My CVT '08 Patriot cruises up to the 80s before I realize it and slow myself down. Very smooth.

It doesn't have a quick take-off...but if I want that, I'll drive Hubby's sports car.

 

90mph i drive from Dallas to Houston a lot and i dont like to sit there. i want to move things and i hate small cars. I like the Patriot just worried about the issues i have seen on this site i know it easy to see the bad, but i was just wondering what you all think i am going to test drive both soon.

 

Get the CVT Patriot! You will get better fuel economy and a more comfortable ride than the Liberty.

I haven't gone past 80mph but I believe it can do it easily.

Your best bet is to go to the dealer and test drive both vehicles. The sales people may push you to the Liberty because they get better Margins.

The CVT is great, and with the Lifetime Warranty you don't have to worry about it. I have 9000 miles with zero problems.

I don't see any problems with the build quality. The vehicle is smaller and some of the parts are cheaper, but to me, the gas and price savings are worth it.

 

You want to cruise at 90mph "at ease" ??? Get a sports sedan and good luck to you and everyone else on the road when you lose control at that speed. Understand these Patriots are safe but ANY suv is unsafe at those speeds. Not to mention your gas mileage is going to suffer drastically no matter which one you choose. Unless you drive on the Autobahn in Germany, 90mph is illegal and unsafe in this kind of vehicle.

Guess I'm just pissy because I ALWAYS see rollover accidents involving small/large SUVs because people are too impatient.

 

I don't blame ya... there's just no excuse for driving like a maniac, even on the Autobahn. (I still owe our big bro another good whack upside the head for driving like a lunatic, in adverse weather conditions no less, when Dean visited him in Deutschland years ago!)

 

I just look at it this way, I drive fast all the time! Now when I am with my wife it is a different story! So, if people call the cops on me witch they haven't not that I know of... I think it is bullsh#t when people do that! If people drive fast it is their problem and people need to keep to themselves! Some people that call the cops on people think they never act like they break the law! So, jopte if you want to do 90mph that is your choice but going 90 in the patriot I would not recommend it! My Trail Rated only does like 100mph and that is all it has as of right now I think it just needs broke in more!! It is not made for speed! I can see like 80-85 no problem! When I do my speeding I am always in our car! So good luck with your decision!

 

I just look at it this way, I drive fast all the time! Now when I am with my wife it is a different story! So, if people call the cops on me witch they haven't not that I know of... I think it is bullsh#t when people do that! If people drive fast it is their problem and people need to keep to themselves! Some people that call the cops on people think they never act like they break the law! So, jopte if you want to do 90mph that is your choice but going 90 in the patriot I would not recommend it! My Trail Rated only does like 100mph and that is all it has as of right now I think it just needs broke in more!! It is not made for speed! I can see like 80-85 no problem! When I do my speeding I am always in our car! So good luck with your decision!

Sorry to call you out on this, but that is the most self-centered thing I've ever read. If you were on a race track then yes, go as fast as you want and its ONLY your issue. But you're advocating doing 90mph on a PUBLIC road. It's not YOURS to use as you wish and you're endangering everyone else with your careless haste to get wherever you're going.

a lot of people here drive 80-90 on the highway there is nothing on the road during the day in the left land so it fine like i dont mean 90 at a constant say im trying to pass a group. i kinda overstated the speed i drive at i average about 80 but go 90 to pass at times.
does anyone have any issues accelerating to get on the highway?

So what? A lot of people go 80-90mph between Tucson and Phoenix, too and it's basically a long straight away with few curves. Doesn't mean the road and your vehicle are safe to travel that fast. It just means your SUV will rollover 12 times instead of 3 before finally coming to a stop.

There is nothing in the left lane all day, but you have to do 90 to pass the rare car that is there? I'm sorry, but I call BS... you're just trying to justify reckless speeding.

Look, I don't mean to give you a hard time about this. By your typing you're probably in your teens and are all ramped up about a new car. I would be too... But just because you may FEEL safe at that speed doesn't mean you are. A car designed for that kind of speed can handle quick driver input without flipping. But try those same quick handling reactions in ANY suv and you're going to be airborne very quickly.

I learned to drive in a 1965 Mustang with a 225hp V8 and I did a couple stupid things that make me shudder to this day. I had one of my best friends killed in a car accident (he was driving irresponsibly) a week before high school graduation. So it's a touchy subject for me.

Buy the upgraded stereo system, put the cruise control on 75, crank some tunes, and with the money you save going the speed limit, buy your girlfriend something nice.

