Is the Freedom Drive 1 going to be available with a 5 speed? Or no? It seems like the FD II will definitely not have a manual option and just the CVT? Any thoughts ?

I assume that this has been answered, but the specs for the 2007 model and Jeep's strategy to keep the Liberty their premium compact SUV both indicate that there will be only a 5-speed manual and a CVT available. And yes, the Trail Rated model, with the FDII will only be available with the special low-ratio CVT.

So if you want a bigger engine and/or a conventional automatic transmission, then the Liberty is the one to get. Jeep is walking a tightrope offering a vehicle that is the same size as the classic Cherokee and yet costs less than the equally compact Liberty, and has nearly the same specs as the carlike Compass. But if this board is any indiction, people interested in the Patriot will go straight for the FDII version. My girlfriend already is dying to test drive the trail rated version this fall. And if the Compass and Patriot take female customers away from Toyota, Suzuki, and Honda, then then Jeep will hit a home run.

...the Compass and Patriot take female customers away from Toyota, Suzuki, and Honda, then then Jeep will hit a home run.

I thought that the Compass was designed to go for the female market where the Patriot was designed to get the male market.

I am really looking forward to testing the Patriot with the ADV-II pkg. It would be nice to see another Jeep 101 come around this way. We went to the last one up here... some 7 years ago! ended up getting a Grand Cherokee as a result.

That was the last time they had anything Jeep up here. That is a shame.

I thought that the Compass was designed to go for the female market where the Patriot was designed to get the male market.


It's odd in my case. My girlfriend prefers the looks of the Patriot, and just today my buddy in Boston told me he likes the Compass better. But I think the overall pattern is that the Patriot will attract more male buyers than the Compass. From the front, the Patriot is 'cute,' but's it's boxy shape is meant to attract the fans of the classic Cherokee - the XJ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeep_Cherokee_%28XJ%29

I drive my wife's old 98 Cherokee with 221,000 miles and my wife is driving a 03 JGC. Both of us prefer the off road packaged Patriot over the Compass. Mainly, due to the utility that the Patriot offers--and its classic styling.

That's why we like the Patriot, too. It's versatility, first. Looks, second. I hope that it is large enough inside. The Liberty is too cramped to move around.

Ah - here is a photo of the new CVT being used with the Caliber, Compass, and standard Patriot (scroll down)

http://www.allpar.com/cars/dodge/caliber.html

cool find and interesting article. Thanks for posting it.