My initial impressions:
Exterior - It's a Jeep. Not the sexiest looking thing on wheels, but classic in it's own way. For a compact SUV, it has approach and departure angles that are probably only rivaled by the Forester. The new Outback had the worst such angles of the vehicles we looked at.
Marisa has a 2007 (first model year). It's kind of ugly, but the only real limiting factor we have found is the break-over angle. Of course - she didn't buy it for rock-crawling, so it has only been somewhat limiting to the places she wants to go with it.
Interior - The early gripe with the first years of the Patriot were frequent mentions of cheap plastic components.
Marisa hates the interior - but honestly, there have only been two parts break: The shift boot (replacement cost = $7), and the cover for the lower anchor point on drivers side seat belt (haven't replaced it yet). She has 60K miles on it - so it really isn't what I would call 'failure prone', but it does feel cheap and plasticy. (is that a word????)
Power - I haven't found it yet, but when I do I'll let you know.
Don't bother looking for that power - it isn't there. Marisa's has the 4-cyl/manual trans. Taking off from a stop is painful sometimes - but once it is going, it floats down the freeway with ease. If you can keep your speed up, it will climb the hill on I-17 heading north out of PHX in 5th gear @ 75mph without too much complaining. Get stuck behind a truck in the fast lane though, you're screwed. It will take forever to get your speed back.
Our Patriot has yet to break in, so MPG should improve slightly. Our first road jaunt with lots of miles on mountain roads yielded 23.5 mpg for 120 miles. Around town we're in the neighborhood of 19 mpg.
I've gotten better than 31mpg out of Marisa's on 3 occasions - each time was 99% freeway @ 70 - 85mph, and each time the outside temperature was sub 40*F (which is cold for this desert rat). Hers doesn't have cruise control, so that would probably get us a little better mileage too. Typical mileage is closer to 25 with mixed freeway/in-town driving in warmer climates (Tucson) - but we see that bump in mileage every time it's cold out and we are on the freeway.
We just installed a 2.5" lift on it (Rocky Road Outfitters - which is a poor quality kit, but that's a different topic), and went with a slightly larger tire (don't recall the size - something like a 230/70R16), and I have to say it looks a lot better. It doesn't look like a lifted vehicle - it just looks like it should have from the factory.
Overall, it's been a good car (yes, I just called it a car). 60K and no major problems - only cosmetic issues with the paint, the two previously mentioned interior parts, and cosmetic repairs from being rear-ended a couple times. It's big enough to sleep in, take a weekends worth of camping gear in (plus two dogs), with a couple of kayaks strapped to the roof &/or a couple bikes hanging off the back. It's not what I would go explore the great unknown with - but for your typical forest roads, or desert ranch-roads, it's fine.
