2008 Jeep Patriot Exterior Review [ 2007 ]
Based on analysis of 41 Patriot reviews and test drives.
Exterior - What the Auto Press Says
Nearly every reviewer loves the 2008 Patriot's exterior for its boxy look, which dates back to the classic styling cues of the Jeep Cherokee. "The Patriot is unmistakably a Jeep," says New Car Test Drive. "It looks like a Jeep all the way: more so than the stylish Cherokee or big boxy Commander."
A modern incarnation of the Jeep Cherokee (retired in 2001), the Patriot features a seven-slot grille and rectangular body that gives it "a rough-and-ready look that should appeal to the target demographic of young and active individuals," according to Edmunds. The Patriot is just a bit larger than the Cherokee, with a two-inch longer wheelbase (103.7 inches), a six-inch longer length (173.6 in.), near identical width and a two-inch increase in height.
The Detroit News loves the Patriot's other telltale Jeep feature -- the "round puppy-eyed headlights that say, 'Come play.'"Cars.com says: "The Patriot's styling breaks no ground. Its triumph is that it looks like a Jeep. That might seem minor, but even today this vehicle class carries a cute-ute stigma, and one of the Compass' problems is that it doesn't look like a Jeep -- at least not in any of the ways one might want it to." The Car Connection echoes: "To our eyes, the Patriot's angular styling is markedly more attractive than that of the soft and squishy Compass. It looks more expensive than the price tag would suggest, and is instantly recognizable as a Jeep."
