An SUV that is great for your family, a car that is great for off-roading, and a machine that is safe and comfortable to drive. When it comes to these three things, the Jeep Patriot is the best travel companion because it can do all three.
The four-cylinder Jeep Patriot makes it easy to drive off-road. This machine can be driven in 44 mode, and its 17-inch tyres and 8-inch ground clearance make it even better. The Jeep Patriot can go up hills, over rocks, through sand, and even on snow. It can handle almost any kind of trail or terrain.
With this article, we’ll learn more about what the Jeep Patriot can do, what to think about if you want to take it off-roading, and what to watch out for. This article has everything you need to know, from terrains to how not to compare SUVs.
Can A Jeep Patriot Go Off-Road?
The Jeep Patriot, or “Pattie” as its loyal customers call it, is an SUV known for being flexible and useful for many different things. This vehicle is easy to use and efficient at the same time. Its 4WD systems have great traction control, and the inside is very roomy and comfortable.
The SUV has a good balance between being easy to drive in cities and being tough enough to go off-roading. But the question of how good the Jeep Patriot is for off-roading remains.
Let’s take a look at the features of the Patriot boats that make them good for off-roading and how well they do in those situations.
Jeep Patriot off-road features
The Patriot is trail-rated, and it got this name because it can go through rough terrain and tough conditions without getting too hot.
With skid-plated 17-inch tyres and a 19:1 crawl ratio for steep terrain, we can be sure that the Patriot’s undercarriage will be safe if it ever needs to go off-road.
People often say that when looking for a good off-road vehicle, you should look at the ground clearance, the ability to lift, the machine’s towing power, and, of course, the size of the tyres.
Other features, like being able to switch to 4WD and having built-in features, are also useful.
As we’ve already said, the Jeep Patriot has a very good ground clearance of 8 inches and a good angle of approach of 26.4 degrees. It also has a 29-degree departure angle and a 24-degree break-over angle, both of which help when the machine needs to move up or down slopes or over rocks and stones.
It also has a feature called Freedom Drive II, which uses a centre coupling that can be locked to help the driver handle sand or snow better on the road.
The Patriot also has a high air intake, which makes it easy for it to cross waterways that are up to 19 inches deep. This SUV can drive right through mud and water.
Its off-road traction control, Hill-Descent, and Hill-Start Assist features give the driver much-needed help when driving on hills or mountains.
Now, all of this is great, but a lot of users say that even though the Jeep Patriot is comfortable in both cities and hills, it doesn’t reach the point where it’s perfect in both places. Because it’s a cross-over vehicle, there is a bit of room for improvement or compromise on the part of the user.
Best Jeep Patriot trim level for off-roading
Since the Jeep Patriot has been so popular since it came out in 2006, the company made different trim levels for the SUV.
The Patriot has been making these different models, which can be called the Jeep Patriot Sport, the Jeep Patriot Latitude, the Sport Altitude II, or the High-Altitude model.
Each of these four trims has its own pros and cons, but we’re looking for the best trim level for off-roading and a good trail experience.
Let’s start with the Sport Variant. It has a powerful 2 Liter I-4 engine that produces about 158 horsepower and 141 lb-ft of torque. This is made easier by the fact that it can pull 907 kilogrammes.
It has the standard five-speed manual and six-speed automatic transmissions, as well as an Off-Road Crawl Ratio and both 4X4 and FWD.
If we compare the sports version to the Sport Altitude II, we’ll see that this version of the Patriot has more horsepower, up to 172, and almost 165 lb.-ft. of torque for about the same price as the Sport Altitude II.
This is because the 2.4-liter I-4 16-valve dual VVT engine is more powerful. The rest of the features are pretty much the same as the original sports trim level.
The Jeep Patriot North Edition is almost the same as the Sports Altitude II. It has the same engine, but it has more high-tech features inside, like seats that can recline, etc.
And finally, the Patriot High Altitude model is the most comfortable Jeep Patriot. It has a very high-tech console and is more comfortable than the other models.
In short, the Sport Altitude II version is for you if you want more power and better gas mileage when off-roading.
As we’ve already talked about, a machine’s ability to go off-road depends a lot on how much it can pull and how much power it has. This puts almost all trim levels in the same boat.
If you want more comfort, go for the higher-end trim levels. If you want to be more efficient on rough terrain, though, the Sport Altitude II versions are better than the Latitude or Sport versions, but only by a small amount.
Is the Jeep Patriot A True 4×4?
Even though the Jeep Patriot might not be the biggest or most rugged 4WD vehicle, most reviews agree that it is a strong and sturdy 4WD.
For the price and the quality it offers for that price, it is definitely worth the money and a good SUV to have.
Lots of people who have used the Jeep Patriot have said that it has been more than reliable even in the worst conditions, like heavy rain or snow-covered roads.
It can handle steep curves and rough terrain, has great traction control and braking with ABS, the right ground clearance, and just enough horsepower to be a good starting 4×4 for this kind of off-roading. Even though it’s not a typical 4×4, it’s definitely a reliable one.
Jeep Patriot vs. Other Vehicles for Off-Roading
Aside from its usual fans, the Jeep Patriot doesn’t have a lot of fans among Jeep users or off-roading fans.
Since its first year on the market, many customers have had minor complaints when comparing it to other 44 vehicles. Most of these problems were fixed in the first few years, but critics were still not happy.
Most of the problems people have with the Jeep Patriot, though, are that its interior isn’t as nice as that of more expensive 4x4s or that it doesn’t have as much horsepower or torque as some of its competitors (such as the Wrangler, etc.)
In this way, they are right, but even though the Jeep Patriot has less power and a less exciting interior, its low starting prices and reliability have kept it competitive in the market.
Even though other off-roading vehicles might be faster and more sturdy, this little SUV can still get the job done in some way.
Most of the problems that users have found with its models are related to the fact that they need to be maintained, that they don’t go as fast because the engines aren’t as powerful, that the interiors are a bit noisier and the soundproofing isn’t as good when driving on the highway, and that they sometimes leak water.
All of these aren’t big problems and are easy to deal with or fix. Many users have suggestions that can improve the SUV’s off-road capabilities and make it better in areas where it falls short.
A few small changes, like adding fog lights to the back or changing the tyres, can make the machine a beast on the trails, and what could be better than that?
Even though the Patriot is not a top-of-the-line Jeep, it is still a popular off-road vehicle for people who can’t spend more.
Final Words
Even though this small SUV might not be a monster on the 4×4 trails and might not be able to make its way through a road that is muddy, bumpy, or covered in snow. This little Jeep Patriot still has what it takes to be a great off-roading vehicle.
Even though it might not be the best for big trips, its low towing capacity, medium ground clearance, and ability to resist being lifted high make it a great asset for small trips that you only do occasionally. It will definitely do a good job and will be a reliable companion on your travels.
With the right maintenance and a few small changes or upgrades, this affordable SUV can be the perfect bridge between a fun city car and a reliable off-roading vehicle.
