New JEEP PATRIOT review at a glance:
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Advantages: Unbreakable build quality, conservatively priced, a comfortable place to be, plenty of kit, relatively cheap to run and own, there's enough room inside to spread out in it, camp out, God damn it – live in it if you fall on hard times.

Disadvantages: Not as practical as you would have thought, interior feels a bit sub-standard, dare we say it – Playmobil-esque, uncompromising driving position, Tonka toy aesthetics, never really aspires to being more than a beginners guide to off-roading, unsure whether it's a glorified estate of an aspirational off-roader.

Summary: With the revered likes of the Land Rover Freelander, Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 having recently vacated the entry-level 4X4 segment, Jeep has decided to plug the gap with its utilitarian-looking new Patriot off-roader. Or, as the American car manufacturer prefers to label it, a soft-roader. Not that there’s anything remotely squiggy or cuddly about the new Patriot in terms of physical appearance given that it’s sporting more acute angles than a dice. Truth be told, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the Patriot had been designed on an Etch-A-Sketch when confronted with the seriously straight nature of its accumulative lines.

On the plus side that results to the interior being extremely spacious in the absence of rakish rooflines, which is good news for occupants of all shapes and sizes. Aside from masses of room to stretch out and kick back in comfort, the cabin is fitted with plenty of kit too. However the interior surfaces and materials aren’t up to scratch or comparable to 4X4 class rivals.

Engine-wise, and the strong and taut diesel unit has all the grit and determination to drag the Patriot wherever it may roam, although passengers will find it difficult to escape its aural presence as it goes through some pretty noisy motions en route. A robust, determined and very safe mobile environment, the new Jeep Patriot wont let the side down and ultimately represents good all round value for money and would make a sound, if not leftfield choice, for those of a caravan or horsebox-pulling persuasion.



New JEEP PATRIOT Review:
Looking akin to what you'd find in the bottom of a child’s toy box, the Jeep Patriot is as bullishly, gloriously, simplistically American as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Kentucky Fried Chicken. And should be applauded for that. Of course you may want to berate it for its cheapskate cabin plastics and the sounds of the great outdoor that readily breach the Patriot's exterior shell though.

A choice from two engines means it’s a straight duke-out betwixt the 138bhp 2.0-litre turbo diesel VW-sourced power plant or the 168bhp 2.4-litre fossil fuel burner. Automated transmission is an option on the five-speed linkage on the petrol motor, yet doesn’t spread its good vibes to the oil-burner that survives with manual alone. The new Jeep Patriot proffers the two trim levels – Sport and Limited – which are both equally as uninspiring to those with any basic preconceptions of what passes as acceptable interior styling.

From a purely driving perspective, the new Patriot tackles enterprising corners without breaking sweat, and provides a smooth enough ride. With a little encouragement (and a whole lotta faith) the Patriot will seek out pastures anew should it have to as well; although being classed as a ‘soft-roader’ its ideal stomping ground will bear a closer resemblance to tarmac rather than mud, bracken, rock and ravine. Not so much the ‘great outdoors’, more just what lies directly outside the front doors. That said, the Patriot’s four-wheel drive does mean that it’ll cling on to some of the more challenging surfaces it may encounter.

Road noise isn't the be-all-and-end-all. Wind noise on the other hand will drive you insane, thanks to the Patriot's large, symposium-magnetizing wing mirrors. The diesel engine exudes workmanlike qualities too, never being happier than in the company of its own, thunderous voice.

The dashboard layout is as spartan and befuddled as what's normally trailered out of a potting shed in Wiltshire, labouring under the false guise of it being a serious sports car contender. i.e., reckless, ill-informed, but at least humourous. Yet the actual content is pretty top notch, with plenty of equipment breaking up the aesthetical tedium. Air-con, electric folding mirrors and windows and alloys lend credence to the Sport model, whilst leather, cruise, steering wheel-mounted CD controls and front fogs give the Limited version a certain distinction.

The drivers seat moves all the ways the average person needs it to, yet sadly the steering wheel doesn’t give any. So unless you’re of a universal fitting, chances are you might not ever find the ideal driving position for your girth. Still, the controls are easy enough to muddle through, be you composed animal, vegetable or mineral.

Embarrassing the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 to the tune of £3,000, the Jeep Patriot is cheaper to run on average too. 42.2mpg in diesel form ain't to be sniffed at, while the 2.4-litre petrol huffs and puffs to 32.5mpg. All models benefit from what Jeep dub the 'Smart' transmission system, which in a nutshell powers the front wheels all the time, but allows for complete four-wheel assistance should eventful circumstance dictate. For instance if you stray off the beaten track for whatever reason.

The underpinnings and mechanical aspects of importance should last the distance in the long term, although in recent surveys Jeep has finished near the bottom of the table in terms of reliability, and as strongly hinted at previously, the interior quality leaves a lot to be desired being as it is shod in different coloured, cheap to the touch plastics which even the Eastern Block car manufacturers of old would consider poor.

Should you not heed our advice and decide to let your Patriot take its chances with a more brutal environ, then rest assured if you come unstuck there’s six airbags – front, side and head - Stability Control, Brake Assist and some new-fangled apparatus that ensures the Patriot doesn’t roll over when push comes to shove.

Four pseudo-outdoorsy types of average stature will be easily accommodated whence inside the Patriot, and what are particularly well-thought out are the reclining rear seats and nifty storage spaces. The boot is deceptively large and will hold enough provisions to see you through the twister season, no worries.