I've heard some good and some bad about the CVT--good for fuel efficiency but revs up high when pushed and can be a little noisy...wondering if anybody is looking for a manual tranny in the Patriot?

As stated in other discussions, if you want the FDII, you must get the CVT. With the other options, you can get a manual transmission. Since I would want the FDII, I would get the CVT.

The reason the engine revs high with the CVT is the computer determines the best throttle position for the best hp/torque/fuel economy based on driver input (gas pedal).

My wife's Prius has a CVT. It takes a little getting used to. But once you get used to it you don't pay it any attention. Still the best thing about CVT is no shifting. Nice and smooth from 0 to highway speeds.

Since I want FDII.... I have to go with CVT.

Manual for me. Don't need the FDII, prefer the manual tranny anyway over an automatic. CVT can feel pokey. MPG is better. Saves about $1200.

Good enough for me :)

CVT? Not for me. Give me the gears.

yeah its an interesting question. The CVT is an odd thing to get used to. Since the engine has a high power band if you floor it it seems to drone on forever. I want the gears but need to replace my vehicle sooner rather then later. Since I think manual trannys are going to be scarce and will arrive late I may have little option but the CVT. Same goes for FDII. Late availability.

MT, better gas mileage, more fun, and cheaper!

Honestly the only reason I would get the FD II is to say I have it, I doubt it would ever be truely used.

I'll respond with my own biased opinion; I drove a corporate Prius with CVT for a few years and really disliked the CVT. The engine would just scream when driving through hilly terrain and mountain passes as the CVT adjusted for speed. I felt completely disconnected from the driving experience and never really acclimated to the system. Given that I will honestly only be negotiating marginal dirt roads on a daily basis, rather than real off-roading, I will stick (sorry) with the performance and control provided by the manual tranny. I think, however, DC made a mistake not to provide the gas engine with the six speed manual with 6.xx ratio granny low as a viable alternative to the CVT system.

Loved the CVT on a Caliber rental for a week in s Texas, did not want to go back. I didn't hear any of this high revving thats being talked about, seemed smooth and not screaming to me. Its a very refined engine/transmission combo.

Manual all the way. However the placement of the stick seems awkward.

been driving manual for 11 years - time to treat myself to lazy auto! plus all the new gadgets and accessorizing im seeing, a stick seems like suicide to me. my bias is that im using it for urban driving and commute.

One thing about CVTs I'm wondering about is their longevity? Do they die at some point, say 100,000 miles? Does the CVT belt need to be replaced at some interval like the engine timing belt?

That's what I'm worried about. My brother-in-law just had his 2002 Audi CVT fail and it was a $7000 replacement. They said it couldn't be repaired.

Yeah, I'm a little nervous about the CVT. Especially since this vehicle only has a 3/36 warranty. I wish they offerred a conventional automatic. I guess we can only hope that today's CVTs are better than they were 5 years ago. $7,000 sounds like an awful lot of money for a tranny. Ouch!

The placement is a bit awkward, but I'll take a manual on the dashboard before I take an automatic that revs at 3000 rpms for a mile when getting on the highway.

The only comment I'll add is: If you are worried about the longevity of the CVT belt - than by all means purchase an extended warranty through Chrysler at the paper signing to cover all of the mechanical components including transmission failure.

This alone should be enough piece of mind to diswade anyone from "steering clear" of the CVT function.

Besides - if there are failures, they'll show up in the Caliber first since they've been on the roads the longest.

I spent an afternoon with the Compass with CVT and the 2.4. I did not experience any of the complaints registered here. IE, the high revs. The only time the engine goes to high revs (6000) is when you floor it. Normal part throttle (pedal) produces moderate rpm levels for accelertion, depending on the load and speed needed. Nothing I experienced was offensive. Most of the time the engine transmission package exhibited seemless power and quiet running. The engine revs at 65 on a flat run were 2150 which translates into a long legged vehicle. Should be less revs than the manual at 65 and that means good fuel economy--potentially better than the ratings.
Just my take but if you want easy driving go with the CVT.
BTW, when the cruise control was engaged the engine responded immediately to load conditions but not with extreme revs but with subtle changes in rpm that were not detectable unless I was looking at the tachometer. This tells me that the powertrain computer program is quite advanced. I would venture to say that the cruise control can drive the vehicle more effeciently with the CVT than with the manual.

