2010 Jeep Patriot review
I get why people love their Jeeps: They're rough and tumble and go anywhere from a weekend at the beach to an extreme off-roading adventure. However, the 2010 Jeep Patriot feels cheap, sluggish and plastic-y, making it seem more like a toy Jeep than a real one (and not even a cute one like the miniature electric pink Barbie Jeep the neighbor girls have).
Upon starting the Patriot for the first time, I realized pretty quickly that this wasn't a toy electric Jeep. The rumbling engine actually made me wonder for a moment if my test Patriot had a diesel engine. Nope, no diesel, just a really loud cabin.
I was not only underwhelmed with the Patriot but actually annoyed by the continuously variable automatic transmission in it, which was part of the Freedom Drive II Off-Road Package. It felt slow to get up and running from a stop, and if I tried to coax it to go any faster it would rev loudly as if to say, "The kids'll get to school when I'm damn well ready to get them there." Sheesh! On top of stressing about getting the kids out the door on time, I hated having my car bark at me every morning.
See also:
Average Fuel Economy
Shows the average fuel economy since the last reset.
Average Fuel Economy can be reset by pressing and holding the SELECT button (as
prompted in the EVIC display). Upon reset, the history informati ...
Shifting
Shift Pattern
Fully press the clutch pedal before shifting gears. As you release the clutch
pedal, lightly press the accelerator pedal.
You should always use first gear when starting from a stan ...
Engine Coolant Checks
Check the engine coolant (antifreeze) protection every 12 months (before the
onset of freezing weather, where applicable). If the engine coolant (antifreeze)
is dirty or rusty in appearance, the s ...