Cheers & Howdy All!

Just stumbled across this forum on my iTravels to find out more about this new Jeep Patriot model. My wife was trying to get me to look at the Compass but when I saw this new model was coming up to Canada on March 15th I got really excited.

I've always wanted to own a real Jeep, and have owned a Dodge Shadow since 1993 (not exactly off-road material), but I've been impressed by the quality and service of their products in the past.. pushing almost 260,000 KMS on it today.

I have so far been looking into these choices.

1) Hyundai Tucson
2) Saturn VUE
3) Kia Sorento
4) Jeep Patriot

What I am looking for is a nice crossover SUV, not too pricey, good on gas, and oh yeah that off-road capability to meet my fishing needs (flyangler.ca). The Patriot is starting to fit that bill nicely, and am thinking about the North package with the Freedom Drive 2.

Had some off-road experiences as a passenger with a buddy a few years back in his Jeep Grand Cherokee and another's YG. Always a hoot that was, even more fun winching them outta tight places.

Great looking forum here... I look forward to collecting more info, and hopefully convince my wife that I NEED A JEEP. :smiley_thumbs_up:

Great looking forum here... I look forward to collecting more info, and hopefully convince my wife that I NEED A JEEP. :smiley_thumbs_up:

Well, if she wanted you to check out the Compass, the Patriot shouldn't be too hard to sell her on. It's slightly larger and costs less money (atleast here in the states). Good luck to you!

LOL! Yeah, I'll pass that along. =)

I have so far been looking into these choices.

1) Hyundai Tucson
2) Saturn VUE
3) Kia Sorento
4) Jeep Patriot
you gotta take the Sorento out for a rip! its uber lux and super fast (3.8L V8 282hp). hopefully it doesnt take away from the Patriot...

DB, Kia is on my list to get a test drive in on. I have been checking with Jeep dealers throughout Edmonton, AB, Canada. So far, none of them have any in stock to test drive.

Latest word today from Crosstown Motors I recvd via an e-mail.

"I have no Jeep Patriot’s available at all as of yet. They are just becoming available now and it will be a while before I have one."

Sweet. Just lined up a test drive for next Tuesday with http://www.derrickdodge.com -- they have some in stock now. I can hardly wait!

id stay away from the VUE im not a big fan of em... i know a lot of people who have had them and had nothing but issues with them

I can't wait to take it for a spin!

http://www.king5.com/sharedcontent/northwest/drivingnw/stories/NW_022307DNWpatriotEL.23e3573.html

Check out the video on this one.

Welcome aboard, and go with choice 4 .

Welcome aboard, and go with choice 4 .

Only, one more sleep until my scheduled test drive of The Patriot. :zzz:

OBTW, this was just sent to me by a bud - thought you might find it interesting. Not like I could afford a Hummer though. :)

"Prius Outdoes Hummer in Environmental Damage"

http://clubs.ccsu.edu/recorder/editorial/editorial_item.asp?NewsID=188

you gotta take the Sorento out for a rip! its uber lux and super fast (3.8L V8 282hp). hopefully it doesnt take away from the Patriot...

Heh heh - my bad. Sorry, I wrote down the wrong model above. I was considering also the Kia Sportage 2007. Wanting to compare apples to apples, I am looking for a 4 banger or 6 banger... in about the 2.4 L to 2.7 L size engine.

http://www.kia.ca/nameplate.asp?lang=en&plate=sportage (This One).

Right now in my mind it's a toss-up between Kia Sportage LX-V6 AWD (Del. Priced @ $29,235.00) and Jeep Patriot North 4X4 FWD (Del. Priced at $25,325.00). At this point, you might guess which way I am leaning. Decisions... decisions. :doh:

Take all the other cars off your list except the Patriot.
OK--I am biased a bit as I have only ever owned Jeeps... but I know people who have owned other "off-road vehicles" and when they take them off-roading, they fall apart--sometimes literally.

The other cars on your list are just that--cars. They have AWD or 4 x 4 and can handle some snow or slush, etc. so they give you the comfort of knowledge that you won't slide off the road when driving in winter weather, but they are not real off-roading vehicles. If you want to do real off-roading, you really only have a couple of choices and (since I said I am biased) Jeep is one of your best bets.

I would also reccomend the Patriot over the Compass... mainly because I don't like the look of the Compass as much... good luck and have fun on your test drive! let us know how it goes.

Take all the other cars off your list except the Patriot.
OK--I am biased a bit as I have only ever owned Jeeps... but I know people who have owned other "off-road vehicles" and when they take them off-roading, they fall apart--sometimes literally.

The other cars on your list are just that--cars. They have AWD or 4 x 4 and can handle some snow or slush, etc. so they give you the comfort of knowledge that you won't slide off the road when driving in winter weather, but they are not real off-roading vehicles. If you want to do real off-roading, you really only have a couple of choices and (since I said I am biased) Jeep is one of your best bets.

I would also reccomend the Patriot over the Compass... mainly because I don't like the look of the Compass as much... good luck and have fun on your test drive! let us know how it goes.

Jeepgirl,

Thanks for your input, and your thoughts echo my own. I suspect I'll be posting some pics of the vehicle I test drive tomorrow for no other reason than I think it's like the only one in Edmonton, although I coulda swore I saw one in my rear view mirror on the way home from work today.

I SEE JEEPS EEEEE--EVERYWHERE! I SO WANT TO BE IN THE JEEP CLUB! :)

Took a Patty out for a test drive tonight, just got back as a matter of fact.

I am Uber impressed, and it put a smile on the wife's face too (most important). So we have asked the dealer to check into the pipeline to see what's available on the North FD-][ (28E), in either a Khaki Brown or Green with the towing package. Dealer was quoting up to 3 months delivery from factory to our city up here in Gateway to The North.

The best part of the test drive was we got about an inch of very heavy snowfall just as we took it out. Sweeeeet, got to test out the FWD. The Jeep Gods must have been smiling down on me.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/153/428804646_69587b26d4.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/176/428813563_6658a16b58.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/148/428813475_da4793a9ac.jpg

Shown here next to a Compass, the choice is obvious. =)

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/163/428814070_92469e61b0.jpg

Geez, they oughta do something about the bumper holes for models not equipped with fog lights. You'd think they'd put a cheap plastic grille over them or something. From these pix, it looks like there's black plugs set deep in the holes.

Geez, they oughta do something about the bumper holes for models not equipped with fog lights. You'd think they'd put a cheap plastic grille over them or something. From these pix, it looks like there's black plugs set deep in the holes.

it is a black slotted "grill" where the fog lights should be. They SHOULD use a solid fascia without the cutouts.

Staff Edit: Waaaaay off topic and unnecessary.