# What's like a Jeep Patriot? **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Tags:** jeep, patriot\ **Created:** [April 17, 2010, 4:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/whats-like-a-jeep-patriot/47574 "2010-04-17T16:25:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Autodad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc79bd/32.png) [@Autodad](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Autodad)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2010, 4:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/whats-like-a-jeep-patriot/47574/1 "2010-04-17T16:25:45Z")
We’re buying a used car for our new-driver daughter. We have come up to $8,000 from $5,000 in our search. The car she would really like -and we like it as well - is the Jeep Patriot, which rarely starts for less than $10K. Usually they’re higher. In this category, we’d welcome suggestions of other models that are in our price range that others have enjoyed. ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2010, 4:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/whats-like-a-jeep-patriot/47574/2 "2010-04-17T16:46:55Z")
Jeeps are a poor choice for “new drivers”… ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2010, 7:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/whats-like-a-jeep-patriot/47574/3 "2010-04-17T19:12:24Z")
You really need to do more auto research before making a decision. In the category of “Small SUVs”, the Jeep Patriot is rated by Consumer Reports as #23 in a field of 26 vehicles. I guess that you could do worse, by buying the #24, 25, or 26-rated models (Jeep Compass, Dodge Nitro, Jeep Liberty), but why not focus on the 22 models that were rated superior to the Patriot? Incidentally, do you notice a pattern, with the Chrysler-manufactured models clustered exclusively at the bottom of the barrel? That alone should give you pause. Do yourself a favor and buy the Consumer Reports Used Car Buyers Guide, which is available at Barnes & Noble, Borders Books, and larger news stands. It contains a wealth of information that you could really benefit from. ---
**Author:** ![dagosa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dagosa/32/9837_2.png) [@dagosa](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dagosa)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2010, 7:18pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/whats-like-a-jeep-patriot/47574/4 "2010-04-17T19:18:31Z")
Assume you have more car buying experience and are willing to take VDC’s good advice. You are in a sweet spot for reliable compacts with not too many miles. SUVs will be older and more trouble prone. Buy what you feel is the safest most reliable, not what she thinks is the coolest. It’s your money and safety and reliability are paramount. CR, as VDC suggests has suggestions to fit your needs. ---
**Author:** ![Harvey\_M](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/57b2e6/32.png) [@Harvey\_M](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Harvey_M)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2010, 7:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/whats-like-a-jeep-patriot/47574/5 "2010-04-17T19:19:03Z")
You guys tryed to reason with a teenage daughter? Jeeps are reliable if you keep up with maintenace but expensive if you don’t. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2010, 7:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/whats-like-a-jeep-patriot/47574/6 "2010-04-17T19:25:29Z")
What about a 2004/2005 Suzuki Grand Vitara? They are in the $7000-$8000 range. MSN Autos rates reliability high for 2003 and later. Other small SUVs like the Escape, CR-V or Rav-4 only approach this price at model year 2002 or earlier. Unless you daughter wants to off-road, the Jeeps will be less desirable than almost anything else. Road handling is harsh to make them functional off-road. ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2010, 7:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/whats-like-a-jeep-patriot/47574/7 "2010-04-17T19:59:21Z")
These vehicles are short wheelbase and have ox-cart suspensions. They can be flipped over with just flick of the wrist. Forget “cool”, by something “safe”… ---
**Author:** ![dagosa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dagosa/32/9837_2.png) [@dagosa](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dagosa)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2010, 9:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/whats-like-a-jeep-patriot/47574/8 "2010-04-17T21:50:16Z")
Tried to reason with a teenage daughter ? In the final analysis, she drives a safe car of parent’s choice, walks or rides her bike. Those are choices we gave our kids…reason about something like a car with someone with no automotive experience…no way ! ---
**Author:** ![oblivion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3ab097/32.png) [@oblivion](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oblivion)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2010, 1:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/whats-like-a-jeep-patriot/47574/9 "2010-04-18T13:41:28Z")
I think the Jeeps are a little more resistant to rolling over than most of the other choices. But any SUV is going to be more prone to rollover accidents and most are significantly less stable and controllable in a ‘panic’ maneuver than a car would be. A car would probably be safer, but she could do worse than the Jeep. ---
**Author:** ![dagosa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dagosa/32/9837_2.png) [@dagosa](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dagosa)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2010, 4:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/whats-like-a-jeep-patriot/47574/10 "2010-04-18T16:07:18Z")
See how hard a Jeep is to dump when gas prices jump to $4/gallon. We car buyers need a sense of long term practicality and this is a good teaching moment for a prospective new car buyer. Something like a Ford Focus. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2010, 4:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/whats-like-a-jeep-patriot/47574/11 "2010-04-18T16:12:09Z")
