1. Price
2. Standard Features
3. Gas mileage

 

MPG
Rides more like a car, and has 4 wheel independent suspension.
Roll over rating is 4 vs 3 on the Liberty

The thing I like about the liberty is the two piece rear gate/window vs. the one piece lift-gate on the Patriot. Makes it easier to transport longer items.

 

I bought my Patriot over all other Jeeps due to its gas mileage and lower initial price... Like I have said before this is my gateway Jeep, now that I am hooked I'll jump into a more powerful and more addicting model.

 

This is my first Jeep, I would go for the Liberty but it isn't currently available over here, we still have the previous model but here we call it the Cherokee. I suspec that it would be too expensive to own though. The Commander and Grand Cherokee are out of my price range. The only other one I would have considered was the Wrangler Unlimited but to be fair it wouldn't really suit day to day commuting and I suspect I wouldn't take it off-road as often as it would deserve.

The Patriot was suitable for me and my family, economic with a good diesel engine. It is practical for daily commuting, it's comfortable and it's a very good cross over vehicle for someone who wants to move away from cars. I suspect after having it for a few years I will move on to another Jeep.

Ideally though I would love the Grand Cherokee SRT-8

 

gas mileage. period. 100 miles round trip every day. Well, and I suppose it doesn't look like a bubble as most of the sport-utes (that's right, I said it; sport-ute). Otherwise, I would have picked the restyled Liberty or a Toyota FJ Cruiser.

 

I've always loved the Liberty but didn't look at it when shopping earlier in the year because I had assumed it was out of my price range. But from what I heard afterwards, I could have gotten one for about the same price as my near fully loaded FD-II thanks to Jeep incentives. But I still would have almost certainly gotten the Patriot due to better fuel economy and overall better driveablility in the city. I don't do enough off-roading or any towing to warrant the more powerful Liberty. Plus I don't know anything about the new model of Liberty.

 

I had a 2005 Liberty Limited that got 15-17mpg and was a dog. I liked a lot of things about it, but it was not economical. The KK's cannot be quicker with more weight and same engine.

I only bought any new vehcile because the inital price was right, cuts fuel bills (65mile/day @ 25 vs. 12mpg), and is fun to drive. Even if I liked the Liberty better, I could not touch the cheapest Liberty 4WD for what I paid for my Compass Limited. Oh, back seat space MK > KK that I need for child seats.

I already have a 4WD pickup for towing and hauling. I already have ATV's for off-roading. Just needed a cheap commuter and AWD was a bonus.

 

Overall cost, including mileage, was the main reason. We'll come out over $8000 in the plus during the next three years, because we were able to take the 0% rate (36 months) for about the same payment as the Liberty's 48 month rate. Tack on close to $1000/year in gas savings if prices stay the same, and it wasn't a difficult decision (given our other vehicles). Another big selling point, believe it or not, was the door handles. My 4 year old can open his door and climb in while my wife is buckling in the baby. He couldn't open a Liberty's door (or Wrangler's door) with the big push button handle.

 

New model Liberty wasn't available when I bought my Patriot

Although I bought my Patriot over a Dodge Nitro for many of the same reasons you see above.

 

Price, looks and MPGs, in that order

 

I could have gotten a Liberty for about the same amount I paid for the Patriot. The Liberty is better off road and has more towing capability. So why not a Liberty?

Easy.

The Liberty's passenger compartment is a torture chamber. While the wife and I find the Patriot very comfortable and roomy, the Liberty was constricted where it needed to be roomy. The footwells were tiny. Within seconds of sitting in one, we both looked at each other and said "nope." That high floor translates to better off road clearance, but I have yet to go stump jumping. I use the added room and comfort every time I get into the Patriot.

Oh, and the mileage is better in the Patriot, but that wasn't the ultimate deciding factor. We actually were bouncing between a Patriot and a Grand Cherokee (which had not near enough headroom).

 

Good to know! The price point between the fully loaded patriot limited and the liberty limited basic are very similar. I guess what I am feeling is the looks and fuel economy are major motivators. Has anyone driven the wrangler unlimited.

 

At the time we were shopping ('07 model year) the Liberty still had the spare tire on the car's butt! My wife hated it! Then we drove both--no comparison in smoothness of the Patriot. The Liberty does have more power, also more weight, and poorer MPG.

I have to admit, I do like the styling of the '08 Liberty...and if I needed to haul more--I go that way.

But, I'm happy with my Patriot!

 

How often do you take your other cars out wheeling? That is my problem. I sold my jeep to move into the city now I need a car, only a short commute to work, but I am going to be living so close to the great outdoors.

