When we started our search for a new rig, the last thing on my list was a Patriot. I thought they were ugly and lame in all the ways a vehicle could be. Then...it grew on me. Now, I don't know what else we would get (in this class) if we didn't have a Patriot. I find the interior space to be pretty close to the Liberty. I think passenger space in the rear of the Liberty is more comfortable, but our only passenger is our black lab. As I've said before, the offroad proficiency of the Patriot will really surprise you, especially the FreedomDrive II system. It's really amazing. Without a doubt, it's far superior to the open diff Traction Control system on my '02 Discovery. How sad that is to admit.
Our day to day mileage is around 21 mpg. On the highway, we regularly get 24-26 mpg. With the cargo box and a bike on top it might dip to 23-24, but that number can drop to 21 again at speeds over 70mph.
A couple things to consider:
- Power, it has none. It's a gutless wonder, but after the first couple thousand miles of ownership and I had largely acclimated to slow accelerations. Not a big deal to me at this point.
- Appointments, it needs them. We got the maximum number of options possible and that's made the driving experience very enjoyable. I think these cars benefit from leather, nicer interior trim and other refinements. Otherwise, these entry level vehicles do feel cheap. The contrast between a base model and a fully appointed model is pretty profound.
Wrap all that up with a lifetime warranty and it's pretty sweet.
It's easy to think the Patriot is a tiny cupcake of a car. However, the other day I parked next to a mid 90s Cherokee and the two were pretty darn close in size. I never considered the Cherokee compact, but maybe it is.
