Those who love getting off road will often turn to a Jeep. The 2012 Patriot could be a good choice for those who want a quality vehicle for the roads, and when they decide to venture off the beaten path.
Key Features
Features on the 2012 Jeep Patriot include electronic stability control, hill start assist, antilock brakes, rear seats that fold flat, tinted glass, and electronic roll mitigation.
Changes for 2012
One of the biggest changes from the 2011 to 2012 models is the calibration improvement on the continuously variable transmission. This has helped to reduce the engine noise and improve acceleration. In addition, they added a number of new color options.
What We Like
The 4WD vehicle is a powerful vehicle that can perform well in many different conditions. It also happens to look great, if a bit boxy, and comes with some fantastic features. This also happens to be a very affordable vehicle.
What Concerns Us
While this vehicle is certainly usable for off road driving, you will find that it doesn’t have quite the same durability as another one of the staples from Jeep – the Wrangler.
Available Models
The 2012 Jeep Patriot has three different trim models, and two engine choices, as well as three transmissions. The 2WD Sport and 2WD Latitude feature a 2.0-liter in-line 4 engine, 158 horsepower @ 6,400 RPM, 141lb of torque @ 5,000 RPM. The 2WD CVT2 gets 23 MPG in the city and 27 on the highway. The 5-speed manual 2WD gets 23 in the city and 29 on the highway.
The 4WD Sport and 4WD Latitude, along with the limited editions have a 2.4 liter in-line 4 engine, 172 horsepower @ 6,000 RPM, 165lb of torque @ 4,400 RPM. The 2WD 5-speed manual gets 23 in the city and 28 on the highway. The 2WD CVT2 gets 21 in the city and 27 on the highway.
Major Recalls
The 2012 Jeep Patriot has actually been the subject of three major recalls over the past several years. Some of the vehicles have had trouble with the air bags not deploying properly, as well as engine stalls, and issues with the roll over valve, which could increase the risk of a fire during an impact or a roll over.
Common Issues
In addition to the problems mentioned above, consumers have had a number of other issues with the 2012 Jeep Patriot. They’ve had problems with the responsiveness of the engine, as well as issues with the body of the vehicle – water leaks being the number one complaint. Others have had issues with the transmission, as well as the windshield.
