Exterior & Styling

The Patriot's styling breaks no ground. Its triumph is that it looks like a Jeep. That might seem minor, but even today this vehicle class carries a cute-ute stigma, and one of the Compass' problems is that it doesn't look like a Jeep — at least not in any of the ways one might want it to. As the photos show, there's a passing resemblance between the two because they and the Dodge Caliber share the same platform, and all are assembled at the same Illinois plant.

One could argue that the squared-off Patriot most resembles Jeep's flagship, the Commander, but it more strongly honors old-school Cherokees and Grand Cherokees.

The two trim levels are Sport and Limited, with few visible differences. The Limited adds a metal-look cover to the front and rear bumpers, and upgrades the Sport's respectable 16-inch steel wheels to 17-inch alloys. The Patriot Sport has standard black roof rails, but the cross-members are optional. The Limited has aluminum rails and cross-bars as standard equipment.

    See also:

    Hill Start Assist (HSA) — If Equipped
    When on is selected, the HSA system is active. Refer to “Electronic Brake Control System” in “Starting And Operating” for system function and operating information. To make your selection, ...

    Cleaning Plastic Instrument Cluster Lenses
    The lenses in front of the instruments in this vehicle are molded in clear plastic. When cleaning the lenses, care must be taken to avoid scratching the plastic. 1. Clean with a wet soft rag.Amil ...

    Interior Care
    Use MOPAR Total Clean or equivalent to clean fabric upholstery and carpeting. Interior Trim should be cleaned starting with a damp cloth, a damp cloth with MOPAR Total Clean or equivalent, then ...