 
By Bruce W. Smith Photos by the author and Jeep It seems like only yesterday that we drove the very first
unibody four-door SUV—the Jeep Cherokee. In reality that first
off-road adventure happened nearly a quarter-century ago. But
back in 1984 it was really big news in the automotive and
off-road worlds. The Cherokee was a reliable, rugged four-door
4x4 that met the transportation needs of younger families and
outdoors types faced with tight budgets. What we didn’t know at the time was Jeep was about to launch a whole family of new vehicles to fit Jeep aficionado’s tastes, budgets and lifestyles. Today the Jeep brand offers seven different vehicles:
Commander; Grand Cherokee; Wrangler; Wrangler Unlimited;
Compass; Liberty; and the most recent to be added, Patriot—an
inexpensive, capable, compact, four-door, unibody-based SUV
that evokes a strong sense of déjà vu. So much so that one might
think the MULTIPLE CHOICES Patriot is available in either a front-wheel-drive model or two all-wheel-drive models, with a standard manual 5-speed or optional Constantly Variable Transmission (CVT) available for all. The 2wd model is only available with the 158hp 2.0L four-cylinder while the four-wheel-drive Patriots get the 172hp 2.4L “World Engine” that’s found in many of the new Daimler-Chrysler vehicles. EPA numbers range from a low of 21/23 for some 4x4 CVT models with the 2.4L to 26 /30mpg (best in the class) for the 2.0L-equipped 2wd versions equipped with the manual 5-speed. We drove Patriots equipped with the various configurations. Our take: The 2.0L is adequate for those seeking the most basic of transportation needs and the best fuel economy. But there’s no sense of power when it comes to merging traffic, making passes, or having sporty performance off-road. The 2.4L, on the other hand is a decent all-around performer in the Patriot. As for the transmissions, the CVT can be a little annoying when it comes time to accelerate quickly. The transmission lets the engine sit on 6,000rpm sounding like a PWC or snowmobile—or to hose who come from the days of manual transmissions, a badly slipping clutch. The manual 5-speed on the other hand, is a delight to use; the gates are tight, shifter-throw short, and the clutch smooth. However, the most off-road worthy 4x4 system offered in the Patriot is only available with the CVT, a point that we’ll discuss a little later.
Speaking of driving, what immediately strikes us is how similar the Patriot is to the Cherokee of old—almost to the point of being a “retro.” The Patriot’s dimensions are within an inch of duplicating its four-door ancestor. Patriot designers kept that size and style for a reason, too: form follows function. “Simple yet distinctive geometric forms and planar surfaces define Jeep Patriot’s timeless proportions,” says Trevor Creed, Senior Vice President – Design. “Combined, these features give Jeep Patriot its robust, strong, capable off-road image.” But more importantly that boxy body style that goes against today’s norm of trying to round off the edges of every vehicle on the road maximizes space: You can fit more people and cargo in a box than in a bowl—and the new Patriot, like its predecessor, delivers more interior and cargo room than its competitors. “Jeep Patriot’s two-box design is built for maximum cargo volume, rugged driving conditions and excellent utility,” says Creed. “Patriot’s style is classic Jeep; its design focuses on functionality, simplicity and capability.” “Patriot is designed to appeal to customers who want a vehicle that is practical in terms of form and function, as well as different from the crowd of compact SUVs currently on the road.” ROOMY, VERSATILE INTERIOR The same theme is applied to the Patriot interior. We were
surprised at how much room there is inside. The You quickly realize the interior gives owners the capability to do more in terms of seating friends and storing gear. We really like the way the Patriot’s front passenger seat folds forward to create a table-like surface and makes way for hauling everything from an 8-foot ladder to skis or snowboards. Another nicety is the standard 60/40 fold-flat second-row seats with an available recline feature that really improves passenger comfort. Folding the seatbacks forward creates a nearly flat load surface, maximizing rear storage. (Patriot has “class-leading” 54.2 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded flat and 62.7 cubic feet of cargo space with the front passenger seat back and rear seats folded flat.) Although the Dodge Caliber shares the same chassis as the Patriot, the Jeep has a much better interior layout when it comes to driver positioning. The Patriot places the driver a full two inches higher, which allows you to really see the road and have a much better feeling of command behind the wheel.