When i test drove our local patriot with CVT i noticed that the engine would rev wildly when i would romp or let off from a romp on the pedal. Many drivers that claim they never experienced this "CVT rev" most likely wont because of their driving style. I know i cant drive conservatively and i knew the CVT would irritate me to no end and makes me always wonder if the trans is going bad.
Also the longevity issues are starting to pop up on many other brands where CVT has been used for several years and it seems they dont last much longer than 75k miles according to Nissan techs with the CVT in muranos.
I chose my patriot with FDI and 5spd manual because i love the jolt i get in between shifts and i can diagnose any problems the car might have in the future much better with manual. Also i like being more connected to the car and have that feeling of connectivity that the CVT leaves you without.

...the longevity issues are starting to pop up on many other brands where CVT has been used for several years and it seems they dont last much longer than 75k miles according to Nissan techs...

That make me nervous. :( Gee, that Suzuki SX4 is looking a little more attractive.

Drove a manual tranny Compass and, although the location of the shifter location appears awkward, it's really well located and shifted very smoothly with clear gear detents and reasonable throw. Learning curve was really non-existent; this appears to be a nicely mated transmission that makes the 2.4 come to life particularly when compared to the CVT. Engine was a bit buzzy but pulled reasonably well with the gearing although I would hesitate to call it "sporty" when comparing to the manual tranny 4.0 Cherokee. The tranny is, however, light-years ahead of the AX15 in the Cherokee.

the CVT was a concern of mine and test drove it a couple times to put my mind at ease.I'm to old for a 5 speed and do alot of city driving, it would drive my crazy. On weekends i'm in the mountains of the east coast, so not alot of big passes to go up and over like out west. I could see the engine being pushed in those conditions, but for me the CVT is just fine. I always take an extended warranty, so i should be good to go.

Drove a manual tranny Compass and, although the location of the shifter location appears awkward, it's really well located and shifted very smoothly with clear gear detents and reasonable throw. Learning curve was really non-existent; this appears to be a nicely mated transmission that makes the 2.4 come to life particularly when compared to the CVT. Engine was a bit buzzy but pulled reasonably well with the gearing although I would hesitate to call it "sporty" when comparing to the manual tranny 4.0 Cherokee. The tranny is, however, light-years ahead of the AX15 in the Cherokee.


HighDesert, how do you think the manual tranny and the 2.4 would do off road? Does 1st gear seem low enough to lug up a hill and/or keep you slow going down?

Hmmmm ... good question concerning the off road issue. As best I recollect, first gear seemed lower than the first in my Cherokee. The clutch was very light with good modulation; a real delight compared to other jeeps I have driven. So, I would suspect the overall gearing to be quite adequate for marginal dirt roads, meaning heavily rutted, washboard, and occasionally stopping to move slowly over a hump or log. I believe the ground clearance and wheel base may actually be more of a limitation than the transmission.

For what it's worth, I live on an unmaintained dirt road and would have no reservations about the Patriot as a daily driver.

Seems to me CVTs are a bit like going to prison or sufffering a disabling injury. I have heard a ton of folks say they eventually "get used to it" but I don't recall anyone actually saying they enjoy it.

I am ordering the 5 speed. I can understand why they do not offer the trail rated version with a manual tranny (the low range is integrated into the CVT) but I am disappointed I cannot order the suspension and undercarriage upgrades with the manual either.

P.S. I found the position of the shifter looked awkward as well, but it fell to hand perfectly, especially after I figured how how to slide the armrest forward.

Seems to me CVTs are a bit like going to prison or sufffering a disabling injury. I have heard a ton of folks say they eventually "get used to it" but I don't recall anyone actually saying they enjoy it.

I am ordering the 5 speed. I can understand why they do not offer the trail rated version with a manual tranny (the low range is integrated into the CVT) but I am disappointed I cannot order the suspension and undercarriage upgrades with the manual either.

P.S. I found the position of the shifter looked awkward as well, but it fell to hand perfectly, especially after I figured how how to slide the armrest forward.

I agree with you about the wanting all the off road goodies offered with the trail rated version escecially the 1" higher ground clearance and heavy duty rear suspension. Hopefully someone will come out with an aftermarket kit that will allow you to outfit your Patriot with everything the FDII has to offer minus the CVT w/crawl gear. I would still rather see it offered as a special package from Jeep. Maybe someone is listening....

