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Jeep Patriot vs. Subaru Forester?

32K views 62 replies 28 participants last post by  FunkRider 
#1 ·
Okay, my wife and I have narrowed down our new/used vehicle search to either an '07-'08 Jeep Patriot Sport 4x4 or a '05-'08 Subaru Forester X or XS.

My wife is pretty much settled on the Jeep, but I have my reservations (cvt performance, water leaks, overall uncertainty w/ the relatively new platform) and I'm not ready to plunk down $15k on a potential unsure thing.

That said, finding a Forester that is NOT in some hideous exterior metallic puke gold w/ camel-colored interior seems like an exercise in futility...but you can't knock the reputation of the Subie. Aside from random head gasket failure, they seem to go for hundreds of thousands of miles w/ routine maintenance.
Subaru owners that I've met have almost a cult-like attitude towards their vehicles and it reminds me of Apple computer users...like myself. :D

So, do any of the Pat owners here have any experience with Subies?
I'd be interested in hearing your opinions.
 
#2 ·
I have owed 2 Patriots ('07 sport 4x4 & '10 latitude 4x4) and have never even heard of water leaks, nor myself had any other issues so to speak. The CVT does get some getting use to, but not in a bad way. The platform itself is stable. Just remember you are getting JEEP and you'll be fine. Its the only way to go.
 
#3 ·
Just remember you are getting JEEP and you'll be fine. Its the only way to go.
Actually, the Patriot is a left-over chassis from the old DaimlerChrysler days, back when there was a semblance of a relationship with Mitsubishi, so it's hardly a Jeep other than in name because it's also a Dodge Caliber and very similar to a Mitsubishi Lancer.
Come 2012, if the Patriot name even survives, it will be a Fiat underneath w/ a Jeep badge on it.
But this is all beside the point... :pepper:
 
#4 ·
my buddy with a Forester chickened out on a snowy little parking area on the side of the road at the top of our local mountain. A 2wd was putting chains on to get out of the lot, and the Suby has summer tires.

I would not have hesitated to go in with the Patriot on factory Goodyear SRA tires.

I'm not saying the Suby would not have made it in and out of the lot - it may also be chicken little driver skillz.
 
#5 ·
Three of my neighbors have Subies (Outback, Legacy wagon and Legacy sedan) and they all get up out of our steep hill in the snow w/ no problems. So does the guy with the Durango 4x4.
Then there's our other neighbor w/ a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited...sat there spinning the rear wheels in the snow until he was finally instructed to shift into 4wd mode (more money than brains, I guess...). :D

The Patriot that we're looking at has brand new SR-As on it, so that is a plus.
 
#6 ·
I was in a similar spot a few months back. Looking between the Patriot and the Forester in the $15k or less range. No Foresters felt right, and i wasn't a fan of their AWD. Ended up getting an 08 FD1 patriot, and haven't regretted it. The patriot can handle anything i throw at it, and it feels secure while doing it.
 
#9 ·
I'd have to compare side-by-side road test specs to be sure, but the overall numbers on paper are not too far apart. Same goes for the safety ratings and random consumer evaluations that I've seen, which makes the decision more difficult as neither rises above the other.
 
#10 ·
I do not have experience owning one, but I am aware that they are very dependable. I really contemplating getting an Impreza before we bought our Jeep, but it was just too small. However, if I could afford an STI now, I might buy one. I also like the new Legacy. The water leak issue is non-existent in the newer models and was only on sunroof equipped Pats(I believe) so don't get a sunroof.

But for $15k, I am guessing you are looking at FWD only or used? This would be a disadvantage compared to the Subie, which is AWD. If you are looking at used, you can get a Patriot for cheaper, but try for a lower mileage 2009, 2010 so you can get the full advantage of the remaining warranty.

As for warranties, Subaru only offers 3/36k with the vehicle. Extended warranties are available, but Im sure they are $$$ like all extended warranties.
 
#11 · (Edited)
We're looking strictly used and @ $15k we're looking at only the years I mentioned in the first post.
AWD/4x4 is a must.
Warranty is not an issue as we'll be purchasing an aftermarket 3/36 warranty through AAA.
And just last eve an old friend contacted me through Facebook and mentioned that they might be selling their '07 Patriot 4x4 FDI w/ ~ 40k miles on it.
Price seems good, options seem good (no sunroof) and he's sending me pics later today. :)
 
#12 ·
sube is not a 4x4
just awd,
during one of our snow storms,
i watched a sube spin 2 tires, 4x4 would spin all 4,
i watched in amusement for about 15-20 minutes as i wiped 6" of snow off the pat, enjoyed my cup of coffee, and drove out of a spot that had twice as much snow as the sube,
i pulled out without even a hiccup,
 
#13 ·
You may have missed when I wrote that 3 of our neighbors have Subarus.
All of them have no problem getting out of our snowed-in cul de sac which is nothing but uphill when you leave any of our driveways.