God, I feel old and I'm only 34. I'm not old, am I? I'm going to go pull my pants up to my armpits, wear suspenders and go yell at skateboarders down at the Piggly Wiggly. :doh:

 

Here is one thing everyone driving at high speed should think about:

Let´s say you are an avarage driver and fully concentrated of what your currently doing (means driving).
Your reaction time will be about 0.8 Sec (realizing a dangerous situation until you press the break with your foot)
The break reaction time is about 0.2 Sec. ( time the break needs to build up full pressure.


If you drive at 80 mph you need about 350 feet until full stop.

If you drive at 90 mph you need about 420 feet until full stop.

this means that after 350 feet (the length you need to stop at 80 mph) you are still at about ~30 mph and if you hit now a wall your car would look like this one here:

So think twice before driving fast!

 

Kudos to you. One of the most valid, and un-arguable, arguments I have ever seen on this forum.

:beerchug:

 

Well, all I can ask is a favor from you. Tell me where you will do most of your driving so I don't have any chance of being around you when you drive like that. (or anyone else that drives like that, please let me know where you do most of your driving..)
As a retired firefighter, I saw more than my share of wrecks that were caused by carelessness (spell that: s p e e d i n g). After you hose down enough body fluids off the highway, you'll lose the desire to join them none too soon.

That being said, those speeds are not conducive to ANY vehicle shaped like a Patriot. Look at 'em, they're as aerodynamic as a shoebox for Crissake!

*falls off my soapbox*

 

Getting back on my soapbox for a moment: So when a person drives high rates of speed -by themselves- and they lose control of their vehicles due to said high speeds, and the car goes into another lane (or worse yet, into the oncoming lane of traffic) and kills someone, what is that?

Could it be:
Carelessness?
Collateral Damage?

or Vehicular Homicide? (but of course you probably wouldn't be around to face the penalty, so why care huh?)

No, driving fast is more than just the drivers problem..MUCH more.

*hops off yet again*

 

a lot of people here drive 80-90 on the highway there is nothing on the road during the day in the left land so it fine like i dont mean 90 at a constant say im trying to pass a group. i kinda overstated the speed i drive at i average about 80 but go 90 to pass at times.
does anyone have any issues accelerating to get on the highway?

 

i dont mean to be rude and i am not offended by all your thoughts at all. i was just wondering how the engine and the car handles at highway speeds and accelerating to get to the speeds. yes i am only 19 i have had a 2004 silverado v8, and have no issues driving it. i want to get the patriot because it is an suv with good gas mileage. so if there is any input other than my unsafe driving please share it.

 

I saw this on TV the other night, and found it on YouTube. The quality sucks but it gives you an idea of what happens when you have to react quickly at high speeds. The driver of the small SUV just barely reacted to the car merging, and look what happened. She rolled EIGHT times, and barely survived. The car that caused it was a 17-year old that merged onto the highway too fast without looking. By using the footage, they found the kid later... he was just too scared to stop and help.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sw2VALZ392I



Okay, I'll stop with the guilt trip and answer your questions. I've got the 4x2 CVT with the 2.4liter engine. The CVT does take a bit of getting used to and no, it will not accelerate like your V8 does. You really have to anticipate merging, passing, etc and get the engine/tranny revved up. That being said, once it DOES rev up, it passes quite easily. Just don't expect instant feedback from the engine.

While I think the Pat CAN cruise at higher speeds, I just don't feel safe but that is more personal preference than the Pat itself. As to mileage... if I cruise at 60-65mph I get about 30mpg. BUT if I cruise at 75, it drops to well below 23mpg. Add the 4x4 option (not sure if you'll get that) and it'll drop even further. Just something to think about. There aren't many cars on the road that will give you good mileage at high speeds unless maybe it's a Hybrid, and then you'd REALLY sacrifice power.

Good luck in whatever you choose...

 

i think that would happen to any SUV at any highway speed it would happen to many cars cant do anything about it. all i am asking is how does it handle on the hwy

 

I do speed, but if it is like 55 I do like 65. If it is 65 and I am going to Chicago and everyone knows how Chicago drivers are I can hit upwards of 100. Then occasion I have to race someone and I can hit 140 no problem, but not constant at 140. I followed a group of people (4 cars) to Chicago this past summer and we averaged 100 all they way up! I thought it was fun. We all kept messing with each other. There was a Caddy, Volvo, VW, WRX and me in the SAAB. I didn't know any of them. I just thought it was fun and the wife did to! So I didn't mean that I am a crazy speeder all the time! I just hate when people call the cops on speeders, I can see a drinking and driving!