I have heard a ton of folks say they eventually "get used to it" but I don't recall anyone actually saying they enjoy it.



I have always driven standards. But at the same time I have always driven sports cars. And I think a sport car w/ an automatic is like an off road vehicle w/o a lo gear. It doesnt do what it should. But I liked the cvt. I dont want a Patriot for going fast. I want it for off roading. I especially thought the cvt was super nice in stop and go traffic. It was much more effortless and smooth than the best manual could ever give you. And Im sure off road, the cvt will be much better than a standard could ever be, giving you the right amount of torque and giving it very smoothly. Lots of people off road with a standard but an all day outing can really wear out your clutch leg, and giving too much torque can get you into trouble.

Superdave,
If you had a choice between a traditional automatic and a CVT on the Patriot, which would you pick?

Agree that DC needs to offer the off-road suspension as an option. Jeep provided this as the UpCountry option on the Cherokee independent of transmission choice, so why not on the Patriot?

I think one of the reviewers hit the nail on the head when he said get an old Cherokee and build it for off-road use. After market parts are prevalent and, very importantly, the lift is not limited by the constraints of the independent suspension. And, when that first dent occurs, there won't be the anguish of trashing a new vehicle.

Edmunds states "Equipped with the CVT, the Patriot feels flat-footed as that transmission seems to sap power from the engine. With the manual gearbox, there's more thrust on tap, and it's delivered in a more linear and familiar fashion. With a 0-60-mph estimate of around 10 seconds for the 2.4-liter four with a CVT, the Patriot is a mid- to back-packer in the small SUV segment."

Motor Trend shows a 0-60 of 9.3sec for the Manual tranny. Those figures are consistent with the former Cherokee where the manual tranny was at least one second faster to sixty than the automatic.

I suppose, for now, we have to decide whether we want performance on-road or off-road ...

What I see is that DC wanted a simple and economical solution for the auto transmission and furthermore they didn't want to add an extra low gear system (which increases cost and weight) to the trail rated version.

I haven't drive a CVT yet but if it fits the bill (for me the trail rated version is one way) then I have no problem with high performance on-road.

Superdave,
If you had a choice between a traditional automatic and a CVT on the Patriot, which would you pick?

For me, if Im not shifting myself, it doesnt matter that much. All and all, if a traditional and CVT were both offered and priced the same I would still take the CVT because I dont think there is any advantage to a traditional transmission. And Jeep seems to like 4 speeds and I just dont think they drive as well as 5 or 6 speed autos. The CVT gets better gas mileage, its a smoother ride, and I think you'll get less wheel spin and better traction off road. I read a review of the Compass where they were climbing sand dunes, and they were saying they thought the way that the CVT adjusts allowed them better climbing then they would have gotten in a traditional transmission.

I know there are some maintence concerns but I dont have any. My dads best friend just had to replace an auto tranny on his Liberty thats only a couple of years old. And I think with belts and pulleys theres less to screw up and that it'd be easier to fix than rebuilding a traditional transmission. Some people are bothered by the lack of shifts, but I think people will get used to it as more and more cars start to use CVTs. And with as much traffic as I deal with in Dallas/Ft Worth, it reduces my wife's car sickness with its smoothness.

I think that it is a highly personal decision. I like manual transmissions. But I don't like getting stuck in stop-n-go traffic with a manual. For vehicles with small engines, manual transmissions really aren't geared for the open highways. They're geared to improve acceleration from a stop. My previous vehicle (05 Scion xB) had the smoothest shifting manual I've ever driven. It was great for in-city driving...very zippy. But the gearing wasn't optimized for highway cruising. The tach wobbled around 4000 RPMs at 75mph... and 4500 at 80.

I now have nearly 700 miles on my CVT equipped Patriot and was able get it up to 70mph. I was quite pleased to see the engine whispering at about 2200 RPMs. In the city, when I needed to quickly accelerate from a standing stop, punching the accelerator brought the vehicle up to speed quickly.

It's too early to tell for sure, but based on what I've experienced so far with the CVT, I'm sold!

I don't care if others think that "real Jeeps" only have manual transmissions. If the CVT offers the best of both worlds (city and highway driving) then that's what matters to me. Especially on the open Arizona highways out here.

