The arrival of the first ever "car based" vehicles within the hallowed walls of Jeep dealerships seemed like heresy to the Jeep loyalists. In fact many of the Jeep clubs banned the new Jeeps from their "reindeer games" only to have Daimler Chrysler intervene requiring the mainstream clubs to allow the new Jeeps entrance, kind of like having the coach force a team to pick the fat kid at summer camp, not what you would call a warm welcome. Whether the Jeep purists embrace this new duo of car based Jeeps or not is inconsequential to the fact that these new offerings could help Jeep's slagging sales while providing the majority of us with as much utility as we need. What I always find interesting is that the majority of the "Camel trophy" want-a-be's spend most of their time soaking up the sun outside a Walmart or in the drive of their owners split level. A trip to any of the real outdoor areas of this country, such as Vermont or Colorado ,will illustrate the variety of transportation types used to get their owners to the extreme sport of that day. One look in the parking lot of a ski lodge, the real "non-chi-chi" ones or the lot of a grand rapids river area will show old station wagons with racks on the roof, a ten year old Subaru wagon with ski's hanging out the window or even a Toyota Corolla rusted by winters past loaded with the tired smiling faces of the fellow outdoor worshipers inside. True outdoor enthusiasts spend their time and money on their gear not their mode of transportation. In fact many of the true enthusiasts gently mock the "outsiders" in their Caddy Escalades or, yes even their top draw Jeep Grand Cherokees, as bringing a lot of show backed by little go. With this in mind I feel the new Jeep compass and the Jeep Patriot fit the true outdoor enthusiast perfectly. First, both have ample ground clearance that is as important as any other factor for outdoor use. Secondly, both use fuel efficient "four bangers" that allow their owners to drive much further on a gallon of gas in pursuit of that perfect spot without dipping into their gear money. And lastly both offer a reasonable price tag that lets them be used for the purposes God intended without worry over dirtying the "Italian leather" seats or scratching the tri-coat pearl paint. Now for those who may not be aware of the presence of the new Compass or the Patriot let me introduce them to you now. The Compass, the Patriot and the Dodge Caliber are triplets who share the same driveline, the same engine, and the same chassis together. Their components are also being used by the new Dodge Avenger we just reviewed and the Chrysler Sebring, who are also twins.. The Dodge Caliber received an aggressive exterior that almost looks like a sinister PT Cruiser. The Caliber and the PT Cruiser may fit similar needs but the Caliber does so with a far more robust hardware that includes an AWD option. The triplets didn't stay together however as two were sent to Jeep in the form of the Jeep Compass and The Jeep Patriot. The Compass is identical in mission to the Caliber except for offering a more rugged Jeep facade and offering a wider availability of the larger horsepower four banger engine that is available only on up line Calibers. The Patriot is by far the most butch of the three offering a squared off body with at least enough off road hardware to let it journey off the tarmac without the embarrassment of having to have AAA rescue a Jeep from the owners own mountain retreat driveway! It is ironic that Jeep's own Liberty was destined to take over from the venerated Cherokee but it never became a reality. The Liberty is a little tipsy on it's feet and the cartoonish looks never sat well with the Cherokee loyal. Jeep is praying that the new Patriot will provide a lower price point that offers 3/4 of the Cherokees off road ability and will look more like the Jeep they always loved, something the actual replacement has yet done. Now I know this is a lot of background, background I usually try to avoid, after all I don't want my blog to become long and dragged out with the interest of an Amana dishwasher starter guide, but with Chrysler's new hopes of rejuvenating itself with platform consolidation it can become downright perplexing to figure out the different vehicle placements. The Jeeps have received the most attention because of this new direction Jeep has taken with their new offerings. The Dodge has stayed under the radar because it was born as an answer to a question no one asked, allowing it to undergo it's growing pains without notice. So after all of this is there any point to adding one these to you drive? Well in a word, absolutely. In our first DULY NOTED it was mentioned that the success of any product is the competition it is thrown up against. In the case of either of these Jeep offerings their "goodness" is born out of the fact that they are entering a very uncrowded field of small sport-utes that has recently been left with many vacancies after the top players have left to go "up-size". The Jeeps main competition is the Ford/Mercury Escape/Mariner twins, the Subie Forester and the Honda CRV. The Ford twins utilize a very "truckish" platform that in past renditions has tipped up in Consumer Reports reviews. This has been likely remedied with the '07 freshening especially with Ford adding as many "letter combination" safety enhancements possible to keep from another Explorer fiasco. However even with that having been said it is clear that such issues are testimony to the aging Ford platform that is far more biased towards the "rough and tumble" approach to small utes. The Honda is the polar opposite, in fact it is so car based one wonders what the point really is. The CRV's ground clearance is so low, less than some of Honda's own cars, that it truly limits it's ability and the swoopy angle of the rear hatch takes away so much interior capacity that it really doesn't make much sense as a ute. The Forester is a dominant opponent that truly is a great mix of ute and car. The only problem is that it's rather ho hum appearance combined with what can be a steep price may turn away potential buyers, and if Jeep is lucky, into their dealers. The bottom line for the Jeep siblings comes down to one word again, simple. The formula is simple, the materials are simple, and if you keep it simple ,by forgoing the costly packaged that can push the price beyond the point of sanity, you can drive a simple, straightforward vehicle that can become as trusted a friend as your golden retriever, just don't ask it to be a rottweiler, and it will give you many smiles per mile. Now I know I conveniently grouped the two Jeeps which may seem like a cop-out, so I will answer the tough question, which is better. Personally I like the Compass simply because it's totally car based looks at least give no pretence of anything more, while the Patriot may fool some into thinking it's a real offroader only to lead to your inevitable embarrassment when the truth becomes apparent, but for those who genuinely need just a little more capability the Patriot may tip the scales. 
