Hallelujah! It's Official - The Last Jeep Patriot Rolls Off the Line

Autoblog

The Jeep Patriot began its life in 2006 when It Debuted at the New York Auto Show as a 2007 model, and as of December 22, 2016, it is no longer in production, according to an anonymous source from Chrysler.

At first glance, it did look pretty cool for its time, and it was right on trend with the compact SUV market. Gas prices were rising, and less people were buying the larger SUVs of the era in favor of more fuel efficient compact crossover models.

The Jeep Patriot could then be seen as a sort of savior for the Jeep enthusiast that wanted the capabilities of the popular, but less fuel - efficient Wrangler, while on a Honda CR-V budget. The Patriot even won hearts over half-way around the world, as it claimed the 2007 Green 4x4 award and the 2008 4x4 of the year in the UK.

There was even an EV version introduced in 2009 shortly before Fiat took over and ended the program. The Patriot was also quite safe - offering an overall 4-star safety rating by the NTHSA. All of this came at a rather amazing value as well. Currently, you can own a brand new base model for UNDER 20 grand, which when you consider everything that comes with it - is a steal. However, that is where the fun ends, really. because underneath the Freedom II 4x4 system and the "Jeepy-ness", was something that the salesman at Jeep really rather not tell you.

When you strip away the metal, underneath, what you'd paid for was in essence a beefed up Dodge Caliber. From the chassis, to the engine, to the dreary CVT transmission, the Jeep Patriot had to make due with the underpinnings of one of Chrysler's most unfavored cars ever brought to market. Sure, the UK may have liked the Patriot, but when you consider their version of "off roading" vs the sort of thing avid Jeep lovers consider when you bring up the term, the Patriot was anything but a true off-roader. It was good in the snow and it could get over grassy hills with ease, but that was about it, really. A small 2.0 liter 4 cylinder designed for efficiency over capability, in tandem with a CVT transmission meant that steep inclines or muddy bogs were typically a no-go. It was the off-roader for those that were only "off-roaders at heart", and, well, not much else. The only Jeep model that was worse until this year was the previous generation of the rather sad and lost Compass. Add to the fact that the largely unchanged styling for the now 10-year-old design has aged rather poorly, and you could guess why Fiat-Chrysler decided to end production of the Patriot.

We've obtained these pictures of the last - ever Jeep Patriot rolling down the line as it rides off into the sunset. It was tough, but I think I speak for more than myself when I say that Fiat-Chrysler made the right decision. Whether you'll miss it or not, the Patriot did manage to leave an impression on Jeep enthusiasts.