Traversing off-pavement and adverse road conditions are also key aspects that make the “Trail Rated” Patriot a strong compact SUV choice for any reader who has their sights set on backcountry adventure. It’s not a Wrangler, but short of hard-core forays the 4x4 model Patriot will get you through just fine, thank you. We spent a few hours driving the new Patriot in the Vulture Mountains near Wickenburg, Arizona. Skepticism as to its off-road prowess faded as paved and gravel road surfaces were replaced with deeply rutted Jeep trails and sand-filled washes. The four-wheel-drive Patriot is surprisingly nimble of foot off-road. While we were on the trails, Ray Durham, the senior manger of Patriot development told us both four-wheel-drive systems operate the same way. Unlike other on-demand four-wheel-drive systems that rely on pumps or viscous fluids to transfer torque, the Jeep Patriot’s all-new computerized four-wheel-drive system requires no front-to-rear slippage for activation. “Patriot’s state-of-the-art electronic four-wheel-drive system anticipates the need for added traction by monitoring a lot of factors, including throttle speed and position, and responds to wheel slippage by automatically transferring power to the rear wheels,” he explains as we power a Patriot through some soft sand. Jeep actually offers two different packages in the Patriot: Freedom Drive I and Freedom Drive II. In a nutshell, Freedom Drive I is the fancy name for the basic Patriot all-wheel-drive system, which uses an electronically controlled coupling (ECC) attached to the rear differential to seamlessly and automatically transfer driving power front-to-rear as needed with a max split of 50/50. A little, chrome-plated “T”-handle, partially hidden down on the top front of the center console, allows the driver to “lock” the system in a 50/50 mode, which would be good for those times you encounter deep sand, snow, or mud. GREATER OFF-ROAD ABILITY Freedom Drive II, which is available in the Sport and Limited models, is the 4x4 system off-road adventures will want—and it ‘s the system that gives the Patriot the coveted Jeep “Trail Rated 4x4” badge of approval. Freedom Drive II not only includes Jeep’s CVT2L (a CVT with a 19:1 low-range), but also an inch more ground clearance, 17-inch all-terrain OWL tires and aluminum wheels, a full-size spare tire, skid plates, tow hooks, fog lamps and manual seat height adjuster. When the CVT2L transaxle is shifted to from “D” to “L” (low-range,) the advanced traction control system uses the ABS system to maximize traction at all four corners instead of applying both brakes and reducing engine power to control wheel spin as happens in the Freedom Drive 1 system. You also have the ability to lock the system so power is distributed equally front/rear all the time. We drove Patriots equipped with the Freedom Drive II system over some pretty rough desert terrain and it never missed a beat. Even with open differentials at both ends the little Jeep crawled through very demanding off-road situations other SUVs in its same class would have found impassable. The unibody Patriot’s ride is remarkably controlled and not as harsh as one would expect from such an SUV. The steering is quick, turning radius small, the brakes very responsive. Driver visibility is also quite nice. We were pleasantly surprised at how its
four-wheel-independent suspension moved over washout sections
and The Freedom Drive II package also gives the Patriot additional body sealing and high-mount drivetrain vents so it could, in theory, ford water depths to 19-inches. We wouldn’t try such antics when there’s water flowing that deep for fear the Patriot would suddenly become the SS Patriot. But if standing water and solid footing prevail beneath, Jeep engineers say there’s not a problem. A FEW NITS TO PIK One of the few nits to pick is the low-range could be even deeper in my opinion, giving the little four-cylinder more creeping power and faster low-speed acceleration. As it is it feels like the CVT handcuffs the Patriot’s potential for a sporty, responsive ride.