Loved the CVT on a Caliber rental for a week in s Texas, did not want to go back. I didn't hear any of this high revving thats being talked about, seemed smooth and not screaming to me. Its a very refined engine/transmission combo.

Did you drive along the endless straighaways of Texas or some sharp hills in Colorado?

We have Patriot that weighs 1500 kg (the 4x4 limited) with 172 hp which means 8.7 kg/hp. This a very good number at least for my taste and my European mind.

I really don't understand why you are so afraid of the performance of the car
For example the RAV4 with 2.0l engine weighs 1550 kg and has 152 hp= 10,19 kg/hp
Hyundai Santa Fe 2.7 V6 1780 kg and 189hp = 9,4 kg/hp
Jeep Liberty 3.7 V6 1941kg and 210Hp = 9.24 kg/hp
even Hummer H3 with 3.7 weighs 2231 kg with 245hp = 9,1 kg/hp

The only difference between Liberty and Patriot is the extra torque of Liberty due to bigger engine.

I hope that real world will verify my assumption based on paper numbers

PS1. That's a very simplistic approach (a wrong final drive ratio could kill all the benefits of good kg/hp analogy) but anyway a true one.
PS2. My only concern is that most of the pundit's reviews dislike the CVT and it's performance

It is a point of veiw type thing. People, in the US and Canada, have become accustomed to cars and trucks with 200 plus horsepower and well over 200 ft/pounds of torque. They just assume it is underpowered.

I can only say that I was opposed to the idea of CVT so much that I never even considered it.First of all if CVT would be such a great idea then it would be widely used on other vehicles as well and it's not. Secondly I could alwas see some rubber belts in my transmission getting loose and sliping tranny issn't in a plan for me.And thirdly I hear from many that have actually test driven the CVT that it feels like driving an electric streetcar.
I think that unless you do lots of city driving where you stop and go all the time than the standart gearing is a much better choice.
Yes,CVT may be great but not for me.

It doesn't drive like a streetcar - it drives like a motorboat. Under light throttle, there is a very traditional and familiar relationship between the movement of your right foot, the engine note and the motion of the vehicle. But, like a boat, if you are underway and suddenly wish to briskly accelerate, your foot goes down, the engine note comes up (alarmingly, when you are new to it) and the vehicle doesn't seem to actually respond. Unlike a regular transmission with a planetary set of gears, there's no "kickdown" feel, no sudden lunge, very little to indicate that the gas pedal is anything but a volume control.

Then you realize that the speedometer indicates that you are rapidly accelerating, and still, the engine soundl like it is doing something not directly related to that acceleration - odd, indeed.

I think we'll get used to it. The same way we got used to the idea (although it took 5 decades) that wheelspin doesn't indicate rocket-like acceleration or excessive engine power, just bad chassis dynamics. We'll eventually learn that the kickdown lunge is just drama - it is not necessary for (and in some cases is detrimental to) acceleration.

Funny story, BTW. I heard many years ago that when Chrysler was designing the first LHS, the test group thought it was underpowered and slow, even though the instrumented testing showed it was near the top of the pack in comparative acceleration. Apparently, they had developed the chassis dymanics to such a degree that the car's behavior became boring, and they were forced to reverse-engineer back into the car some of the old "drama" like acceleration squat and braking nose dive so that drivers wouldn't get the impression that the car was so smooth because it wasn't doing anything.

Maybe they'll do this with the Patriot. There are some CVTs that have "ratio settings" set as defaults, so drivers feel that they are more connected to what's happening under the hood...

I can only say that I was opposed to the idea of CVT so much that I never even considered it.First of all if CVT would be such a great idea then it would be widely used on other vehicles as well and it's not. Secondly I could alwas see some rubber belts in my transmission getting loose and sliping tranny issn't in a plan for me.And thirdly I hear from many that have actually test driven the CVT that it feels like driving an electric streetcar.
I think that unless you do lots of city driving where you stop and go all the time than the standart gearing is a much better choice.
Yes,CVT may be great but not for me.

The reason its not widely used on many other vehicles is because so many people are opposed to it simply because its differant than what their used to. It like the old architects Ive worked with who still seem to think that drawing with a pencil is better than autocad, when its really that they are opposed to the new technology that they dont really understand. Or the old attorneys I work with who have to do all thier research by book instead of on the computer even though the computer search all 100x more effiecent. As people start to get used to the idea of CVTs they will be in more and more cars, and eventually I am sure they will out number traditional transmissions.

