We say The Patriot is cheap, but nasty in places and a long way off the class-leaders.Performance 161bhp 2.2-litre diesel is the best option as it has a lot of pulling power, is reasonably fast, works well with manual ‘box and is cheaper than the Patriot’s sluggish 2.4-litre.Emissions Between 180 and 196g/km is a bit high, even for a 4x4 like the Patriot. Combined 42.2mpg in the 2.2 diesel is decent though.Driving The Patriot drives surprisingly well, especially for a 4x4. It has lots of grip, steering is very intuitive and it handles rough terrain brilliantly.Feel The Patriot’s engines are quite noisy in virtually every situation, though very little road or wind noise finds its way into the cabin. Wallowy in the corners, but should make a decent cruiser.Space Rear space in the Patriot is good for two, and there’s plenty of space up front. The boot is reasonable at 536 litres, extending to 1.357 however.Equipment Air conditioning, electric front/rear windows and alloy wheels come on base Patriot models. Cruise control, tinted windows and leather seats come in the next two trim levels.Price The Jeep Patriot is aggressively priced but residuals aren’t particularly appealing. Running costs are affordable with the diesel.Quality The Patriot’s cabin is of poor standard. Cheap materials aplenty and the fit and finish is just as bad. Jeep doesn’t have a very good reliability record either.Safety Six airbags, stability control and brake assist are fitted to all Patriot models. It has not been Euro NCAP crash tested.Pros Decent fuel economy in diesel-fitted models, good standard kit.Cons Poor residuals, loud engines, appalling cabin quality.Alternatives Toyota RAV4, Land Rover Discovery , Kia Sportage, Honda CR-V, Nissan X-Trail
