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2011 Jeep Patriot Philadelphia

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The Jeep Patriot comes back for a new year with some handling, interior, and exterior revisions that make this SUV excel. New 2011 Jeep Patriot exterior highlights include a new front fascia with standard fog lamps; a new rear fascia that extends lower than on previous models; a body-color grille; new available 17-inch wheels; four new colors and 4x4 ride height that has been increased by 1 inch. Interior upgrades for the 2011 Jeep Patriot include new soft touch front-door trim panels with a padded upper surface; new center armrest; a new Jeep steering wheel with integrated audio; new cloth interior; standard speed control on all models; and new backlighting of switches. The Jeep Patriot also boasts a retuned suspension for 2011, with higher spring and damping rates, added rebound springs, and an increased diameter of the rear sway bar. The Jeep Patriot is available in two trims, Sport and Latitude. Buyers have three drivelines to choose from: front-wheel drive; Freedom Drive I four-wheel drive with lock mode; and Freedom Drive II Off-Road Package, a Trail-Rated four-wheel-drive system. Freedom Drive II has a continuously variable automatic transmission, which incorporates a low range for off-road driving. It also has hill descent control and Brake Traction Control. The heritage styling and extra smidge of off-pavement ability combine with a low price to make the Jeep Patriot a potentially attractive package for many buyers.

New Jeep Patriot Power

The 2011 Patriot comes standard with a 172-hp 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine and five-speed manual transmission; A Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) is optional. A 158-hp 2.0-litre engine, available with the CVT only, is available on the FWD Sport trim. The Patriot shares its small-SUV platform with the Jeep Compass but offers off-road capability its sibling doesn't. It is available in front-wheel drive or with a four-wheel-drive system that features a lock mode to enhance traction in inclement weather. The optional Freedom Drive Off-Road Group includes a continuously variable transaxle with a low range that engages when the off-road mode is activated. The package also features hill-descent control, brake lock differential, and an extra inch of ground clearance. Billed as the rugged entry-level Jeep, the Patriot is offered with several off-road features. The Patriot's AWD system can be enhanced with hill-descent control, an electronic system that automatically modulates the brakes to maintain a low speed on steep declines, and an extra-low off road gear, which is only offered in models equipped with the CVT. There's also the Freedom Drive II Off-Road Group package that adds skid plates, front and rear tow hooks and a full-size spare tire.

2011 Jeep Patriot Design

The 2011 Patriot receives some much-needed updates in the form of an exterior face-lift and some polishing to its underpinnings. These updates go above and beyond the revisions that the Patriot received for the 2009 model year, which saw significant improvements to the cabin, the suspension, and sound-deadening materials. Sharing a platform with the Jeep Compass and Dodge Caliber, the 2011 Patriot is supposed to be the most rugged of the three. It seats five people. The Patriot has a seven-slot grille, rounded headlights and trapezoidal wheel-well openings. Trail-Rated Patriots have an extra inch of ground clearance, as do models with 17-inch wheels. The most visible change to the 2011 Patriot is its new face, which drops the available faux chrome bumper or body-color trim for black lower cladding that surrounds the more centrally located foglamps and is designed to visibly extend the underbody skid plate. The black cladding also runs along the sides of the Patriot, in an effort to make the little Jeep fit in better with the rest of the brand's products. In back, new Patriots sport a taller lower rear fascia, and top-spec Latitude models have a chrome strip along the top edge of the bumper. Chrysler designers also worked to camouflage the muffler and painted the end of the tailpipe a silvery chrome hue.

Inside the '11 Patriot

Inside, the comfy, leather-cladded seats provides great lateral support for both light off-roading and day to day driving. The leather-wrapped steering wheel has a great feel, and the switches and buttons are easily accessed, losing much of the cheap sensation of its predecessor. The Patriot cabin offers tastefully applied chrome appliqués that gave the otherwise stark black interior a kick of visual flare. Also included is a host of infotainment options that car buyers have come to expect. Navigation, MP3 connectivity, satellite radio, UConnect hands-free system and 30 gigs worth of storage are all included. The 368-watt, nine-speaker Boston Acoustic sound system provides high quality sound at a reasonable cost. Two of those speakers are attached to the hatch and folds down when open - they're a perfect tailgating companion to be sure. The upgraded sound system with the hard drive storage, moonroof and nav combine to be an option; a relative bargain compared to other options on the market. Two rows of seats provide room for five, and the interior is trimmed in shades of gray or beige. The Patriot has several options, including a nine-speaker Boston Acoustics audio system with speakers that swing down from the liftgate. There's also a standard cargo-area dome light that can be removed and used as a flashlight.

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