People who have a problem with the fact it doesnt shift or as you put it "feels like an electric street cars" are like the people who dont like to use computers cause "that's not the way they used to do it". You actually lose alot of momentum and power when a transmission shift,s so CVTs are actually faster than regular transmissions because they apply power in the perfect ratio as opposed to traveling through the optimal powerband. People just arnt used to car that doesnt shift.

It amazes me that people think that a couple of pulleys is likely to be more problematic than a complex set of mechanical gears. It is a basic concept of mechanics that the simplier the machine the less problematic. There are few moving parts interacting in a CVT. With a traditional trnasmission you can easily shave gears and have bits of metal reaking havok, among many other things that can go wrong.

The idea that a CVT is only going to benifit you with alot of city driving isnt accurate. Because a CVT can vary the ratio and a traditional transmission has a fixed ratio, it is possible to get far lower rpms during highway crusing than a traditional transmission, especially at higher speeds.

For me the purchase of a new vehicle is a big deal. The next vehicle I buy will take me into retirement and I will need to keep it for quite a while. It will also replace my Neon with automatic that gets 40mpg highway, and my Toyota truck with manual which gets 31.5 mpg.

For my only car I would like to have an automatic. I would realy like to have a Patriot for its form and function, but I am leary of both reliability of CVT and am disapointed by the gas milage with that transmission. Many conventional automatics get within 1mpg of their manual counterparts, some get the same milage and one gets better with the auto than the manual! I am afraid that Jeep's claim that they chose the CVT for better gas milage than a conventional automatic does not stand up to the facts.

Since my knees are not getting any younger, and the CVT does not appeal to me, I think I will either wait a year or two to see if jeep will offer a conventional automatic, or I will need to consider an Chevy HHR or a PT Cruiser.

But dang it, I would realy like a Patriot the most.:confused:

For me the purchase of a new vehicle is a big deal. The next vehicle I buy will take me into retirement and I will need to keep it for quite a while. It will also replace my Neon with automatic that gets 40mpg highway, and my Toyota truck with manual which gets 31.5 mpg.

For my only car I would like to have an automatic. I would realy like to have a Patriot for its form and function, but I am leary of both reliability of CVT and am disapointed by the gas milage with that transmission. Many conventional automatics get within 1mpg of their manual counterparts, some get the same milage and one gets better with the auto than the manual! I am afraid that Jeep's claim that they chose the CVT for better gas milage than a conventional automatic does not stand up to the facts.

Since my knees are not getting any younger, and the CVT does not appeal to me, I think I will either wait a year or two to see if jeep will offer a conventional automatic, or I will need to consider an Chevy HHR or a PT Cruiser.

But dang it, I would realy like a Patriot the most.:confused:

wow Patriot vs HHR and PT cruiser...tough decision...:p

For me the purchase of a new vehicle is a big deal. The next vehicle I buy will take me into retirement and I will need to keep it for quite a while. It will also replace my Neon with automatic that gets 40mpg highway, and my Toyota truck with manual which gets 31.5 mpg.

For my only car I would like to have an automatic. I would realy like to have a Patriot for its form and function, but I am leary of both reliability of CVT and am disapointed by the gas milage with that transmission. Many conventional automatics get within 1mpg of their manual counterparts, some get the same milage and one gets better with the auto than the manual! I am afraid that Jeep's claim that they chose the CVT for better gas milage than a conventional automatic does not stand up to the facts.

Since my knees are not getting any younger, and the CVT does not appeal to me, I think I will either wait a year or two to see if jeep will offer a conventional automatic, or I will need to consider an Chevy HHR or a PT Cruiser.

But dang it, I would realy like a Patriot the most.:confused:
Sounds like a Scion xB would suit your requirements better than an HHR or PT Cruiser. I got 34 city/37 highway with a 5spd... and I've heard that the automatic is within 1mpg of that. Also, considering that it is a Toyota, using proven a design and proven components, it will last a long time.

If my xB was an auto instead of manual I might still have it (rather than have traded it in for a Patriot).

for a first time driver such as myself and all of my friends, we would most likely opt for the cvt over the manual for the simple reason that we dont know how to drive a stick! lol

Sounds like a Scion xB would suit your requirements better than an HHR or PT Cruiser. I got 34 city/37 highway with a 5spd... and I've heard that the automatic is within 1mpg of that. Also, considering that it is a Toyota, using proven a design and proven components, it will last a long time.