 

Sorry to post so much in my own thread, but I drove the 2008 liberty and 2008 patriot and the on road handling was similar. I did feel like I was in a SUV more in the liberty but not much. The funny thing is we ordered a liberty for my wife, she loves it, but I never jumped in the passenger side at all . I hope I fit. I have heard that it is small up there.

 

I didn't actually look at the Liberty when I bought my Patriot, primarily because of the major disparity in gas mileage, and I honestly didn't need the off-road ability as much as I needed room to carry stuff. I would have been as well off with a station wagon, but I think the Pat will hold its resale value better and get comparable mileage (at least in town, which is where I do most of my driving). I really like the better ground clearance and the turning radius of the Patriot though; after driving this one for a few months I'm not sure I could go back to a standard wagon though.

I will say at the time I bought my Patriot there were Libertys advertised at the same or lower cost, but when I did the math based on the EPA figures it wouldn't have taken too long for the Liberty to get more expensive, and that was when gas was just under $3 instead of $3.50. Assuming it will go nowhere but up I figured I'd better get the most fuel-efficient option.

 

Shiner, How many miles per week do you think you will drive?

Your list is in the order of least capable off-road to most, most interior passenger space to least, best fuel economy to worst, lowest purchase price to highest. Those are the tradeoffs for the 4 vehicles in your list. If you drive 100 miles per week and don't need the space, get a Wrangler. Best resale value of any Chrysler.

 

When you put it that way it does make since the order of my list. Although the price is similar on all the models, give or take $500 dollars, the rest of your statement is very true. I will drive 50 miles a week for my commute. If the weather is nice I will actually ride my electric goped scooter. Man that wrangler is looking nice though. Now the only problem is fitting my greyhound in there.

 

1) Mileage (after 15 mpg with a 3.7 litre v6 Dakota 4x4
2) Price was attractive
3) Long list of standard equipment
4) Good Handling

My second Jeep - First was a 327 V8 1966 Wagoneer (owned it in 1973)

 

Nice car!! My first, and my most loved truck, was a 1973 Land rover. I couldn't afford the parts anymore and sold her to a collector. I still miss her. It really comes down to 3 cars for me.
Patriot-I love the gas mileage and to be honest the looks.
Jeep wrangler unlimited- the looks and the extra space and capabilities.
Jeep wrangler-more affordable.

Tuff decision.

 

50 miles per week! I do that in < 1 day commuting. I can easily get 100 miles if I do extra driving after work. I could only imagine filling up once a month! If it's only you and a large dog to carry, get a regular Wrangler soft top and remove the back seat. With the discounts, the Patriot should be much cheaper than the other three, but the least fun. As I said, Wranglers have excellent resale value. It will be way more capable off-road, the soft top convertible-ness, and interior that your dog can get dirty.

 

My reasons:

- Current version Liberty was not yet available when I bought my Patriot.
- Mileage
- Price
- I wanted a more compact SUV

 

New Patriot owner here ...

1. Price
2. MPG
3. Features
4. Looks

:smiley_thumbs_up:

 

^^^ There is nothing like a Wrangler. Will go almost anywhere. Top and doors off.....ahhhhhhhhh.

But you also need a dd for better gas mileage in this day and age. That is where the Pat comes in.......and you still get good all weather - get you home in a storm abilities - along with some off road capability in a stock Pat.

Just my opinion.

 

I have to disagree in this case. He only drives 50 miles a week. It would take a loooong time to make up that $16k-$24k (estimated, depending on package) cost in gas savings, not to mention the additional cost of insurance.

 

50 miles one way to work for me!

I wouldn't trade my 98 XJ in for the world. With over 268,000 miles on the puppy, it is my vehicle of choice.

We just got back home from our trip to Colorado and we averaged nearly 21 MPG with my wife's WJ, 2003 Grand Cherokee.

We traveled over 2,000 miles and seen some of the most beautiful countryside imaginable.

When it is time to put the Lean Green Fighting Machine to its rest, the new Liberty looks like it might be our vehicle of choice.

 

Mileage.
also
I wanted vinyl seats. Most other models do not offer vinyl.
Price was not a factor. I wanted a Commander. But they don't come with manual windows, transmission, locks and vinyl seats. A diesel Commander, if available, would offer similar mileage to the Patriot. I like my Jeeps simple, not fancy.

 

1. I think the old liberty is ugly, and the new one was not out yet (I love the new liberty).
2. Gas milage
3. Cost

 

In no particular order...

1. Price was right
2. MPG is better than what I was driving
3. Looks (owned mine 7 months and still haven't seen another one like it in NE Florida)
4. Creature comfort features

 

I wanted the better mileage of the Patriot.