Now the Dodge has been left out here. The Dodge exhibits the same basic skills as the it's siblings the Jeeps, they after all all triplets so the basic genes are the same. The Dodge is actually a really good choice for a basic vehicle whether it be for a second car or a college car. The unique thing about the Caliber is it's relative girth and substance for the little bling you need. Usually the less costly the vehicle is the smaller it is, case in point would be the Honda Fit or the Toyota Yaris who's hood is shorter than my arm and sloped enough to slide under any SUV's rear bumper,yikes! The Dodge on the other hand is surprisingly big and doesn't scream "el-cheapo" to fellow parking lot dwellers. As with the Jeeps the basic formula applies, keep it simple. Go for the smaller engine, I know it's a gerbil mill but the larger engine is far from a rocket for the coin, keep the options down and you can go home with a vehicle with physical fiscal substance for under $15 large. If you need AWD opt for the Jeep, the AWD is more available at a lower price. Stay away from the glitz such as the ugly color coded seat inserts which look tacky and will inevitably cut resale value, stay away from the rear speaker system or the big alloy wheels, and instead make sure the ABS and the side airbags are checked off on the window sticker. If you play your cards right you will get a fantastic deal especially if you use the upheavals at Chrysler and their horrible sales, especially on these triplets, to your negotiating gain. So in conclusion if you have the guts to realistically evaluate what you need and the guts to look beyond the "normal" players on the market you will find a willing friend in these vehicles, just remember to just say no to the "showroom queens" dressed in every option. If you follow suite and look towards value , the lack of power on hills, or accompanying noise, or the mid- grade furnishings inside won't take your mind off the fun your having getting to your favorite outdoor spot without the worry of a tight parking spot dinging your paint or throwing your wet gear in the back afterwards all for the price of a regular compact car! Simplicity does have it's benefits!
Now the Dodge has been left out here. The Dodge exhibits the same basic skills as the it's siblings the Jeeps, they after all all triplets so the basic genes are the same. The Dodge is actually a really good choice for a basic vehicle whether it be for a second car or a college car. The unique thing about the Caliber is it's relative girth and substance for the little bling you need. Usually the less costly the vehicle is the smaller it is, case in point would be the Honda Fit or the Toyota Yaris who's hood is shorter than my arm and sloped enough to slide under any SUV's rear bumper,yikes! The Dodge on the other hand is surprisingly big and doesn't scream "el-cheapo" to fellow parking lot dwellers. As with the Jeeps the basic formula applies, keep it simple. Go for the smaller engine, I know it's a gerbil mill but the larger engine is far from a rocket for the coin, keep the options down and you can go home with a vehicle with physical fiscal substance for under $15 large. If you need AWD opt for the Jeep, the AWD is more available at a lower price. Stay away from the glitz such as the ugly color coded seat inserts which look tacky and will inevitably cut resale value, stay away from the rear speaker system or the big alloy wheels, and instead make sure the ABS and the side airbags are checked off on the window sticker. If you play your cards right you will get a fantastic deal especially if you use the upheavals at Chrysler and their horrible sales, especially on these triplets, to your negotiating gain. So in conclusion if you have the guts to realistically evaluate what you need and the guts to look beyond the "normal" players on the market you will find a willing friend in these vehicles, just remember to just say no to the "showroom queens" dressed in every option. If you follow suite and look towards value , the lack of power on hills, or accompanying noise, or the mid- grade furnishings inside won't take your mind off the fun your having getting to your favorite outdoor spot without the worry of a tight parking spot dinging your paint or throwing your wet gear in the back afterwards all for the price of a regular compact car! Simplicity does have it's benefits!
