Blind to the Value

As equipped, our test Patriot Limited 4x4's price was $29,700, and people found that hard to stomach. Dig deeper, and you find the base price for this trim is $24,550, which is a bit lower than that of the CR-V's and Tucson's higher trim levels (see them compared). The roughly $5,000 difference amounted to our Patriot's long list of options, including the automatic transmission, a moonroof and a premium stereo with unique flip-down rear speakers in the liftgate. There's also remote start, Bluetooth phone connectivity, HomeLink, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a cargo cover, roof-rack crossbars, a readout for the tire pressure monitoring system and more. The in-dash multimedia system included a well-executed navigation system with a free year of Sirius Traffic Service. It also featured both analog and digital jacks for playing and controlling audio sources and for loading songs and photos onto the onboard hard disk drive.

It's actually a lot of features for the money, but there's such a disconnect between the price and the perception of quality that people seemed blind to the value of the added options. If this doesn't illustrate the importance of aesthetic quality, nothing will.

    See also:

    Rear Tail, Stop, Turn Signal, And Backup Lamps
    1. Raise the liftgate. 2. Remove the two push-pins from the tail lamp housing. 3. Grasp the tail lamp and pull firmly rearward to disengage the lamp from the aperture panel. 4. Twist socket c ...

    Remote Starting System — If Equipped
    This system uses the Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter to start the engine conveniently from outside the vehicle while still maintaining security. The system has a range of approximatel ...

    Wiper Mode — If Equipped
    When this feature is selected, the system will automatically activate the windshield wipers if it senses moisture on the windshield. To make your selection, press and release the SELECT button u ...