I visited Team Welsh Jeep in Far Hills NJ today and saw three Jeep Patriots; silver, red, and white.

I was surprised by a few things:

1) The standard wheels on the Sport really are terribly ugly. REALLY REALLY bad.

2) I saw a Limited without a Trail Rated badge which DID have the silver T shaped 4WD adjuster inside. I thought that if it wasn't Trail Rated (FD I or 2WD) it would not have the lever.

3) It was next to a Liberty and is noticeably shorter and a bit smaller.

I'd still like one, but they didn't have my color (steel blue).

2) I saw a Limited without a Trail Rated badge which DID have the silver T shaped 4WD adjuster inside. I thought that if it wasn't Trail Rated (FD I or 2WD) it would not have the lever.



The FD1 still has the silver T handle to lock the 4WD.

O really...ok cool thanks

one more thing I forgot to mention. I know it's a tiny detail, but I noticed it:

The silver "cap" on the transmission lever is plain. On the Compass and Commander, it says JEEP. I wish they'd carried that over to the Patriot too.

hahaha....when I read your title, I thought you were going to critique the movie:
Saw 3. I was like, "What the hell?":D

hahaha....when I read your title, I thought you were going to critique the movie:
Saw 3. I was like, "What the hell?":D

yeah, it got me too.

Thanks for the review. How many Jeeps actually keep their original tires and rims - at least those taken on the trails? I am already looking for a suitable aftermarket design in the 16" for trail running.

Hi, Folks.

New to the board -- some great things here. I appreciate all the info and opinion. Now, I think I can make a contribution.

Thanks to the tip above from explnglke, I drove past Welsh Jeep today to finally see a Patriot. The silver Limited and the red Sport were outside in front of the dealer. As explnglke says above, they area parked next to a Liberty. Great point of comparison for me, as I have a Liberty now.

Some observations:
The difference in ground clearance between the Patriot (8") and the Liberty (almost 9.5") is very noticeable. The Patriot Limited has another inch, according to the Jeep website, but I couldn't see it today.

The Patriot's cargo room behind the rear seat is almost nothing -- the Compass has more floor space. I am afraid that I could be faced with a choice between being able to bring my daughters or their stuff with me on outings, but not both.

The seats on the Limited are peculiar. Why the two tone? And...why the mix of leather and vinyl? "Leather-trimmed" does not seem to fit with my image of top of the line Limited trim package.

I agree with other comments here that the wheels on the Sport are unattractive. Those on the Limited look very good though.

I would also say that the Patriot should have the larger wheels/tires like the Liberty does. It just does not look ready to leave the road.

Driving home, I happened to see a couple Cherokees. One thing is for sure: the Patriot is not a reincarnation of the Cherokee.

In the spirit of telling it like it is, today's first look was a bit of a letdown. I hope my opinion changes when I see one with the off-road package. I really want to like this car.

The Compass has more floor space? Comparing pics of both they look identical. I can't see how this would be.

hahaha....when I read your title, I thought you were going to critique the movie:
Saw 3. I was like, "What the hell?":D

Haha...me too! I was about to move it to the "Sway Bar" (off topic section) :D