If my xB was an auto instead of manual I might still have it (rather than have traded it in for a Patriot).

I know I am being fussy, but I am not sure I could live with the looks of the xB. I realy like Toyota too, but they could use a better design team for all of their vehicles. Still leaning towards the Patriot. Thanks for the input, I am always open to suggestions.

beepbeep, regarding your knees, I would encourage you to try both the CVT and manual tranny. I was delightfully surprised as to the clutch lightness and the manual transmission's throw and rather positive gear placement; way better than any manual tranny Jeep I have driven and better than many cars.

Hey Beep Beep! I can't remember which of the major car rental companies are affiliated with (or owned by) DCX, but get thee to Budget, or Thrifty or one of the others featuring "Fine Cars by Chrysler" and rent a CVT Patriot or Calibur for 3 days. For $100 invested, you'll learn all you need to know. Good Luck!

Hey Beep Beep! I can't remember which of the major car rental companies are affiliated with (or owned by) DCX, but get thee to Budget, or Thrifty or one of the others featuring "Fine Cars by Chrysler" and rent a CVT Patriot or Calibur for 3 days. For $100 invested, you'll learn all you need to know. Good Luck!

thats a great idea, i never thought of that:pepper:

Good to hear that the Patriot has a good manual and cluch. I think I will see if I can test drive a manual and then a cvt at the dealership, then decide which one I am most interested in, then rent one if I can find a rental in my "neck of the woods".

We have 3 local Jeep dealers. One dealer had one Patriot a few days ago. I think I will go check the availability through the Jeep website right now.

My Wrangler is stick. Sick of bumper to bumper traffic. Stick is fun cause you can coast and do other neat tricks with it. I'm just sick of shifting all the time. Fiance doesn't like motion of shift so it's CVT FDII BABY :)

Fiance doesn't like motion of shift

poor guy!...LOL

My Wrangler is stick. Sick of bumper to bumper traffic. Stick is fun cause you can coast and do other neat tricks with it. I'm just sick of shifting all the time. Fiance doesn't like motion of shift so it's CVT FDII BABY :)
Make sure before you buy that CVT. I went from a stick to an auto and I miss the stick. They are so much more versatile and you never have to worry about the transmission overheating. I think a CVT would be better than a regular automatic though, because the thing I hate is when it shifts back & forth when I really just want to stay in 1 gear.

I'm going from my 01 Cherokee with an automatic to a 5-speed riot - I loved the old Cherokee but despised it when the damn tranny would shift going up an icy hill with rain coming down on it. I want more control in that situation.

The cvt is an extra grand - perhaps otherwise spent on upgrades? - and on my test drive I thought the riot 5-speed was just plain lots of FUN!

I find that the shift linkage is light years better than my Wrangler was if that means anything. The Wrangler's long throws made it difficult to shift rapidly. The throws are much shorter on the Patriot. Not sports car territory but very good. Still not going to be fun using a clutch in rush hour traffic.

I did notice a momentary lag when starting off with the Compass and Patriots I test drove. Something that would take a while to get used to.

this has been very enlightening. Lease is up on my '04 Grand Cherokee - what a gas hog - and I am seriously considering the Patriot. Was looking at the standard - but with gas prices on the rise in New York, looks like the CVT is a better way to go.

this has been very enlightening. Lease is up on my '04 Grand Cherokee - what a gas hog - and I am seriously considering the Patriot. Was looking at the standard - but with gas prices on the rise in New York, looks like the CVT is a better way to go.



:confused: The manual gets better gas mileage. My 4x4 is rated at 25 city and 29 highway.

:confused: The manual gets better gas mileage. My 4x4 is rated at 25 city and 29 highway.
If you plan on doing a lot of high-speed highway driving the CVT may indeed get better gas mileage due to the gearing.

:confused: The manual gets better gas mileage. My 4x4 is rated at 25 city and 29 highway.

And the Manuals are not available yet? Do we know when they will be? And what the hell - standard does not come Trail Rated?

