Jeep Patriot 2.4 - test drive review
The trial run begins
Can Compass outsell Freelander?
Compass and Patriot test drive events are held at the same time, but Jeep's recent advertising campaigns have focused on Compass, which is rarely mentioned. In fact, the chassis, power, and interior of the two cars are basically the same, and the biggest difference is the "shell", that is, the external image. Jeep said that Compass is targeting the more "mainstream" urban SUV market, while Patriot is targeting individual buyers who are pursuing a relatively "wild" image.
I'm one of the few people in the media who thinks the Compass's market potential is greater than that of Jeep, and my reasoning is that the "mainstream" urban SUV segment in which Compass operates is full of strong competitors such as the RAV4, CR-V, Tiguan, Forester, etc. The Compass may be considered by some, but the "survival rate" of being selected in the end is low. On the other hand, the Compass looks like a smaller version of the Wrangler, which is more likely to impress, and there are also significant differences from the models of the mainstream manufacturers mentioned above. Why would people abandon Toyota, Honda, Volkswagen in favor of Jeep? Isn't it because Jeeps are different from them?
Of course, this is just my personal opinion, and in the end, the compass or the compass sells better and is inseparable from the manufacturer's promotion efforts. At present, Jeep China clearly promotes the guide, and the guide is only regarded as a complementary product. This is even reflected in the compass's choice of mechanical specifications, with the former being more active and the latter being relatively passive. To be honest, I don't really agree with this strategy.
Compass 2.4 - Model Origins
The Jeep Compass is a brother model of the Compass, and the two cars are based on the same platform, developed by DaimlerChrysler (now spun off, Chrysler has been jointly developed with the Fiat Alliance) and Mitsubishi, with Dodge (Kubo) also sharing the same platform.
The interior of the Compass and Freelander is basically the same, the biggest difference between the two is the shell, the Compass adopts an urban, modern design style, while the Freelander has a boxy style, and the traditional off-road vehicle has a stronger flavor.
This generation of the model was launched in North America in 2007, but it never came to China until 2011, when Jeep brought a revamped version of the Compass to China and named it "Freedom" (in the past, some players called it "Patriot", but Jeep did not adopt this name; There is also a mention of "Freedom", which is the name that was previously introduced to China in small batches, and is not the same model as the Compass).
2.4 - Appearance
The Compass has a typical, traditional Jeep look with a stiff silhouette and straight lines, making it quite a hardcore off-road vehicle. From the rear of the car, it is reminiscent of the familiar Beijing Jeep Grand Cherokee; But from the front, the Compass features simple and rustic round headlights, reminiscent of Jeep's current off-road signature - Wrangler. In fact, Jeep's styling ideas have also been clear - in the future, models that take the urban and "civilized" route will use square headlights, such as the Compass and Grand Cherokee; Models that go the wild route will have round headlights, such as the Wrangler and Compass.
Compass 2.4 - Dimensions
The Compass has the same wheelbase as the Compass, but the body is more compact, and the front approach angle and rear departure angle of the Compass are excellent when viewed from the side, and although it is a sedan chassis, the ground clearance of 205mm is also the best in its class.
2.4 - Design Details
The black plastic skid plates around the body show the guide's focus on off-roading, and when you're walking in the back, you'll know the benefits of these large black skid plates.
The straight lines are nothing special, but with the white body in the picture above, it does reveal a bit of personality and even noble temperament. The model we tested was the American version, and the details such as the fog lights and taillights of the National Bank will be slightly modified.
2.4 - Engine and transmission
The Compass and the Compass in China use the exact same power configuration: a 2.4-liter double overhead camshaft DVVT engine with a maximum output of 125kW / maximum torque of 220Nm/ mated to a 6-speed analog CVT gearbox. This power system originates from the technical cooperation between DaimlerChrysler and Mitsubishi, and is not only used by Chrysler, Jeep, and Dodge, but also used by Mitsubishi Outlander, so there is no need to worry about the disadvantages of high fuel consumption and low efficiency of American engines. The comprehensive fuel consumption announced by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology is 8.6L/100km, while our actual fuel consumption in urban areas is just over 10L/100km.
2.4 - Actual power performance
The biggest inherent advantages of CVTs are ride and economy, and the guide fully demonstrates these two advantages. In actual driving, the guide's power smoothness is top-notch, whether it's a slow stop-and-go or a sudden increase in the throttle in the middle of the drive, there is no frustration at all. When driving in the city, this smoothness makes people feel very comfortable, and passengers will also feel that the car is more advanced.
