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:
Smartbeam™ — If Equipped
The SmartBeam™ system provides increased forward
lighting at night by automating high beam control
through the use of a digital camera mounted on the
inside rearview mirror. This camera detect ...
Electronic Speed Control – If Equipped
− Do not use in hilly terrain or with heavy loads.
− When using the speed control, if you experience speed drops greater than 10
mph (16 km/h), disengage until you can get back to cruis ...
Closing Sunroof — Manual Mode
To close the sunroof, press and hold the switch in the
forward position. Any release of the switch will stop the
movement and the sunroof will remain in a partially
closed condition until the sw ...