS brakes, front and side airbags, ERM Electronic Roll Mitigation and ESP stability control. That's a array of equipment in any vehicle and particularly so at the prices Jeep is asking for its compact SUV. With a low base price, the Patriot looks good value for money. The not so good news is that this buys you the entry-level 2.4-litre petrol model which will claw back in fuel costs what you've saved in monthly finance bills. The diesel is worth shelling out for if only for its much better ability to haul the Patriot, four passengers and a few bags uphill but the 43mpg fuel economy figure comes as a welcome bonus and a rebuff to those who hold the rather quaint view that all SUVs are destroying the planet.

Swings and roundabouts come into play here. The Patriot isn't quite as nice to drive on road as, say, a RAV4 or a Honda CR-V, but it's not far off and is miles better than either of these two if you do decide to venture onto something a little rougher. And isn't the occasional ability to do that the reason why you'd buy one of these cars in the first place? No, I thought notâ€¦

Thursday February 5