1999 jeep cherokee 4.0L 190hp@4600 225lb-ft@3000
http://web.radiant.net/kms/specs.html
Since the patiot uses the same motors as the caliber. http://www.allpar.com/cars/dodge/caliber.html
2.4L 172hp@6400 164@4400
2.0L crd 140hp@4000 229lb-ft@2500

I think this shows the patriot crd has more torque at a lower RPM.
Looking at the compass 2.4L. Normal tow with cvt is 1000lbs and manual trans with tow package 2000lbs. Looking at the jeep sight.
Haven't seen the tow capabilities for the patriot or diesel compass yet.

The XJ has been gone for 5 or 6 years now. It's not coming back. It's not being reincarnated. DCX screwed up royally by axing the XJ when they did and they know it. That's why they keep bringing the car back up. You don't see Ford calling every new vehicle they make a Galaxie reincarnate. Dropping the XJ led everyone to compare the KJ to the XJ and that's just not fair to either vehicle.

When I bought my XJ, the dealer was trying to talk us into a KJ by claiming it was an upgraded version of the XJ. That was my first brush with a KJ and I was less than impressed for what I needed. Sure the backseats were bigger in the KJ but nobody uses out back seats but the kids. And I don't care what DCX claims about cargo space in each, I can fit a stroller and camping gear much better in the back of an XJ. We took a full regiment of our usual camping supplies with us to the dealership to make sure we wouldn't be cramming for space on trips. We spent more time loading and unloading the prospective vehicles than we did on test drives.

Our family got a little bigger so we ended up trading the XJ in for an XK this year, which was also touted as an XJ reincarnation. I love the XK but it's no XJ. When I'm in the market for a new smaller vehicle to replace my Hyundai daily driver, the Patriot looks like an option but I'll have no preconceived notions of XJ goodness being involved. Somehow I doubt the Patriot will be able to tow 5000lbs or have gobs of low end torque. DCX has this mistaken notion that the XJ was popular because of styling when in reality it was popular because of utility and reliability (and it was fun to drive). The styling was just a plus.

OK, time 4 me 2 weigh in, on those saying the 4dr Wrangler JKL is "closer" to an XJ reincarnation...

This weekend, I took a test drive in a new '07 4dr Wrangler. I drove my XJ with a 5spd manual/4.0L to the dealership, gawked & scrutinized the JKL for 1/2hr, test drove the JKL (it was an automatic ) for 15 minutes, then got back in my XJ. So, it was an immediate side-by-side comparison...

First the good: it's a vastly improved Jeep Wrangler in almost every way, if you're not strictly "old school" and U don't mind plastic. The hardtop is trick, the interior & dash are much better (though I still prefer a CJ's metal dash ), the wheel wells are huge (wonder what MAX rubber we could fit there, 33"+ !?) and the space & size & style all around are definite improvements. The stereo & Infinity speakers are XLNT!

AND it costs less for a lot more JEEP.

Now the bad: though I think the JKL looks cooler than an XJ (retro & Rescue-ish!), an "XJ reincarnated" it isn't! My gripe (confrimed, now) remains the powertrain. The engine bay is shorter --noticeably. The 3.8L-V6 was smooth, quiet (who cares about quiet?) and not buzzy at all, but I'd describe it as "barely adequate" not inspiring, and surely not "enough" low end. Maybe the manual is better, but I doubt much better.

My ride home in the 4.0-I6 XJ felt like a dash in a Lambo LM02 by comparison.

All in all, thumbs up. Aftermarket get ready to sell us stuff to squeeze every friggin' HP & ft-lbs out of that grocery-getter V6! We could use a cheap supercharger, but that probably ain't happenin'...

I think jeep is trying to get away from using names of Indian Tribes in the United States. When and if the grand is ended will be the last of the name cherokee used by DCX imo. My wife is part cherokee indian and she has never thought twice about the name associated with jeep, heck she even drove a grand for 3 years, now a wrangler girl. However, running in the native american circles some of the elders do not like the name associated with anything other than their group. This may be the reason i dunno but if not why would DCX not have called the Liberty the cherokee or where they trying for a more patriotic them..thus the patriot, lol....

