The 2010 Patriot looks exactly like a Jeep and can't possibly be mistaken for anything else. It has the bold, square lines that are associated with this brand. A vertically striped grille with the unmistakable Jeep lettering above it grabs your attention as does the big, bug-eyed headlights. It reminded me a bit of the old Jeep Cherokee that my dad drove when I was little, only without the retro wood paneling.

What did seem kind of retro about the Patriot was the Sunburst Orange paint my test car came dressed up in. I can't say I'm a fan of orange cars, but apparently plenty of people are.

One feature that certainly didn't exist back when my dad was driving his Jeep was a remote start function. This would be an absolute dream in extreme weather, allowing you to stay inside the comfort of the coffee shop while you start up your Jeep and warm it (or cool it) to the optimal temperature before even stepping one foot outside the door. That might even be worth paying the extra $1,235 to get the feature as part of the Security and Cargo Convenience Package.

SENSE AND STYLE

Family Friendly (Not Really, Fair, Great, Excellent): Fair

Fun-Factor (None, Some, Good Times, Groove-On): None