I am considering selling my Cherokee 5 speed and ordering a Patriot 5 speed for better gas mileage. I know the Patriot is down about 20 hp from the Cherokee I6, but does anyone think the weight differential will make the performance about the same? I actually do not know what the difference in weight is. I thought about test driving a Compass stick but decided to wait until the real thing shows up in dealers.

Cherokee 4door 4WD base curb weight= 3355 lbs
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Patriot Ltd 4WD base curb weight=3316 lbs
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Cherokee 4.0L I-6 engine:

Hrpwer= 190 @ 4600 rpm
Torque= 225 @ 3000 rpm
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Patriot 2.4L 4cyl engine:

Hrspwer= 172 hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque= 165lb-ft of torque @ 4400 rpm

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Yes, you will notice the difference going from a V6 Cherokee to a 4cyl Patriot...

Patriot fwd mtx is 3108# according to Edmunds. i don't know the Cherokee's weight.
Compass fwd mtx is 3078#, again according to Edmunds, so acceleration should be pretty much the same as the Patriot, and test driving a Compass will give you something to do while you wait for the Patriots to arrive.













cherokee

The biggest change will be how much you can tow. I think the Cherokee can tow in the range of 5000#, the patriot can only tow 1000# plain jane and about #2500 pounds with the towing package.

I'm also wondering if the 5spd 2.4 will be adequate particularly so as I live at five thousand feet. But, it appears the 2.0 turbo diesel closes the torque gap with the 4.0 so I may end up waiting a year for the 6spd diesel; I've driven the current VW 1.9 TDI through the mountain passes here and it will dust my 4.0 5spd. Interesting VW press release: "Wolfsburg, 04 January 2007 - Volkswagen unveiled the cleanest ever TDI engine. First test drives demonstrate the high potential of Volkswagen technology, which consequently reduce nitrogen oxide. In the VW Jetta a new 2.0 litre Common Rail diesel engine with a nitrogen oxide reservoir catalytic converter was used, which complies to the Californian emission standard "Tier 2 / Bin 5". These requirements are considered the most stringent worldwide. The first production run of the "Clean TDI" with nitrogen oxide post-treatment system will be made during 2008 in the USA. ..." Since DC is also part of the joint BlueTec diesel initiative, I am assuming DC will also be offering the 2.0 a year from now.

I'm also wondering if the 5spd 2.4 will be adequate particularly so as I live at five thousand feet. But, it appears the 2.0 turbo diesel closes the torque gap with the 4.0 so I may end up waiting a year for the 6spd diesel; I've driven the current VW 1.9 TDI through the mountain passes here and it will dust my 4.0 5spd. Interesting VW press release: "Wolfsburg, 04 January 2007 - Volkswagen unveiled the cleanest ever TDI engine. First test drives demonstrate the high potential of Volkswagen technology, which consequently reduce nitrogen oxide. In the VW Jetta a new 2.0 litre Common Rail diesel engine with a nitrogen oxide reservoir catalytic converter was used, which complies to the Californian emission standard "Tier 2 / Bin 5". These requirements are considered the most stringent worldwide. The first production run of the "Clean TDI" with nitrogen oxide post-treatment system will be made during 2008 in the USA. ..." Since DC is also part of the joint BlueTec diesel initiative, I am assuming DC will also be offering the 2.0 a year from now.

Good post. I agree. A Patroit w/ 2.0L CRD Manual tranny would 'dust' a Cherokee w/ 4.0L Manual tranny. While getting about twice the fuel economy. :D