Limiteds are certainly spruced up from the bare-bones offerings, coming with leather upholstery, heated front seats, steering-wheel radio controls, antilock brakes, fog lights and all the power equipment many folks find essential today like windows, door locks and mirrors.
The engine is a 172-horsepower, 2.4-liter 4-cylinder. It is mated with a continuously variable transmission, which seems interesting on a Jeep. This likely does help with fuel economy with EPA mileage estimates of 21 mpg city and 24 mpg highway.
Where the Patriot really stands out is in the way of safety features. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety considers this Jeep to be one of the best compact SUVs in the category of safety, particularly when the optional front-seat-mounted side airbags are included.
The Patriot is a case of Jeep carrying on with what it does well.
David Mikesell is a free-lance automotive reviewer based in Indianapolis. Read this review and others like it at DaytonDailyNews.com/Wheels.
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