The Patriot on the highway I think it does really good!

 

I do speed, but if it is like 55 I do like 65. If it is 65 and I am going to Chicago and everyone knows how Chicago drivers are..

I know exactly how Chicago drivers are. Chicago is one town where not only does it take traffic lights to control the flow of traffic, but you also need Civil Servants to direct it at the same time.
The drivers have a blatant disregard for traffic laws and lights. Hell I even witnessed 1st hand a cop car disregard a pedestrians right of way during normal patrols. He wasn't even in a hurry as he stopped up the road 4 doors and went and got coffee
If I was Mayor Daily, I'd save the city money...lay off all these civil servants, and start enforcing traffic laws the good old fashion way.
But 1st, you need to weed out these bad cops, and then get the remainder to start leading by example.

There ya have it!!:blah:

 

well i have never gone 140 or even close to that but that nice haha. how do you like your patriot?

 

We love it! I think it would be a good move for ya!! What do you have now?

 

I did all my "fast" driving on the Autobahn when we lived in Germany. Looking back, and converting KPH to MPH...I realize that I probably should have been much more concerned about some of the speeds that Hubby and I drove when we were over there. Pretty sure I got all of it out of my system then, though...

There's just no room for such speeding here in the US. Lots more cars on the road, for one thing. Too many people hanging out in the left lane for another reason. More reasons in the pile...but some reasons are best left unspoken. Let's just say that I returned to the States a very spoiled driver.

I certainly didn't buy my Pat for speed or aerodynamics. However, it is such a nice, smooth ride compared to my prior vehicle that I really have to watch myself not to go over 75. eep!

Now...if I feel the "need for speed," I've got Hubby's 300ZX TT to satisfy that. But only on smooth, open, empty desert roads. <eg>

 

Overall thoughts about the Patriot are very positive so far,yes there has been reported few aikes and pains,little leeks [mainly sunroof,rough shifter] but nothing major that I can recall reading.Go ahead and become another member of the Patriot team.

 

i got a 04 silverado right now.

I would be getting the CVT does anyone have any thoughts on it?

 

jopte, I think you're going to find both pros and cons on the CVT in here, but mostly (from my own limited experience) it really just takes getting used to.
It really doesn't react like a "normal" automatic transmission. Besides the obvious lack of shifting feeling, it also tends to feel like you are almost braking when you decelerate. That's not a negative-just an observation. Another weird characteristic is when you really floor it (like getting onto a highway). The motor revs higher initially, then the speed catchs up, so it sounds like you are really going all out but yet you don't feel it as much in the "seat of your pants", so to speak. Still, it performs admirably on the highway and I don't regret my choice of going with the CVT (some will not be as enthused).
The only real way to tell: test drive one to be safe.

 

I had a 00 silverado had it chipped and volant cold air intake on it and that thing would scream! I don't think I ever lost a race in it! I miss that truck....

 

The immortal young. There's no reasoning with a 19 year old who thinks he has no issues when driving a Silverado at 90.

Enjoy whatever time is left to you and hopefully you won't kill anyone other than yourself.

Oh, and don't buy a Patriot.

 

I love the CVT. I don't have any issue's with it. I had it on the interstate for the first time last week. I had no problems merging onto the interstate. Did 65-70, crusing down the highway. I have almost 4000 miles on mine, 2008 4x2, 2.4L sport.

Took me about a week or two to get use to the CVT. I am averaging 26-27 miles per gallon. To get good MPG you've got to drive 55-60 on regular highway. Here our interstate is 65, no idea what I got on the interstate, pretty close to the 26 I'm guessing.

90 is a scary speed. Been there, done that, I'm now 30 and trying to keep my speeds down to 60. BUT please try and slow down so you can enjoy the rest of your life. Be safe for you, your passengers and the other's that are on the road with you.

 

what your deal rake? why shouldnt i get a patriot have you had any bad experiences with it?

 

I'll give you some straight answers without the lecture!

I've got a FD1,(4x4, non-Trail Rated) Patriot w/ the CVT. I drive close to 150 miles a day at speeds up to 75. I get anywhere from 23 to almost 27. Most of the time I get 24-25. Don't expect a Liberty to get that kind of mileage, it probably does better than your Silverado, but probably not that much better. But, if you like a slightly bigger vehicle, it seems like a good choice.

