The 2010 Jeep Patriot compact SUV is available in Sport and Limited trims. The price-leading Sport comes with 16-inch steel wheels, a tilt steering wheel, air-conditioning, a 60/40-split folding rear seatback and a four-speaker CD/MP3 stereo with an auxiliary audio jack. Moving up to the Limited nets 17-inch alloy wheels, foglights, privacy glass, chrome exterior accents, keyless entry, a 115-volt power outlet, cruise control, leather upholstery, heated front seats, a fold-flat front passenger seat, reclining rear seatbacks, a leather-wrapped steering wheel (includes audio controls), a trip computer and a six-CD/MP3 changer.
Most Jeep Patriots are powered by a 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder engine with 172 horsepower and 165 pound-feet of torque. A five-speed manual transmission is standard, and a CVT is optional. Buyers can choose from either front-wheel drive or one of two 4WD configurations -- light-duty Freedom Drive I or off-road-ready Freedom Drive II, the latter of which boasts a low-range gear and is available only with the CVT. Front-wheel-drive Sport models can also be equipped with a 158-hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder and either transmission.
The Patriot's cabin features large gauges, simple controls and a whole lot of cheap hard plastic. Build quality is likewise unimpressive. The front seats are nicely shaped, but the beltline is too high for an SUV wannabe, depriving drivers of that commanding view of the road, and the steering wheel lacks a telescoping function. On the bright side, the optional navigation system's touchscreen interface is mostly intuitive, and it offers high-tech features that aren't available on some competing models.
The 2010 Jeep Patriot's 2.4-liter engine boasts a respectable 172 hp, but it still feels rather lethargic when you put your foot in it. Much of the blame here goes to the CVT, which takes its sweet time responding to significant throttle inputs. Moreover, once it figures out that you want maximum power, it holds the engine speed at redline, which sounds unpleasant enough that you'll think twice about flooring it in the future. Not surprisingly, the smaller 2.0-liter engine is even less gratifying.
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