The mid-size SUV is a great vehicle for getting a lot of people from one place to another, with a decent price point and pretty good ongoing fuel economy. While they are never going to get the amazing gas mileage of a compact or subcompact, or even a smaller mid-size car, the mid-size SUV provides a good exchange of comfort and room for fuel economy.
The Jeep Patriot and the Honda CR-V are quite different looking vehicles in 2012 with the Jeep having the traditional and very boxy Jeep shape, with the CR-V looking much more updated and stylish with the rounded corners and car-like looks. The pricing of the CR-V is much higher as well, with nearly $7,000 difference between the two models.
Exterior Design and Drivability
The boxy yet unpretentious exterior of the Jeep Patriot will let weekend warriors feel like they’re still driving a rugged Jeep; however, carpoolers may not appreciate the lack of refinement and sophistication in this particular model year. The good driving position and responsive handling make the Jeep Patriot easy to park and maneuver even though the powertrain is a bit sluggish and there’s a fair amount of engine noise that should be eliminated.
The CR-V is a family vehicle through and through, with a well-designed interior and comfortable added refinements. The exterior of the CR-V however, is remarkably bland.
Interior Design
The very easy seating layout of the CR-V includes an excellent one-pull folding backseat and a simple, tasteful layout of the interior and dash area. The Jeep Patriot, by contrast, has a cheap-feeling interior that lacks all sophistication or refinement. There’s just a little extra hip room and front shoulder room in the CR-V which could certainly add to the roomy feel of the vehicle and there’s even more second row hip and shoulder room than the Patriot as well.
Fuel Economy
The city and highway miles per gallon are nearly identical between the two SUVs, with the 31 highway mpg for the CR-V slightly higher than the 29 mpg of the Patriot. The very stingy 13.6 gallon fuel tank on the Patriot makes you wonder why they didn’t want to add more space, especially when compared to the reasonably-sized 15.3 gallon CR-V fuel tank.
The mid-size SUV market is tight, but both of these offerings definitely have something special that would interest consumers: either the ruggedness and economy of the Patriot or the refinement of the CR-V.
