I know there are those that say the Patriot it's not a real jeep, or that it's not a real 4x4 because it has no transfer case and lacks in the power (hp/torque) department.
I say the answer is a resounding "ABSOLUTELY!". Yes it is a great little 4 wheel drive. Here's why:
Here in the atlanta metro area, he have been having some very unseasonably cold temperatures for the last few weeks. Wednesday the area had alot of sleet/freezing rain which turned into ICE on everything (roads, sidewalks, grass, trees).
My commute home from work (25 miles) usually takes 45-60 minutes. Well, this past wednesday it took me over 4 hours! The building I work in closed the top of the parking deck as it was icy and there is a hill coming off the top that was icey as well.
Wednesday alone, there were over 1000 accidents reported with many more slide offs not reported along with vehicles simple abandoned along sides of roads. Highway ramps were closed, sometimes for hours at a time). I'm told by a friend who slide on ICE and hit someone that the 911 operator instructed them that if the accident was not serious, to exchange insurance information and file a report later at the precinct. This was of course after hours of waiting for an officer who never showed up and calling back.
The county alone where I live in had over 300 accidents and near 200 slide offs reported. Also, local news were reporting that one stretch of interstate had 200 accidents! My commute takes me on alot of road with hills and curves, often combined.
I had co-workers tell me that the the areas they lived in were so bad they parked their vehicles and walked 1 mile home.
The rain coming down on already ice covered roads were making driving very difficult for all. A friend told me that he saw a news story of an guy in a ford F150 FX4 was spinning all 4 wheels in an icey covered gas station parking lot. He also mentioned that the driver wound up sliding and hitting a curb and popping a tire off the rim.
My little jeep patriot 4x4 handled the ice very well! I did alot of wobbling but never slid out of control. While on a 4 lane road approaching a curve to the left, I saw a truck off the road on the right up in the grass that jumped the curb. About 10 feet in front of it was a car facing the truck also that jumped the curb and was in the grass. My little patriot that could wobbled alot but never lost traction completely and negotiated the curve as well as any vehicle could have. The car behind me was not so lucky, and ran straight up over the curb between the truck and car already off the road. Good thing they didn't hit either vehicle. It was almost as if they intended to park between the existing truck and car.
I will note that my Patriot is an 09 limited with FDII (i was in 4 lock, not off road mode) with traction control enabled. I am also running the stock good year wrangler SRA tires.
LATE EDIT - one more thing, in typical southern weather fashion, the next day highs were in low 50s and it all melted.
epper:
- Dan M
I say the answer is a resounding "ABSOLUTELY!". Yes it is a great little 4 wheel drive. Here's why:
Here in the atlanta metro area, he have been having some very unseasonably cold temperatures for the last few weeks. Wednesday the area had alot of sleet/freezing rain which turned into ICE on everything (roads, sidewalks, grass, trees).
My commute home from work (25 miles) usually takes 45-60 minutes. Well, this past wednesday it took me over 4 hours! The building I work in closed the top of the parking deck as it was icy and there is a hill coming off the top that was icey as well.
Wednesday alone, there were over 1000 accidents reported with many more slide offs not reported along with vehicles simple abandoned along sides of roads. Highway ramps were closed, sometimes for hours at a time). I'm told by a friend who slide on ICE and hit someone that the 911 operator instructed them that if the accident was not serious, to exchange insurance information and file a report later at the precinct. This was of course after hours of waiting for an officer who never showed up and calling back.
The county alone where I live in had over 300 accidents and near 200 slide offs reported. Also, local news were reporting that one stretch of interstate had 200 accidents! My commute takes me on alot of road with hills and curves, often combined.
I had co-workers tell me that the the areas they lived in were so bad they parked their vehicles and walked 1 mile home.
The rain coming down on already ice covered roads were making driving very difficult for all. A friend told me that he saw a news story of an guy in a ford F150 FX4 was spinning all 4 wheels in an icey covered gas station parking lot. He also mentioned that the driver wound up sliding and hitting a curb and popping a tire off the rim.
My little jeep patriot 4x4 handled the ice very well! I did alot of wobbling but never slid out of control. While on a 4 lane road approaching a curve to the left, I saw a truck off the road on the right up in the grass that jumped the curb. About 10 feet in front of it was a car facing the truck also that jumped the curb and was in the grass. My little patriot that could wobbled alot but never lost traction completely and negotiated the curve as well as any vehicle could have. The car behind me was not so lucky, and ran straight up over the curb between the truck and car already off the road. Good thing they didn't hit either vehicle. It was almost as if they intended to park between the existing truck and car.
I will note that my Patriot is an 09 limited with FDII (i was in 4 lock, not off road mode) with traction control enabled. I am also running the stock good year wrangler SRA tires.
LATE EDIT - one more thing, in typical southern weather fashion, the next day highs were in low 50s and it all melted.
epper:- Dan M