As for the CVT itself, its not bad. I think Randoo summed up my observations about it. I rented a Pacifica with a 6-spd. auto and I prefer the CVT. The 6-spd. auto in the Pacifica always felt like it couldn't decide when or what gear to go into, but I digress....

As for reliability, I've put over 22000 miles on mine since I bought it in May and no problems yet. The Patriot is a lot of car for the money and I don't regret buying one.

 

thank you

 

Huh.

Perhaps I do not understand something. 90mph is the same as 145km/h. Given that on Finnish highways the speed limit during summer is 120km/h (75mph) it is a tad above that, but doesn't seem all that excessive to me. The majority of drivers drive at about that speed during good conditions. (A lot of the bloody idiots drive at about that speed in piss-poor conditions also, but that's a different story...) Personally, I would have no issue driving much faster in the right conditions in my current vehicle. (I won't because I don't feel like losing my license if a police patrol happens to spot me or something, but I don't see where the danger is, either. Say, about 0500 on a bright, sunny summer morning, visibility waaaayyy out, no traffic, good highway, dry asphalt, fences blocking animals from walking on the road...)

Naturally, one has to drive at the proper speed for the traffic and weather conditions, taking into account the vehicle one is driving in, etc. The trick is to pay attention to what is happening ahead of you, not just stare at the pavement 25 meters in front of your front bumper. That way you have time to respond to anything coming up from the road. (And of course when driving, say, somewhere where you can't make sure there are no animals on or near the road, you drive slower. Duh.)

I am not saying that I'll be driving my Patriot on the highway at 145km/h. I'll need to get a feel for what the safe driving limits are on it first before I can say any particular maximum speed I'd be willing to take it to. And the speed I'll drive always depends on the conditions of the road! Unlike some zombies out there, I do not automatically drive, say, 10km/h above the speed limit regardless of the weather, traffic etc. Nor do I drive five meters from the car in front of me - another thing the great zombie horde of drivers tend to do. I am just saying that I don't understand the freaking out reaction some people seem to have to simply mentioning a speed like that. Don't you guys in the U.S. or Canada have any good weather and proper highways or what gives?

 

Huh.
I am just saying that I don't understand the freaking out reaction some people seem to have to simply mentioning a speed like that. Don't you guys in the U.S. or Canada have any good weather and proper highways or what gives?

Tony, I can't speak for other states but in Illinois the speed limit is 65mph. (I'm lousy at converting..sorry) As I recall, our Interstate system was built with the speed limit of 70 in mind. Many years ago and speed was initially reduced by the first big gas shortage (and told it was to save lives too) to 55, then bumped back up to it's present speed. The reason for most complaints is that (at least around here) the cops have the unwritten rule of "9 you're fine-10 you're mine". So 75 in theory can get you a ticket. 90 guarantees one. That's 20 mph over the initial designs of the roads anyhow (and I realize there had to be a fudge factor in that..maybe 10mph? dunno.) And for this area, (the midwest) there really isn't a time when you see no traffic on the interstates, unless it's late at night and that sure seems like a poor time to drive 90 or more. Really, I believe the flow of traffic does a better job of dictating speeds, especially in bigger cities. I have been doing 80 JUST TO KEEP UP, but that didn't mean I really wanted to. And I also have to admit that someone who goes just 65 in those areas are about as dangerous as the speeders due to constant lane shifting at higher speeds, sudden braking coming up on a slower driver, etc.
Again, I can't speak for many, but around here 90 really is a dangerous speed. That was my line of reasoning. (that and I got damned tired of washing down body fluids off the highway!)

 

Hi, I've been reading this thread with attention and I feel the same way as Tony1911. I'm used to go at 90 mph (145 km/h) on highways. If the road, traffic and weather conditions are good I see no reason for not doing it, even though the highway speed limit in my country is 120 km/h (it's higher in other European countries).

But... I just bought my Jeep Patriot and I've still haven't taken it on a long highway trip. Seeing some of the reactions in this thread has made me feel sometimes like I've bought a bad car for going at 90 mph. What's the problem? Is the Patriot more likely than other cars to have highway accidents? AZCycle wrote: "You want to cruise at 90mph "at ease" ??? Get a sports sedan and good luck to you and everyone else on the road when you lose control at that speed. Understand these Patriots are safe but ANY suv is unsafe at those speeds." And it's made me concern about the safety of my new car.

Is there anybody there that cruises at 90 mph on their Patriots? Can they give some feedback and let us know if the car's safe at that speed?