I've got a manual 4X4 sitting on my driveway. If you want trail rated then yes you have to get a CVT.

when i was test driving the patriots, i didnt even want to finish the test drive in the manual 5 speed. having driven quite a few sports cars with a manual, the shift throw, throttle response and gearing was not fun. I havent had an auto since my first car, but I LOVE the cvt.

Dont get me wrong, I love manuals trans, and prefer it, but the patriot felt very slow. IMHO manuals are perfect with sports cars that have a decent size engine, but with the 2.4L and manual, it was not fun to drive.

I don't own a Patriot. What about a guy like me who hasn't used a manual in his life (just a couple of times) and has been driving for 40 years or more. I would be lost shifting gears. Since I usually drive only on main roads I hope the CVT on a Patriot North works ok ... I am going to be testing one out in a couple of days in thoughts of buying a Patriot.

That's a good idea!

I don't own a Patriot. What about a guy like me who hasn't used a manual in his life (just a couple of times) and has been driving for 40 years or more. I would be lost shifting gears. Since I usually drive only on main roads I hope the CVT on a Patriot North works ok ... I am going to be testing one out in a couple of days in thoughts of buying a Patriot.
I just returned from my first "open highway" drive with my Limited Patriot 4x4 w/FDI CVT. 230 miles roundtrip from mid-state AZ down to the Phoenix metro area. 5000 ft change in elevation and AC on all the way.

I was already hooked on the CVT from just my local driving around town, now I'm more enthusiastic. The Patriot had no problems maintaining speed up the ginormous mountains on the trip. I was doing 80 mph most of the trip and the engine was pleasantly humming at 2500 rpms. (in contrast, my Scion xB w/manual would be 4000-4500rpms at that speed) The Patriot felt substantial without feeling ponderous as it handled the highway roads and speed.

I haven't calculated mpgs yet... I want to manually calculate it (not rely on the EVIC), but I'm estimating around 25-26. An off-road capable SUV that is equally capable as a highway cruiser?! who woulda thunk it? :pepper:

...The Patriot had no problems maintaining speed up the ginormous mountains on the trip. I was doing 80 mph most of the trip and the engine was pleasantly humming at 2500 rpms....

Good news! http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa311/emoticonjoe/yea01.gif I know a lot of folks felt a little iffy about the CVT, so it is nice to hear reports like this. I just makes me even more excited about getting a Patriot!

I was doing 80 mph most of the trip and the engine was pleasantly humming at 2500 rpms. (in contrast, my Scion xB w/manual would be 4000-4500rpms at that speed) The Patriot felt substantial without feeling ponderous as it handled the highway roads and speed.
An off-road capable SUV that is equally capable as a highway cruiser?! who woulda thunk it?

Hearing your real world report is very reassuring and reaffirms my purchase decision. That's great! :D A 10 or 15 minute test drive at the dealership only whets your appetite. A road trip like that is a satisfying meal. Looks Jeep has a big hit on its hands.

I wish you could get a FDII Patriot with a manual too that would include everthing that the CVT ones do except low range of course.

I would echo the comment about the good highway manners of the Patriot. I find it to be perfectly happy at relatively high speeds (I have the CVT). The engine does not feel like it is straining even with A/C on. Now, if you floor it, the engine definitely lets you know its there! Even though its pretty loud (at least compared to V-6s) at 5000+ RPM, the engine feels like its pretty well balanced up to redline.
I read one review where the author characterized the engine as "coarse" but I totally disagree - engine noise and "coarseness" are two different things.

i test drove a 5sp and a CVT today. the 5sp was really nice. the position of the shifter on the center stack was really comfortable (suprisingly). the CVT was strong too. but i could feel the "bogging" at low speeds when i take my foot off the gas. it was a slight sluggish feel like when you are in a manuel car and you are going about 10mph and then just let off the gas without pushing in the clutch. but as for the "BLENDER" sound that everyone said the CVT made when it was under heavy acceleration, i really didnt hear it. i mean, yeah the engine reved up, but jeez its an engine... it reved up no more than my v6 grand am gt..... so i am going to go with the CVT... plus it will be much easier pulling out of a dock with a waverunner on the trailer.... i wont have to worry about being pulled into the water because of the stick.