The FDI system in the Patriot (the ones I'm looking at) is FWD until the front loses traction, then it's RWD, hence the term "active AWD". FDI also has the advantage of 4 wheel lock mode or real 4x4 @ low speeds only, per the video:
http://www.jeep.com/en/4x4/how_systems_work/freedom_drive/

Subaru Symmetrical AWD is not a "spin 2 tires" system. I'm not doubting what you experienced (could have been more ice than anything), but I am saying that my experience has been much different and jives with what is actually engineered into the vehicles:
http://www.subaru.com/engineering/all-wheel-drive/how-is-symmetrical-awd-different.html
 
#14 ·
I just purchased a '11 Patriot 10 days ago. I too had narrowed down the choice to a Forrester or the Patriot. I scheduled a side-by-side test drive of the two vehicles. Fortunately (?) we had 3 major snow storms that dumped 60"+ in a 15 day period. I got to test both vehicles side-by-side on snow covered roads, parking lots and an open field. It was the Patriot hands down. There were areas where I struggled to maintain traction with the Forrester. The Patriot didn't so much as bat an eye in the same conditions. Both salesmen had to change their trousers after the test drive though :)
 
#15 ·
This is good to know, thanks, although as I think someone said earlier, the all-season tires standard on a Forester are at a disadvantage to the Goodyear SR-A tires on the Jeep.
Tirerack.com reviews confirm this as the Subies OEM tires are rated lower than the Jeeps.
 
#22 ·
There will be an 08 FDII for sale near here soon, once I trade mine for an 11 model.

For me, the subaru did not have the clearance I needed, or the cargo space in back, and was more expensive. I doubt I could get one up my driveway, especially this time of year.
 
#25 ·
My Aunt has driven Subarus (loves her '10 Forester) for years and has never had issues - they live on a dirt raod, and with snows on it, she never has an issue. My Uncle as a Ranger 4x4, and his is usually stuck at the bottom of the driver.
I considered a Subie when I bought the Jeep but it was more than I wanted to spend
 
#26 ·
I'll trade it in the Pittsburgh area, but I live in north central PA.

Mine is in great shape too, well taken care of, never even been in a car wash, just hand washes (I hate those car wash swirls in the paint), oil changed every 3K-3.5K miles, all mait done regularly and on time. New tires in October.
 
#32 ·
The water leaks you are talking about may be an isolated case because i have not heard of such an issue nor experienced it on my own. The CVT is not the usual so you have to take some time to learn it, though this is not a disadvantage. This ride is a sure one, you will have no worries. The brand is a guarantee by itself.
 
#33 ·
I posted this several times before, but will talk about it again. Not sure about the used ones, but when looking for a new vehicle I test drove the Forrester (first) and the Patriot (second). The Forrester was nice and no doubt dependable with a great warranty, HOWEVER I felt like I was driving a nice car, not an SUV. When I got behind the wheel of the Patriot I knew that was it. It felt solid and stable on the road like an SUV should. I had my reservations due to the negative reviews of the Patriot, but I went with my first thought and I have not regretted it. I have yet to get stuck this winter and I am driving on the stock SRA tires (I have sport 4x4). I don't hesitate to pop into 4WD if I feel I need it. Probably use the 4WD more that others on this site. I have it, I will use it. Yes, I had a rear dome leak issue but I have accepted it. Love My Patriot!
 
#34 ·
When I got behind the wheel of the Patriot I knew that was it. It felt solid and stable on the road like an SUV should.
It's a Dodge Caliber w/ Mitsubishi Galant heritage.
The Patriot I test drove felt NOTHING like the Jeep Liberty nor the Grand Cherokee that I test drove.
Instead, it drove like the Forester, Outback and Impreza because that's what it is: an awd/4x4 car.
In my humble opinion...
 
#35 ·
I agree that the Patriot is not an off-road vehicle, and I have a 2wd model, so I won't even go there, but I find it a very good vehicle for day to day use. It is solid, it drives well, it is roomy, and attractive. The fact that it is based on a Caliber doesn't bother me in the least. When I was in the market for a new car in late 2006, the Patriot was not available yet, and I bought a Caliber. I drove it for 92,000 miles, changed the oil, the tires and nothing else whatsoever. They are very relaible.
 
#36 ·
Darn. Whenever I see this thread I think it is going to be a video link where we watch a Patriot kicking a$$ in a tug-o-war with a Forester. :D
 
#43 ·
I wouldnt buy a subi because of their stupid "Love" commercials. What kinda pansy metrosexual BS is that anyway? :icon_rolleyes:

I love when they show them covered in mud, or "off roading" on a flat dirt road.
 