The 2.4-liter engine paired with a CVT isn't too powerful, and the starting response isn't very positive, but it doesn't feel sluggish in general city driving. It's rare that it doesn't suffer from the annoying noise fluctuations that other CVTs do when changing gears repeatedly. The revs of the Freelander are below 2000 rpm most of the time, and if you press the throttle deeply, it will rise to 3000 rpm, at which time the power gradually increases, but the increase in engine noise is not obvious, which is quite luxurious.
When overtaking on the highway, I stepped on the accelerator and increased the revs to 5000 rpm, but I still didn't feel any pushback, and the stamina was average. Although the CVT transmission offers a simulated 6-speed manual mode, the shift response is not fast, and the shift mode of moving the gear lever left and right is too "special" and not suitable for real intense driving. People who pay attention to driving dynamics may not be very happy with the guide.
2.4 - Road handling
In the past, we all thought that American SUVs were shaky, but the 2011 Compass/Liberty retuned the chassis, optimized the shock absorbers and springs, enhanced cornering stability, no obvious shaking when cornering, and felt very stable in cornering on city streets, no different from most Japanese and European urban SUVs.
The Compass's steering wheel is only 2.7 laps in total, which is a relatively agile setting, and the weight of the steering wheel is appropriate, making it very easy to drive in the city. When you go up to the long straight, you will find that the space in the center of the steering wheel is actually quite large, which is to ensure that the feedback from the steering wheel is not too nervous when driving on bad roads. But as long as it turns, the directionality still gives people confidence, and it is a good steering system.
The braking response requires a bit of adaptation: there are almost no dead spots when the pedal is pressed, and the foot feels stiff. At first, you may feel that the braking force is not enough, but the deeper you pedal, the stronger the braking force becomes. After using it for a long time, you will feel that this brake has a sense of communication, and it is easy to accurately control the braking force when doing low-speed extreme off-road (such as slowly descending stairs).
The chassis of the new generation of American cars is relatively solid, and the guide is no exception, the chassis is relatively hard most of the time, the vibration transmission is more direct, and the front seat feeling is okay, but sitting in the back row, you can feel a lot of subtle vibrations from the floor, door panels, etc. The Compass's 17-inch tires are a little thicker than the Compass's 18-inch tires, but subtle vibrations aren't reduced much. Fortunately, when the potholes are run over on the road, the sound of the whole vehicle is still relatively solid, and it will not feel like a squeamish car. It is worth mentioning that the car we tested was the American version, and the manufacturer mentioned that its chassis tuning will be slightly different from the national version, but at the same time, when comparing the American version of the guide and the Korean version of the guide, the chassis characteristics are not much different, so it is estimated that the feeling of the national version will not be much worse in the future.
In daily driving, the engine noise of the guide is still relatively large, but the chassis sound insulation is not thorough enough, and it is easy to hear the noise under the car. However, even when driving on potholes, the noise level of the chassis is acceptable, indicating that the overall sturdiness is still good.
2.4 - Four-wheel drive system and chassis structure
Like the Compass, the Compass entering China uses Jeep's -Drive all-wheel drive system. This is a common form of urban SUV that utilizes a multi-plate clutch to distribute power between the front and rear axles. When driving normally on the road, 100% of the power is transmitted to the front wheels, which is a pure front-wheel drive vehicle; When a slippage of the front axle is detected, the system automatically transmits power to the rear axle with a maximum distribution ratio of 50:50. The power distribution can also be manually locked at 50:50 via the "T" handle on the centre console. At this time, the word 4WD will be lit on the instrument, but in fact, when this light is not on, the vehicle may be running in 4WD mode.
This four-wheel drive system is similar to most urban SUVs in form, and it is not very "hardcore", mainly lacking the low-speed gear and the differential lock function between the left and right wheels. However, in the North American market, Jeep provides a set of -Drive II four-wheel drive optional system for Compass and Compass. The system can not only brake the slippery wheels separately through ESP to achieve the differential function between the wheels, but also the CVT also specially increases the transmission range to achieve a large transmission ratio of 19:1, which is equivalent to the 4L low-speed function of traditional off-road vehicles. Unfortunately, Jeep didn't export the Drive II all-wheel drive system to any overseas markets, and China was no exception.
The chassis structure of the compass is the same as that of the compass, but the biggest difference is that the approach and departure angles of the compass are larger, making it easier to climb steep slopes. During the test drive, the manufacturer arranged artificial obstacles up and down the stairs, and the guide had to go down the stairs very slowly to avoid the front of the car touching the ground, while the guide passed easily, and the front and rear of the car were off the ground very much. If you are driving in the wilderness, the probability of damage to the compass's body is undoubtedly much lower than that of the compass.
