What Are the Best Years for the Jeep Patriot? (Answered)

ByKern Campbell

The Jeep Patriot, introduced in 2007 and discontinued in 2017, offers a rugged SUV to suit the needs of customers across the board. The decade of manufacture brought ups and downs to the model, but which year is the best?

The best year for the Jeep Patriot is 2017. The 2017 Jeep Patriot stayed true to the design and intent of the first model released in 2007 but improved its features and abilities. While the 2017 Jeep Patriot is the most robust version of the vehicle, other great years to consider are 2013 and 2007.

The 2017 Jeep Patriot is the newest model of the Jeep Patriot, as it was discontinued in 2017. It is highly rated by experts and consumers, so it deserves the title of the best year for the Jeep Patriot. Read about why the 2017 model is so great below. 

2017 Jeep Patriot Features

The 2017 Jeep Patriot offers the rugged feel of a Jeep with the practicality of an SUV. Sticking true to its initial design and intent in 2007, it offers light off-roading abilities and a comfortable interior suited for family commuting.

The 2017 Patriot has a 4.3-star consumer rating on Kelley Blue Book and offers few problems and has a high-reliability rating. Its safety features are up to par, and comfort was in mind when the interior was designed.

The 2017 Jeep Patriot comes in five different trim options: Sport, Sport SE, Sport 75th Anniversary, Latitude, and High Altitude. While Sport, Sport SE, and Sport 75th Anniversary don’t offer too many upgrades, Latitude and High Altitude offer packages to improve power and off-road ability. 

Base Model

The base model of the Jeep Patriot in 2017 was a five-speed manual transmission that offered 158 hp, a 2-L 4 cylinder engine. It has front-wheel drive but comes with the option to upgrade to four-wheel drive. 

Sport SE

The Sport SE upgrade is similar to the base model but brings with it a continuous variable automatic transmission. It has a 13.6-gallon tank and a 2,000 lb towing capacity. The 2017 Jeep Patriot Sport SE gets up to 22 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on highways. It is a step up from the base model, but a lot of the functionalities are the same.

Latitude

The Latitude offers a six-speed shiftable automatic transmission. It is four-wheel drive, offering 172 horsepower and a 2000 lbs towing capacity.

High Altitude 

The Jeep Patriot High Altitude is built better for off-roading and adventures. The upgrades are designed to increase durability and reliability on rougher roads. While it isn’t a Wrangler, it is more equipped than the base model Patriot. It comes with four-wheel drive and a six-speed shiftable automatic transmission. To improve handling and durability, it has center differential locking. The High Altitude offers 172 horsepower and a 2,000 lb towing capacity. 

All of the extras and perks do take a small toll on the gas mileage, giving the High Altitude up to 20 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on highways

2017 Jeep Patriot Downfalls

On Car Complaints, the 2017 Jeep Patriot has the lowest number of complaints with a mere 7 complaints. Owners of the Jeep Patriot have complained about transmission failure, long crank when starting the vehicle, and a dead battery. 

Other complaints concerning the 2017 Jeep Patriot are less severe, but still complaints. Consumers have reported leaky sunroofs, faulty windshield wipers, and poor seals, causing water leaks on the body of the vehicle. 

Another potential downfall is the continuous variable transmission (CVT). Many hold different opinions about the CVT, but most car people will say to avoid them. In general, they provide a smoother ride as there is no sudden change of gears, but they can be more expensive to repair or replace. 

2013 Jeep Patriot

The 2013 Jeep Patriot is a five-speed manual transmission with the same base 2-L engine. It has front-wheel drive with the option of four-wheel drive. It offers 158 horsepower and a 2,000 lb towing capacity. The mileage is fair for a vehicle of its size and ability at 23 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on highways.

The 2013 Jeep Patriot has 41 complaints on Car Complaints that are more severe than the ones from the 2017 Jeep Patriot. Some common issues reported are:

  • Overheating and dying
  • Trouble shifting
  • Noise from transmission
  • Stalling
  • Hesitating when accelerating
  • Roof leaks
  • Bad tires
  • Rear hub assembly failure
  • Four wheel drive engagement failure
  • Random airbag deployment

While this is a long list, issues like these are somewhat common on older cars. The 2013 Patriot is a great car for its age. You should expect some maintenance and repairs, but overall, it boasts good durability

2007 Jeep Patriot

The first year of the Jeep Patriot offered a great new addition to the line of vehicles offered by Jeep. The vehicle was designed to give the Jeep feel to a family commuter SUV. The first year had great success and people today still enjoy the 2007 Jeep Patriot. 

In 2007, the Patriot offered two trims, Sport, and Limited. The base model has front-wheel drive with the option to upgrade to four-wheel drive. The base model is a five-speed manual transmission. It provides a 2.4-L 4 cylinder base engine that offers 172 horsepower and 2,000 lb towing capacity.

The 2007 Jeep Patriot has 47 reported complaints on Car Complaints. Some of the complaints are:

  • Stalling after fueling
  • Difficulty filling gas tank
  • Roof and body leaks
  • Cracked and rotting subframe
  • Stalling while driving
  • Hesitating when accelerating
  • Running rough
  • Lost power
  • TIPM failure
  • Leaky sunroof
  • Difficulty shifting
  • Transmission failure.

The 2007 Jeep Patriot is an old vehicle, and it’s expected to have some issues and more severe repairs, so this list shouldn’t surprise you too much, but it still presents some large problems that can become pricey to repair.

Which Years to Avoid

The Jeep patriot had some good years, but there were also some tough years that you should avoid. On Car Complaints, the year with the highest number of complaints is 2008 with a total of 173 complaints. The following year, 2009, also received a high number of complaints with 123 complaints. While these years still carried on the legacy of the Patriot, they provide more headaches than joy because of repairs and maintenance.