Do you mean to tell me that a parent does not have the responsibility to buy a child each and every material object that he/she desires? My God, the next thing you will tell us is that sometimes children are irresponsible or do not make rational decisions! ;-)) ---
**Author:** ![SonofSpermcube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@SonofSpermcube](https://community.cartalk.com/u/SonofSpermcube)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 6:10am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/whats-like-a-jeep-patriot/47574/12 "2010-04-19T06:10:27Z")
Good thing the Patriot (and Compass, same platform and powertrains) isn’t a real Jeep. It’s a re-paneled Dodge Caliber. ---
**Author:** ![SonofSpermcube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@SonofSpermcube](https://community.cartalk.com/u/SonofSpermcube)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 6:12am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/whats-like-a-jeep-patriot/47574/13 "2010-04-19T06:12:53Z")
Not really a problem with this one…again, not a real Jeep. It gets fuel economy comparable to a Subaru Legacy. That isn’t to say it’s a good car. ---
**Author:** ![SonofSpermcube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@SonofSpermcube](https://community.cartalk.com/u/SonofSpermcube)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 6:18am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/whats-like-a-jeep-patriot/47574/14 "2010-04-19T06:18:22Z")
Better choices: Subaru Legacy Subaru Impreza Subaru Forester Suzuki SX4 Mazda Protege 5 Late 90s Honda Accord wagon Any Volvo Toyota Matrix / Pontiac Vibe All should be more reliable. Only the Volvo should cost more to fix when it breaks, but expect it to break less often than the Dodge-Jeep. ---
**Author:** ![Gibson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f0a364/32.png) [@Gibson](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Gibson)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 2:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/whats-like-a-jeep-patriot/47574/15 "2010-04-19T14:12:52Z")
I second the Matrix/Vibe. Nice thing is with the current panic on Toyota products, you can probably get one for a song. ---
**Author:** ![twotone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@twotone](https://community.cartalk.com/u/twotone)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 3:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/whats-like-a-jeep-patriot/47574/16 "2010-04-19T15:06:42Z")
Not much, fortunately. Twotone ---
**Author:** ![dagosa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dagosa/32/9837_2.png) [@dagosa](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dagosa)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 9:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/whats-like-a-jeep-patriot/47574/17 "2010-04-19T21:53:38Z")
I’d like to know what OP drives. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree and it’s real hard to go one way with a car choice for kids if the parents are driving something dramatically different. It’s easy to convince kids to go with a compact…if that’s all the family had otherwise. If like OP says, they like it too, we could be wasting our time and just having another friendly banter session. ---
**Author:** ![Whitey](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/whitey/32/24680_2.png) [@Whitey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Whitey)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 1:36am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/whats-like-a-jeep-patriot/47574/18 "2010-04-20T01:36:55Z")
That doesn’t change the fact that it has a high center of gravity and no stability control. I still wouldn’t recommend it for a new driver. I have told this story before, so I hope you don’t get sick of it. I was on my way to work one day in my car. I work at a university. I watched the Jeep Patriot (or it could have been a Jeep Liberty - don’t remember what kind of Jeep it was, but it wasn’t a Wrangler) in front of me veer from the road onto the grass median. The driver, a female student, over-corrected to steer back towards the road. Then she over-corrected two more times and rolled the Patriot over a couple times. It ended up on its tires. The thing looked like she had been in a multiple vehicle collision, but she didn’t hit anything. The student didn’t have any major injuries, but she was totally freaked out. She obviously wasn’t paying attention to her driving, but if she had been in a car, or an SUV with stability control, she probably would not have rolled the thing. This accident was totally avoidable, but do your daughter a favor and get her something that is more forgiving of foolish mistakes like this one. ---
**Author:** ![Whitey](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/whitey/32/24680_2.png) [@Whitey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Whitey)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 1:39am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/whats-like-a-jeep-patriot/47574/19 "2010-04-20T01:39:54Z")
No, I know better than to try to reason with a teenage girl. That is why the parents are supposed to be in charge, so they don’t have to “reason.” ---
**Author:** ![SonofSpermcube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@SonofSpermcube](https://community.cartalk.com/u/SonofSpermcube)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 1:47am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/whats-like-a-jeep-patriot/47574/20 "2010-04-20T01:47:03Z")
It’s barely any higher than the Caliber on which it is based. It isn’t a truck-based SUV, which is where most of the SUV handling problem reputation comes from. I wouldn’t recommend it for a new driver or any driver though. [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/whats-like-a-jeep-patriot/47574.md?page=2)