The chassis structure of the Compass is the same as that of the Compass, which is a load-bearing body with built-in reinforcing beams. This is a technology that Jeep has been using since the Cherokee in the 80s of the last century, and it has been very perfect. When driving on washboard roads and one-sided ramps, the body and chassis remain very solid and noise-free, even though the vehicle is constantly subjected to torsional forces. Even though I was gradually accelerating on the washboard, it still felt very solid.
2.4 - Extreme off-road and passability
As mentioned earlier, the Compass's 4WD system is just a basic urban 4WD system, and generally speaking, it is enough to go through potholes and bumpy roads. But when it comes to tricky off-road obstacles, such as typical sliding (the so-called "sliding" is just a colloquial name, as long as one wheel on the front and rear axles is slipping at the same time, whether it is sliding or not), the guide's four-wheel drive system cannot cope with it. Check out the video below:
As you can see, when the wheels of the front and rear axles are slipped, the compass can no longer move forward, and the suspended front and rear wheels will spin idle. At this time, the driver needs to step back slightly, then step on the accelerator, and rely on the inertia brought by faster speed to rush through the bump slope, so that the front wheels can land as soon as possible to avoid skidding. In addition, the compass does not have any electronically assisted off-road equipment, neither electronic brake limited slip differential function, nor downhill steep hill descent function, which can be said to be a relatively simple four-wheel drive chassis.
Perhaps in order to facilitate the technical maintenance and maintenance after the introduction of China, Jeep China decided to make the mechanical specifications of the Compass completely consistent with that of the Compass. The ability of a guide to achieve such off-road ability should be sufficient for most users. But for guides, who are known for their "hardcore" cars, we feel that such a four-wheel drive configuration is still a bit insufficient. Although its approach and departure angles are better than those of the Compass, and the sturdiness of the chassis can easily cope with large potholes and valleys, the lack of a limited-slip differential lock (even if it is electronic) and the absence of a 4L low-speed gear, when encountering very large potholes, long slopes and towing rescues, the Compass simply cannot stand up and play the role of a "hardcore" off-road vehicle. From this point of view, the "hard-line" of the compass is only relative to the ordinary sedan. For the off-road vehicle player group, it is still difficult for this car to meet the requirements, and the inability to modify the 4L gear has become its inherent shortcoming, and it has also wasted its excellent ground clearance, approach angle, and departure angle advantages.
2.4 - Frame design and materials
The Compasser's dashboard is roughly the same as the Compasser's dashboard and is shared. This dashboard is round, intimate, and more mainstream. We test drove the American version with an all-black interior, while the Chinese version will change to dark gray and dark beige seat tones. The cabin is not avant-garde, but the overall look is more harmonious. However, the center console, armrest box, and co-pilot's glove box use some hard plastics with poor texture, which affects the sense of luxury.
2.4 - Internal details
The diameter of the steering wheel is not very large, and the leather-wrapped body feels good. The styling is a bit old-fashioned, but the trip computer and cruise control at 3 and 9 o'clock work well. The audio selection and volume remote buttons are placed behind the steering wheel, and while the design is weird, it's a tradition that Jeep has inherited from the previous two generations of the Grand Cherokee. Fog lamp control is also relatively alternative, you need to pull the turn signal pole outward, and you really need to be very familiar with it to know how to operate.
The instrument cluster is in the same style as the previous generation of Jeep, and the test-drive on-board computer has an English menu and mileage unit, and the Chinese version may use a Chinese menu and metric units.
The center console lacks some personality, but its functions are simple and straightforward. The picture shows the American version of the low-profile audio and air conditioning, the Chinese version will be equipped with 6-disc DVD audio head, 4 speakers, except for the lowest configuration model, other models have constant temperature air conditioning, the top model will use 9 speakers, to reach the level of audiophile, it is worth recommending.
2.4 - Space and Seats
Freelander's body profile is square, so the interior space is naturally good, and the view is relatively wide.
The American version we test-drove was the waterproof velvet seat, which wasn't low-end, but it didn't feel comfortable to sit on. On the same day, the test drive was the Korean version, and the leather seat cushion was significantly larger and provided better support for the whole body. I don't know if this is the difference between the American version and the Asia-Pacific version, or the difference between velvet and leather seats.
The rear seat is very interesting, as mentioned earlier, when driving, you can feel the direct road vibration from the floor, backrest and even the door panel, but the seat cushion is deliberately soft and can filter out a lot of vibration, so the ride comfort is still acceptable.