The base price of the 2wd Patriot is only $14,985, and the 4x4 Sport starts at $16,175. A nicely equipped Sport model, outfitted with the Freedom Drive II off-road package, sunroof, and premium cloth bucket seats, tips the price scale at a meager $21,730. That’s a really attractive price for a four-wheel-drive SUV that can actually handle some pretty challenging driving conditions. Ironically, that is also about the same price as the old Cherokee 4x4 sold for before its demise. The big difference is the 2007 Jeep Patriot is filled with wonderful technology to make life on and off-the-road far more pleasant and far more safer than any vehicle like it now—or before. What it shares with the old Cherokee is being an excellent entry-level 4x4 SUV that delivers younger, less affluent, off-road adventures a lot of fun and utility value for the dollar. —Bruce W. Smith ACHIEVING TRAIL RATED STATUS That “Trail Rated” badge on Jeeps, such as the new Patriot, isn’t just for show. Jeep engineers say the Patriot Trail Rated models are designed and tested to perform in a variety of off-road conditions defined by five key consumer-oriented performance categories tested in both lab and off-road conditions. These include Jeep off-road capability requirements for traction, ground clearance, articulation, maneuverability and water fording, as well as measurements that demonstrate the engine and transmission continue to self-lubricate, while the vehicle is traveling up a side slope or a on a fore/aft grade, for consistent performance and capability. The Trail Rated badge isn’t just marketing hype. It communicates to the customer that Jeep Patriot 4x4 with the Freedom Drive II Off-road Package delivers authentic 4x4 capabilities.—BWS SPECIFICATIONS Dimensions are in inches (millimeters) unless otherwise noted. GENERAL INFORMATION
ENGINE: 2.4-LITER DOHC 16-VALVE I4 WITH VVT Availability Standard Type and Description Four cylinders in line, tuned intake manifold with Electronic Active Charge Motion Control valves, dual counter-rotating balance shafts Displacement 144 cu. in. (2360 cu. cm) Bore x Stroke 3.46 x 3.82 (88 x 97) Valve System Chain-driven DOHC, 16 valves, electronically controlled dual Variable Valve Timing, direct-acting shimless mechanical bucket tappets Fuel Injection Sequential, multi-port, electronic, returnless Construction High-pressure die-cast aluminum block with dry iron liners, cast-aluminum cylinder head, cast-aluminum ladder frame, forged steel crankshaft Compression Ratio 10.5:1 Power (SAE net, estimated) 172 bhp (129 kW) @ 6000 rpm (72 bhp/liter) Torque (SAE net, estimated) 165 lb.-ft. (222 N•m) @ 4400 rpm Maximum Engine Speed 6500 rpm (electronically limited) Fuel Requirement Unleaded regular, 87 octane (R+M)/2 Oil Capacity 5.0 qt. (4.7L) SAE 5W/20 Coolant Capacity 7.2 qt. (6.8L) Emission Controls Single catalytic converter — 2WD Dual catalytic converter — 4WD Dual heated oxygen sensors and engine features Estimated EPA Fuel Economy MPG (City/Hwy)
MAGNA DRIVELINE T355 5-SPEED Availability Description Gear Ratios 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Reverse Final Drive Ratio Overall Top Gear TRANSAXLE: AUTOMATIC, JATCO MODEL CVT2 Availability Description Gear Ratios Forward Reverse Final Drive Ratio Overall Top Gear Ratio 26/30 — 2WD CVT Standard — 2.4L engine 5-speed, overdrive, synchronized in all forward ratios, cable-operated, 3-plane shifter 3.77 2.16 1.41 1.026 0.81 3.417 4.12 3.34 Standard — 2.0L engine Optional — 2.4L engine Continuously variable ratio, lock-up torque converter, electronic controls 2.349:1 to 0.394:1 continuously variable 1.75:1 6.12:1 2.411:1 TRANSAXLE: AUTOMATIC, JATCO MODEL CVT2L
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Cherokee
Reincarnated
venerable Cherokee of old has been reincarnated. 
CLASSIC
APPROACH
spacious two-toned interior combines comfort, function, and
versatility in an appealing and roomy package. There are little
cubbys all over the place to store things like maps, bottles,
keys, purses and wallets, and those off-road necessities like
tow straps and tools. 
TRAIL
WORTHY
handled deep ruts. The Freedom Drive II package sets the Patriot
an inch higher than the standard model, and combined with it’s
already wide foot print and short body overhang, give it
excellent approach and departure angles. 
A
more annoying ride quality is a lot of highway road noise rolls
into the interior when the pavement is rough or the roads
graveled. But one has to take into consideration this is an
entry-level, compact 4x4 SUV, not a $40,000 Grand Cherokee. We
just turned up the stereo and remarked about the price.