Improved Jeep Patriot, Wrangler for Oz

Jeep hasn't had much to shout about in recent months. Hamstrung by supply issues as Chrysler in the US closed down all its plants during the Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, Chrysler Australia has had to make do with whatever stock was available.

To make matters worse, while the rest of the market in Australia went backwards, compact SUVs were one segment that continued to grow during the first six months of this year, but Chrysler couldn't capitalise on that. The importer had few stocks of the Patriot, the Jeep entrant in this VFACTS segment.

Now, things have changed for the better. Chrysler is back in production and the company has started shipping both the upgraded Patriot and a new model year Wrangler.

The Patriot upgrade has been just about worth the wait, combining a significantly revised interior and much improved NVH properties, but the upgrade is more extensive than just those two items. For a start, new exterior colours, Light Sandstone and Deep Water Blue replace Light Khaki and Steel blue, respectively. The new models are most readily distinguished from the superseded Patriots by the darker ('Argent') alloy wheels and the black applique on the tailgate.

Jeep has chosen to go with a monotone interior ('Dark Slate Grey') in lieu of the two-tone look used previously. The colour is complemented by contrast stitching for the leather trim in the Limited grade and chrome decorative trim throughout the cabin. Light Greystone is the name of the colour for the headlining, replacing the previous model's 'Pearl' trim.

The cargo area floor is carpeted and the dashboard is a new design featuring a one-piece construction. There's a new sliding armrest for the redesigned centre console. Door trims have been revised with the addition of soft-touch armrests and the seats gain more side bolstering. Other features revised include the air vents, instrument dials and audio system speakers.

'Yes Essentials', the name for Chrysler's patented moisture and stain-resistant trim has been dropped, in favour of 'Stain Repel', which needs no further explanation. The former 'UConnect' hands-free phone system is now named 'uconnect phone' and the MyGIG infotainment system is now marketed as 'uconnect nav'.

"There's a lot of different components going on there [in the previous Patriot] -- a lot of colours and some other things -- that probably didn't work as well as we would have liked," admitted Brad Fitzsimmons, Chrysler Australia's General Manager for Sales and Distribution. "So for the new Patriot, there's been a dramatic interior change. It's expensive to redevelop interiors, so there's been a lot of effort and a lot of money gone into this new interior."

According to Fitzsimmons, the carpeted load area contributes to reduced NVH and stops unchecked items sliding around the luggage compartment. The floor can be removed and reversed, should the driver need to carry a muddy or dirty item in the back.

Three major elements of the NVH countermeasures introduced with the upgraded Patriot relate to the underbonnet area, firewall and exhaust.

"In our local testing, we've seen a five per cent reduction in decibels," says Fitzsimmons. "It's a very noticeable improvement."

There's no diesel option available in the upgraded Patriot, but Fitzsimmons expects a Mercedes-Benz-powered diesel Patriot to arrive here sometime around the middle of next year.

The Patriot for Australia is specified with a full-size spare wheel, but some early-build examples have been shipped here with spacesaver spares.

Pricing has remained fixed, but the importer is also offering an incentive to buy the upgraded Patriot for the same entry-level price of $29,990, including driveaway costs.

Manufacturer's list pricing starts at $29,990 for the Patriot Sport manual and standard equipment for that car comprises: a four-speaker MP3-compatible single-disc CD audio system, black door handles, remote central locking, electro-chromatic mirror, black roof rails, tilt-adjustable steering column, electric windows/mirrors and variable-dwell intermittent wipers.

CVT adds $3000 to the price ($32,990), but includes the following additional equipment: Deep-tint glass, cruise control, leather-bound steering wheel with audio controls.

Patriot Limited is a further $3000 stretch ($35,990 with the CVT as standard), but features: leather seats with front-seat heating, lumbar adjustment, six-disc CD audio system, body-colour door handles and bright-finish roof rails.

Jeep took the opportunity presented by relaunching the Patriot to introduce an upgrade for the heavy duty offroad-capable Wrangler. The traditional body-on-frame Jeep gains a number of features for the new model year.

Tyre pressure warning system is now standard, 17-inch alloy wheels replace the 16-inch wheels fitted previously and the diesel engine develops 460Nm torque when specified with the automatic transmission. Sport models with automatic transmission have adopted a 3.73:1 final drive ratio in lieu of the earlier model's 4.10:1 ratio.

Unlimited (four-door) models are now fitted with a larger 85-litre fuel tank and the Dual Top becomes standard for Rubicon and Rubicon Unlimited variants.

Jeep is also offering a new Off-road option pack for the Sport models, providing buyers with a lower-cost alternative to the Rubicon variants, with almost the same level of offroad competence. This pack features an electronically-controlled locking rear differential, a 3.73:1 final drive ratio (for both manual and auto variants), plus an electronically-controlled front sway-bar disconnect facility.

Other changes to the Wrangler range are: Sunburst Orange replacing the Rescue Green exterior colour, Deep Water Blue replacing Steel Blue, Mopar storage bag provided with all hardtop models, a storage bin added to the centre console and a storage net fitted to the lower section of the centre fascia.

Prices for the Wrangler range (manufacturer's list prices, excluding on-road costs and pre-delivery charge) are:

Wrangler Sport V6 manual $31,590
Wrangler Sport V6 auto $33,590
Wrangler Sport CRD manual $35,590
Wrangler Sport CRD auto $37,590
Wrangler Rubicon V6 manual $40,590
Wrangler Rubicon V6 auto $42,590

Wrangler Unlimited Sport V6 manual $35,990
Wrangler Unlimited Sport V6 auto $37,990
Wrangler Unlimited Sport CRD manual $39,990
Wrangler Unlimited Sport CRD auto $41,990
Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon V6 manual $44,990
Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon V6 auto $46,9990

Read the latest Carsales Network news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at www.carsales.mobi.