The front active safety headrests are a good tradition left over from the cooperation between Jeep and Mercedes-Benz, but the rear headrests are simple and one-piece, which drags down the style of the car.
2.4 - Cabin convenience
Americans spend their lives in cars, so convenience design is not overlooked. There are 2 cup holders in the front and rear of the guide's central axle, and there are storage compartments for drinks on the left and right doors. The passenger compartment is divided into two levels, and the open storage compartment on the upper level is very convenient. There is also an AC power outlet under the armrest of the center console, making it easy to charge portable appliances such as mobile phones during long drives. However, the American version we tested was 150V, and I don't know if the Chinese version will be changed to 220V.
2.4 - Trunk practicality
The trunk floor is a bit high, and there are no luggage blinds, which is not very convenient for daily use. However, the rear seat backrests can be easily folded down 4/6, and the trunk floor is basically flat after folding. Coupled with a boxy trunk and tailgate, carrying large items is a guide's forte.
The subwoofer speakers located on the inner wall of the tailgate can be folded down to become an "big horn" facing the exterior of the car, while the interesting details of the compass have been preserved.
2.4 - Safety
The 2011 Compass performed well in the U.S. IIHS crash tests, earning the IIHS "Best Choice" designation for its side airbag equipped with a good rating in all test categories. It is worth noting that the IIHS also tested models without side airbags, and the results received only a (barely) rating in a side impact. The Chinese version of the Compass is only equipped with side airbags in the top-of-the-line luxury version, and the other two models are not equipped with side airbags. Instead, air curtains are standard on all models, a relatively rare configuration.
Active safety equipment is relatively complete, including ESC, ERM (which uses sensors to monitor the possibility of a rollover and immediately apply the brakes to the wheels), and only the digital tire pressure display system is exclusive to the top-of-the-line equipment.
The following table describes the security configurations:
Safety Gear 2.4 Classic 2.4 Sport 2.4 Deluxe
A new generation of multi-stage front airbags
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●
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Front seats are assisted by side airbags
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Front and rear auxiliary side air curtains
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●
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Active safety headrests for the front seats
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●
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ABS anti-lock four-wheel disc brakes
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●
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BAS Brake Assist
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●
●
ESC Electronic Stability Control
●
●
●
ERM electronic anti-rollover system
●
●
●
Speed-sensing auto-lock
●
●
●
Engine high-speed protection device
●
●
●
TPMS Digital Tire Pressure Monitoring System
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Safety alarm device
●
●
●
Key anti-theft system
●
●
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*Based on actual sales in Chinese mainland
Compass 2.4 - new car reviews web conclusion
Advantage:
Shortcoming:
We've pointed out several times in this car review that the Compass is mechanically identical to the Compass and therefore also retains the excellent ride qualities and road handling of the new generation Compass. Coupled with the boxy interior, the Compass is a versatile vehicle that is easy to drive and use in everyday use.
But how many people will choose Jeep because it is "easy to drive and easy to use"? I don't think it's much. Those who choose Jeep are either looking for its personality image or love its deep off-road heritage. The Compass has the appearance of a brother to the Wrangler, and the boxy body has a good "beautification" potential, which should be a "good seedling" for players who like to do body decorations. But for buyers who like off-road and want to drive a Jeep to climb mountains and wade through water, the Compass is certainly not comparable to the Wrangler. It is necessary to see that its chassis and four-wheel drive system are relatively simple, and there is limited space to modify it to improve its off-road ability after buying it.
In the final analysis, the Compass is just a "personalized version of the Compasser" with a different shell, and there is no stronger off-road technology than the Compass, so the so-called "hardcore" is only staying in the image. If you want to go off-road with your big brother Wrangler or Grand Cherokee, it's simply a luxury, some bad roads can still be handled, and the off-road ability is not lost to most urban SUVs. If you originally wanted to buy a guide, but when you go to the exhibition hall and find that the guide is more handsome, then you can definitely buy it, so the guide is not without value.
However, we were disappointed that Jeep didn't launch a more off-road version, giving the Compass and Compass a different competitive content. This is not only to distinguish it from the compass, but more importantly, looking around the 200,000-300,000 range, there are countless urban/highway SUVs, but there is no real "tough guy" SUV with a strong enough hardcore image and convincing enough off-road ability. Countless times, people have asked us, "Which SUV has the best off-road ability in the 20-300,000 range?" "Our answer will never be Jeep...... The guide obviously has the ability to fill this gap and occupy this "monopoly business", but it is regrettable that Jeep China has not taken this step.