07 Patriot Sport - 2wd - CVT auto here. Just turned over 82,000 miles and doing fine. Last year drove it cross-country (Tucson to Mid-NY-State and back) and got 30mpg averaging 75mph... performed flawlessly through howling winds, massive rainstorms, snowstorms, etc. City gas mileage has dropped a bit lately to around 24mpg. It's in need of it's first CVT service, which apparently should have been done at 60k but I got bad information from the local stealership and said I could go as high as 90k. They now tell me it should have been done at 60k. Also noticed a slight hesitation on acceleration about 1700rpm but I think that can be taken care of with a throttle body clean (also part of the 80k service). Other than that... performing great.
I test drove a 4x2 stick today and have to say I was expecting far less. Power is certainly decent. The shifter is way better than I expected. Brake feel could be better but it stops like you want it to. Ride was pretty compliant and it's far quieter than our Forester. It's got 84,000 miles but wears them very well. The interior plastic is cheap and it has zero features being the base model. It feels far more substantial and larger than the Forester but I think they are pretty close in size. I'll have to take the missus over to drive it next week and see what she thinks. This example is a 1 owner new car trade with a very clean history. I also just found a 4x4 stick about 2 hrs away I may look at. The thing is definitely a contender...can't believe after a life of imports I'm actually considering a domestic product. :huh
They were cheap...I think the prices rose substantially. You won't find any under $8000 (and that's with over 100,000 on it). 80,000 miles = $9000 4x2, $10,500 4x4.
So.... I may have decided on what vehicle I may be getting. A Mazda CX-5. I test drove one, and I was very impressed. Handled well, very roomy, tons of standard features, reasonably priced ($20k) and great mileage. 32/Auto, 35/Manual. The only concern I have is that it's a completely new, untested, unproven vehicle, and the first fully Mazda built vehicle, since separating from Ford. Could be a good thing (Ford investment bringing Mazda's manufacturing/design a boost) or a bad thing (Mazda's first vehicle, no real experience to build on maybe?).
It's only been a few thousand miles, but so far so good. The one gripe I have (and it may be correctable; have to re-read the manual) is the auto door locks which lock when you hit a certain speed do not automatically unlock all the doors when you open the driver's door, which they do on my company Sebring. This probably wouldn't annoy me so much if I wasn't spoiled by the Sebring which I drive A LOT. We checked gas mileage once so far, with a lot of short trip jaunts, and it was around 25 mpg. I'm eager to run it on a highway trip to see what it does. The rear sill height is substantially higher than the Forester so I have to lift 2 of our 3 dogs up into the thing, which I didn't have to do with the Subaru. It is so much torquier (is that a word?) than the Suby. I can lug this thing at much lower RPMs and it will just accelerate, where the Forester 2.5 would be very unhappy. The much lower highway RPMs are also nice. I find I don't drive this as fast, either. The comfortable cruising speed is 5-10 mph less on the highway (depending on mood). This has nothing to do with feeling safe or anything; it's just the speed I find myself motoring along at. Odd. Maybe it's the taller seating position...don't know. Should be good for my license at any rate.
How's the ride? I have a Liberty (4wd) and it's very "hoppy" on the road. Runs fine but has no smooth what-so-ever in the ride department.
I never found (never looked, either) for a way to get the doors to unlock when the driver's door is opened. Highway ride in mine is really comfortable. We did a cross-country trip last year and loved it, though my butt WAS getting sore around hour 10-of each day. My biggest complaint? No cruise control standard... was annoying as hell on that road trip. The cruise is only $300 or so and can be installed by the owner (though the computer needs to be flashed at the dealer to recognize it).
It's not hobby-horse hoppy by any means. While not passenger car compliant, I think it rides better than our Subaru did with the stock suspension (I later lowered it with WRX parts, and that was fairly harsh). Remember, 4 wheel independent suspension; I think the Liberty still uses a solid axle in the rear.
So, did you get 5speed or CVT, 2wd or 4wd, 2.0 or 2.4? I looked hard at the Patriot, bought and enjoyed a CR-V, got rid of if for a truck, considering a Patriot again for long summer trips. Looking at the Mazda CX-5 too...
We got the 5 speed (neither of us can stand most automatics, and the CVT is worse). The stick used to only come with the 2.4, or maybe it's the 4x4...either way, the 2.0 isn't really common in the older ones from what shopping I did. And yes, ours is 4x4. It's mostly been slogging back and forth to work; still haven't had it on a good, long trip.
A small update here. For the past 6-months, there has been a "whine" that varies with throttle/speed. It's getting louder, and in doing some research, all Patriot owners with the CVT who have heard this whine have had their transmission kick the bucket. It also "bucked" quite alarmingly while climbing the local mountain twisties. I've got 85k on my 2007 and purchased it 6-months before Jeep started their lifetime drivetrain warranty. I will most likely limit miles on it, and trade it in come January before it implodes. While the Jeep has been mostly problem free up to this point, I'm going back to Ford.
We looked at the CX5 and came very close to buying one. Ultimately a bad experience with the dealer and the low tow rating meant we went with the Toyota. If they had the diesel available we would have certainly gotten it.
Another update. The whine was getting worse and a new sound was added that made the Patriot sound like a diesel at idle. It was so loud that people would turn and look when I pulled into parking spots. I took it to the local dealership for an oil change and had them isolate the clatter. Turns out it was the alternator beginning to self-destruct. In doing some research, I found this fairly common. Dealership quoted me $680 to replace the alternator. Eff that. Found out how to do it myself, and bought a high-output alternator from the local parts store for $240. Four hours later and after lots of curses thrown at whomever designed this thing (accompanied by banged up knuckles) I got the alternator changed out. Had to remove passenger front tire, inner fender splash shield, huge plastic mud guard underneath, drop and relocate the AC compressor, and remove one serpentine pulley. Then the alternator could drop down and out under the front bumper. I really miss working on old cars! Started the Pat up and ..... it was quiet. No loud whining or clatter! So while I'm still suspicious about the remaining life in the CVT, it was not the cause of the whine.
I'm sure the dealer's alternator cost more than the one you bought, but considering the amount of time it took you to change it the total quote including labor doesn't seem to have been too far off.