i test drove a 5sp and a CVT today. the 5sp was really nice. the position of the shifter on the center stack was really comfortable (suprisingly). the CVT was strong too. but i could feel the "bogging" at low speeds when i take my foot off the gas. it was a slight sluggish feel like when you are in a manuel car and you are going about 10mph and then just let off the gas without pushing in the clutch. but as for the "BLENDER" sound that everyone said the CVT made when it was under heavy acceleration, i really didnt hear it. i mean, yeah the engine reved up, but jeez its an engine... it reved up no more than my v6 grand am gt..... so i am going to go with the CVT... plus it will be much easier pulling out of a dock with a waverunner on the trailer.... i wont have to worry about being pulled into the water because of the stick.
good stick drivers wouldn't let that happen :smiley_thumbs_up: muahahahaha jk i liked the cvt too just don't like the maintenance that comes with it all the extra fluids and junk, just give me oil please :)

I posted a few months ago about wanting a conventional automatic. I still don't think I want the CVT. What I plan to do is bid on the first manual 2WD Pat. that shows up at the salvage auction (wrecked ,or otherwise damaged vehicles). That way I can sell it and make money if I don't like it, or they come out with a conventional automatic Pat. in the future (I fix salvage vehicles as a sideline). Patriots have just recently started showing up at auction.:)

I have the 08 non-trail rated CVT which has autostick. Makes a nice 6 speed manual without needing a clutch. Upshifts and downshifts are quite marked and it feels like a manual.

I've over 7000 miles on my FDII Pat and couldn't be happier. I was very skepticle about the CVT but went for it anyway with an extended warranty. I've driven cross country on interstates (FL to VT and back), in city traffic and off-road. It's very good in all applications. I don't drag race it from the stop light so I rarely have the engine redlining during acceleration. For my families applications it works great. It's really great off road going up hills or over obsticles as I don't have to worry about which gear it's in. And of course the advantages of a low range.

I really like the CVT, in my opinion the noise is not that untollerable. I enjoy the smooth shiftless ride. I like the design. I dont mind a 5 speed, but I really dont miss shifting at all.

I prefer the manual myself although I have never driven a CVT. I guess if you can't drive a stick then its your only option. I really think that the manual is so smooth and easy that even a novice could learn it in a day.

I am a control freak and have always driven MTs. I learned that from my very first car as a young pup. Now that I am a fossil, I have relinquished some control to the Patriot. I have been enjoying the no-shifting gears experience so far - kind of like a vacation for my clutch foot. The proof will be this winter. I have relied heavily on aMT in the snow. This will be a first for me. So far, I am loving the CVT2L though I have not done any 2L stuff - yet.

I test-drove the only 5-spd Patriot on the lot, a bare-bones 2WD and was really impressed with the pep the motor had. Took off from a dead stop in second gear and she took off with little trouble. I also left a little rubber in first. Hadn't driven a stick in over a year, was a little rusty but that tranny shifts soo smooth, clutch feels great, I liked it a lot. even the shifter position was nice. Your arm was level from the armrest to the shifter. I didn't test the CVT because of the terrible reviews and the fact that with the $1050 savings I could get the sunroof and trailer tow prep group.

good stick drivers wouldn't let that happen :smiley_thumbs_up: muahahahaha jk i liked the cvt too just don't like the maintenance that comes with it all the extra fluids and junk, just give me oil please :)

There is pretty much NO maintenance required on the CVT. Heck, you can't even check your own fluid via dipstick now.

I looked in the owner's manual and was amazed that they recommend a fluid change at 60,000 miles ONLY if it's been used under severe conditions.

In their regular conditions section, they have NO interval for maintenance! Now maybe they only expect the transmissions themselves to last 120,000 miles... but strange..

With the lifetime powertrain warranty, I feel less worried about the maintenance needs of the CVT. I have heard that the whole unit pretty much has to be replaced if any of the components fail. Now, I'm not going to beat on it, as I don't want it going out when I'm in the middle of nowhere at 2am, but I think concerns on the CVT's maintenance needs/reliablity are pretty much null and void if you plan to keep your Jeep for 150-200k miles like I do.

MT all the way i also find it shifts nice for manual

$$$

One important point to consider when choosing a transmission for your new Patriot is that while the CVT is covered both parts and labor for the life of the vehicle to the original owner under the terms of the Lifetime Powertrain Limited Warranty, the manual transmission and it's related components are not.

Surprised??? Be sure to read the fine print in your Patriot's warranty manual.


Irish Waif ;)