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Our vehicle was crawling down a rumbling dirt path not far from the ruins of Fort McComb when we hit an open stretch and I tapped the accelerator. That’s when I heard it: Cli-clunk. Sometimes it’s the little things in a new test vehicle that jump out at you. In the 2011 Jeep Patriot, it was the sound of...


View full sizePhoto by James Gaffney/The Times-PicayuneROAD SCHOLAR: The base model 2011 Jeep Patriot is designed more as a smart urban runabout than off-road Titan unless the consumer buys one of the optional Freedom four-wheel-drive, trail-rated packages, which adds a skid plate, hill start and descent controls, tow hooks and extra-low gears for low-traction surfaces.

Our vehicle was crawling down a rumbling dirt path not far from the ruins of Fort McComb when we hit an open stretch and I tapped the accelerator. That’s when I heard it:



Cli-clunk.



Sometimes it’s the little things in a new test vehicle that jump out at you. In the 2011 Jeep Patriot, it was the sound of the speed-sensitive automatic door locks clamping down. As the name suggests, the doors lock automatically when your speed gets above 15 miles per hour — whether you ramp up to it slowly or hit the mark quickly in a burst of acceleration.



This feature, I speculated, must have been designed for fast getaways after bank heists. (“You’ll never take me with unlocked doors, coppers!”)



“Or maybe it’s to save the driver from an angry, golf club-wielding spouse,” observed my traveling companion. “That would make it quite handy.”



So, too, is something else we discovered in the vehicle. Just as Aston Martin’s new Cygnet includes a pair of designer throw pillows for good measure, the Patriot tosses in an on-board flashlight, which lends a certain Boy Scout je ne sais quoi to the already rugged, individualistic demeanor of this affordable compact SUV and five-door hatchback runabout. (Laugh all you want but if you ever break down off-road at night, you’ll be glad the flashlight is there — and, with any luck, charged.)

View full sizePhoto by James Gaffney/The Times-Picayune

And then there’s the ceiling, which features a quartet of large recessed panels. The questions arises: who puts that much thought into the design of a car ceiling? Furthermore, it’s doubtful anyone spends much if any time actually looking up at the ceiling — unless, of course, they’re at the drive-in.



Close to their vest

An entry-level Jeep, the Patriot is blessed with a moderately quiet cabin for a low-grade SUV plus relatively easygoing, well-balanced road manners on highways and during around-town driving. Powered by an optional 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine stewarded by a fuel-efficient continuously variable transmission (CVT), this car-based, front-wheel-drive crossover has 172 horses and 165 pound-feet of torque under the hood. While the Patriot’s CVT will likely dampen the spirits of most performance-oriented drivers, the transmission in clutchless manual mode does offers crisp downshifts (though upshifts feel a bit lurchy). The standard Patriot engine is a 2.0-liter four-banger with 158 horsepower and a five-speed manual transmission.



However, what shouldn’t get lost in the shuffle is the considerable if not impressive bang you get for the buck — the MSRP for my 70th Anniversary Edition Patriot test vehicle starts at $22,195. Standards included electronic stability control, ABS, auto climate control, heated front seats and power six-way driver’s seat, satellite radio, an audio jack for mobile devices, and a leather-wrapped tilt steering wheel. Also included: 60/40 split folding rear seats; front-passenger fold-flat seatback; the aforementioned speed-sensitive auto door locks; power heated fold-away mirrors; remote keyless entry; plus 115- and 12-volt power outlets.



Available options include Uconnect voice command, USB port and daytime running lamps.



Over time this car slowly began to grow on me, despite the rumor circula

Tags: Jeep, is-featured

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HIP TO BE SQUARE: Jeep Patriot's boxy demeanor is old-school cool was originally published by New Orleans Auto Reviews: Jeep. Read the full story by clicking here.