Looking For an Inexpensive SUV? Try the Jeep Patriot
Matthew Keegan
Much to some people’s surprise, SUVs are still selling and are in demand by buyers who crave the utility that these types of vehicles offer. But with one small caveat — that SUV must get good fuel mileage.
The industry leader for all SUVs insofar as fuel economy goes is the Ford Escape Hybrid. For 2009, the hybrid Escape deliver 34 mpg city and 31 mpg on the highway; along with the twin Mercury Mariner Hybrid, no other SUV comes close.
But, the cost of buying a Ford Escape Hybrid scares some people off, as its near $30K starting price is a bit much to swallow. Fully loaded, the Escape Hybrid can cost around $36K, just above the base price of the luxury Cadillac CTS.
A Clear Winner: Jeep Patriot
Edmunds.com surveyed the small SUV market recently and determined that the Jeep Patriot was the most affordable SUV to own, costing owners about 48 cents per mile to operate. That figure includes fuel, insurance, financing, depreciation, taxes, maintenance, and repairs.
“Even though gas prices are high, some consumers are still in search of a sport-utility vehicle to meet their needs,” said Jesse Toprak, Executive Director of Industry Analysis, Edmunds.com. “For those consumers, vehicles like the Jeep Patriot are relative bargains in their segment.”
Good Fuel Economy, Excellent Entry Level Price
Powered by a 2.4L I4 engine paired with a five-speed manual transmission, the Patriot produces 172 horsepower and 165 lb.-ft. of torque. The five passenger Patriot delivers a respectable 23 mpg city and 28 mpg on the highway, the latter number just 3 mpg less than the Escape Hybrid. More telling is the Patriot’s base MSRP of $17,065, some $11,000 less than the Escape Hybrid. Think you need a hybrid? That price differential will take years to make up unless you do heavy driving.
Of significance are the sales numbers for the Jeep Patriot, which are up by 119% over last year even with the overall domestic automotive market being down by double digits this year. Jeep’s Senior Manager of Brand Marketing, Robert Hegbloom explains the trend this way: “In difficult periods like this, it is vital that we continue to evolve our products to exceed customers’ needs and Jeep Patriot does just that. By providing great fuel economy, performance, handling and flexibility, all at an affordable price, the Jeep Patriot is a tremendous value.”
Maybe the high price of gas has scared you away from SUVs, but the Jeep Patriot offers proof that value can be had even in one of the industry’s most battered vehicle segments.
(Source: Edmunds.com)
Much to some people’s surprise, SUVs are still selling and are in demand by buyers who crave the utility that these types of vehicles offer. But with one small caveat — that SUV must get good fuel mileage.
The industry leader for all SUVs insofar as fuel economy goes is the Ford Escape Hybrid. For 2009, the hybrid Escape deliver 34 mpg city and 31 mpg on the highway; along with the twin Mercury Mariner Hybrid, no other SUV comes close.
But, the cost of buying a Ford Escape Hybrid scares some people off, as its near $30K starting price is a bit much to swallow. Fully loaded, the Escape Hybrid can cost around $36K, just above the base price of the luxury Cadillac CTS.
A Clear Winner: Jeep Patriot
Edmunds.com surveyed the small SUV market recently and determined that the Jeep Patriot was the most affordable SUV to own, costing owners about 48 cents per mile to operate. That figure includes fuel, insurance, financing, depreciation, taxes, maintenance, and repairs.
“Even though gas prices are high, some consumers are still in search of a sport-utility vehicle to meet their needs,” said Jesse Toprak, Executive Director of Industry Analysis, Edmunds.com. “For those consumers, vehicles like the Jeep Patriot are relative bargains in their segment.”
Good Fuel Economy, Excellent Entry Level Price
Powered by a 2.4L I4 engine paired with a five-speed manual transmission, the Patriot produces 172 horsepower and 165 lb.-ft. of torque. The five passenger Patriot delivers a respectable 23 mpg city and 28 mpg on the highway, the latter number just 3 mpg less than the Escape Hybrid. More telling is the Patriot’s base MSRP of $17,065, some $11,000 less than the Escape Hybrid. Think you need a hybrid? That price differential will take years to make up unless you do heavy driving.
Of significance are the sales numbers for the Jeep Patriot, which are up by 119% over last year even with the overall domestic automotive market being down by double digits this year. Jeep’s Senior Manager of Brand Marketing, Robert Hegbloom explains the trend this way: “In difficult periods like this, it is vital that we continue to evolve our products to exceed customers’ needs and Jeep Patriot does just that. By providing great fuel economy, performance, handling and flexibility, all at an affordable price, the Jeep Patriot is a tremendous value.”
Maybe the high price of gas has scared you away from SUVs, but the Jeep Patriot offers proof that value can be had even in one of the industry’s most battered vehicle segments.
(Source: Edmunds.com)