Has anybody read the article quoted? The writer doesn't know what he's talking about... Unless... He knows something we don't:

In the article he writes that the optional Freedom Drive II features a low-range 19:1 crawl axle ratio.

Not even the Rubicon gets this! Could the Patriot be the sleeper all out King of the Hill Off Road Vehicle we've all been waiting for? Can it knock the Rubicon off it's high pedestal and regain the rightful throne as the only worthy sucessor to the legendary Jeep Cherokee XJ?

I don't think so either. Nice try.

:)

Joe

Jeep has no vehicle in production or on the drawing board as far as I know that is a reincarnation of the Cherokee. Where is there a unibody wagon with solid axles, RWD, and the ability to embarrass much more expensive and pretentious vehicles (you know who you are hummer and rover) on the trail? I'll probably buy a new Unlimited and I'm sure I'll like it, but its not the Cherokee reincarnated, it's the Dakar finally incarnated. The Liberty is the closest thing to the cherokee, and I'm not going to bash it, but I'd never buy one. Judging by the styling of the Commander, the Patriot and the next gen Liberty, it is clear that Jeep wants us loyal XJ drivers back, but its equally clear that the Cherokee won't be back.

LOL was thinking on the same lines as Josephus... Wasn't the Grand Cherokee supposed to be the 'new' Cherokee... then the Liberty was... Now they are trying to say the Patriot will be... hmmm... makes you think they never should have gotten rid of the Cherokee in the first place.

Oh, and how many times is Sylvanis gonna throw up a little in his mouth ?

It's ironic that in the US, Jeep is trying to market the Patriot as the re-incarnated Cherokee. Because overseas the liberty is called the Cherokee.
So any international customers will be thoroughly confused by Jeep's Patriot's identity crisis.

Patriot-it looks like a Cherokee, but it's not - the Liberty is the Cherokee unless your from the country that makes Jeeps. huh?

I find this rather insulting towards my xj….
Calling the front drive, soft-roader patriot a xj reincarnate.
What is wrong with the Jeep’s marketing department?
Why do they need 3 different soft roaders sharing the same platform…
Couldn’t dcx make enough money just selling the dodge caliper?
Why does the DCX insist on softening the jeep brand with these soft-roaders??
If jeep really wants to use its off-road credentials to sell more of these cars, why don’t they just build it as a dodge and then let jeep mod and tune it (kind of like the amg does to Mercedes benz cars)….

The "Patriot" may look like the old "XJ Cherokee" but that is where any similarities end... There is no way that DCX will convince anybody who has seen what the XJ is capable of off-road into thinking the Patriot is a reincarnation of the XJ. The XJ with 4.0 engine and low range Command-trac will drag a Patriot around like a "puppy on a leash". Go to your local dealer and put the tow strap between the rear bumpers after taking bets on the XJ!!

"The Freedom Drive II(TM) model will get Jeep's Trail Rated(R) badge, signifying that it can traverse the Rubicon Trail without modifications."

- quote Jeep Patriot http://www.jeep.com/jeep_life/legends/heritage

This I have to see - they must be kidding.

Give it solid axles and a powertrain with more ass. THEN we'll talk.

Are they serious?

They may be able to fool a few non XJ owners, but they will fool no XJ owners. Granted the Patriot looks a lot more like a Jeep than the Compass but, thats about it. Don't these things have front and rear independent suspensions?

I view the KJ/KK as having more utility. It can tow 5,000, has RWD, and more off-road ready than I think the Patriot is. Despite the IFS, I view the KK as being much more comparable to the Cherokee, but the closest thing to the Cherokee will most certainly be the Wrangler Unlimited.

I certainly agree that the Patriot will serve a purpose and is a much better concept for an entry level jeep than the compass appears to be. With Patriot I expect better mpg, but the trade off will be less utility.

The 2007 Wrangler Unlimited and the 2008 Liberty will be geared more toward Cherokee owners than the Patriot.

The Patriot will make a good entry level vehicle though, with it's execution being much better than the Compass.