#44 ·
Okay, the ball is now back in the Forester court.
We test drove another Patriot today and came away with the following:
It has LOTS of headroom.
Front seat passenger room is great.
Back seat passenger is adequate, probably slightly roomier than the Sub.
Rear storage is a little less.
The rear seatbacks are adjustable to the point of slightly reclining.
The CVT is a performance vampire, sucking a good portion of the 172 horsepower from the engine before it ever hits the wheels.

Before we drove the Pat, we did visit our local Subie dealer and they had a new/used '04 and '05 2.5X. The one that we like had not even been vacuumed out since traded in and had dog hair all over the seats and smelled funky. WHY EVEN PUT THE THING ON THE LOT???!!!
We told them to completely clean it before we come back to test drive it.
If they do and we like it and can agree upon a price, it looks like the Forester may win this competition, although the dealer across the street has a 5 speed Pat. that I'd like to drive, just to see the difference in performance.

Stay tuned...
 
#45 ·
The CVT is a performance vampire, sucking a good portion of the 172 horsepower from the engine before it ever hits the wheels.
My understanding is that a CVT has a lower power train loss then an automatic. I did two test drives of a CVT powered vehicle and both times I came away with the same impression that the CVT is just weird to drive. Off the line you don't get the jump that a torque converter provides so it feels very slow, although I don't think it is, it's just very smooth. At speed when you floor it the RPM goes to red line and stays put, even though you're accelerating you don't get the feel of the transmission changing gears and the motor changing speeds. I think this makes you feel as if you're not gaining speed, but if you watch your speedo it's swinging up at a good pace. I would bet that because the CVT keeps the motor at redline, the CVT has more passing ability then a traditional automatic and a traditional 5-speed, it just won't feel like it. You also get better fuel economy because you don't get any slip from the torque converter like you do with a traditional auto and the motor can stay in it's ideal RPM range.

But yes, the CVT is very weird to drive.
 
#49 ·
All the 0-60 and 1/4 mile times I've seen put the Patriot right in line with the other 4 cylnder crossover SUV's. Maybe it just does indeed feel slow with the CVT. I have the 5-speed and am pretty satisfied with the performance, you just have to be willing to shift and be in the right gear.
I don't think the CVT has proiven to be better on gas than the 5-speed at all, possibly not a regular auto either...
 
#50 ·
I don't think the CVT has proiven to be better on gas than the 5-speed at all, possibly not a regular auto either...
No CVT-equipped vehicle that I'm aware of gets better mileage nor better performance than a similar vehicle w/ a manual trans, but the stats of 'normal' auto vs. CVT might be comparable. I'll have to do more research.

The closest thing to compare would be:
'05 Dodge Neon 2.0l auto - 22mpg city, 29mpg highway or 27.6 real world average
'07 Dodge Caliber 2.0l cvt - 23mpg city, 27mpg highway or 26.1 real world average
Granted, other than the assembly line and the fact that they're both Dodge's compact car, the two vehicles have very little in common. Still, you'd think that the improvements built into in the Caliber (world engine 2.0l and cvt) would result in better mpg figures.
 
#51 ·
Well, the deed is done.
After much research, debate and a few test drives, today we signed the papers on our new/used 2004 Subaru Forester 2.5X w/ 35k miles (see attached).
The few complaints we had after our second Patriot test drive yesterday could not be ignored and they were enough to drive us (no pun intended) to the Subie dealer today.
We test drove 2 different Foresters: an '01 S model w/ 112k miles and lots of nice options...it was as tight as many Volvos that I've driven and one that I owned...and the '04 that we ultimately purchased.
I tried to find something that I didn't like about it, really I did.
But I couldn't.
And if stupid 'love' commercials and winning random pointless 'best lesbian car' polls is the worst that can be said for the car, that's hardly worth condemning the model.
So call me a male lesbian. I'm okay with that. :)

Thanks for all of the replies, experience and info. It's much appreciated.
 

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#54 ·
I used an 06 Forrester as my work vehicle for 2 years, and recently replaced it with a new FD1 Patriot. In my opinion they are very similar. I fitted Yoko AT/s tyres to both and they both seem able to do similar things offroad. The fuel economy is very similar, as is on road performance.
Patriot has more interior passenger room (esp in the rear), has more features and is quieter.
Overall I prefer the styling of the Patriot and the fact its not Japanese.
I guess the Forrester has a better reliability record - but ultimately Patriot Wins.
Patriot seems to go further offroad - and is definately better on unsealed roads with 4wd lock and esp on.
Go the Patriot.....
 
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