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The Patriot is Jeep's entry-level model

As usual, the test car supplied by Chrysler Jeep was black and, combined with its deeply tinted privacy, sorry "solar control", glass, it gave a rather sinister appearance.

I'm not keen on black cars and I hate privacy glass, so it wasn't a good start for us. In fact, some office colleagues had already asked: "Where are the machine guns?"

But after a week and some 400 miles, I found I'd grown fond of the cheerful "black box" and was ultimately sorry to see it go home.

The Patriot was launched last year as Jeep's entry-level 4x4 and the Americans have finally accepted that to succeed in the UK and Europe they need diesels right across their model ranges.

The Volkswagen-sourced two-litre unit in the Patriot is a good one and, although producing a modest 138bhp, there's a respectable 229lb/ft of torque.

There's also 117mph available and 0-60mph arrives in under 11 seconds and, with a comprehensive inventory, the £18,795 price tag (try haggling) looks good value. That's for the Limited version tested which is, paradoxically, the more comprehensive model. The cheapest Sport model costs just £15,995.

The engine likes plenty of revs for the turbocharger to do its job properly but it's certainly sprightly once you hit about 2,500rpm.

That turbo unit does have a rather esoteric whine, which to me was reminiscent of a distant police siren; I frequently found myself glancing in the mirror expecting to see the blues flashing further back down the road.

Driving position is fit for purpose

The Patriot handles better than you'd think, with a stiffish suspension set-up for Europe giving fairly flat cornering, yet absorbing a lot of road irregularities.

Although our cousins across the pond would probably hate it, it's a good compromise.

Steering is reasonably weighted, although there isn't a lot of road feel, and the turning circle is a useful 10.8 metres.

Inside, the car looks more functional than many, with plenty of evidence of the car's purchase price, but there is a certain solidity about it all. I particularly liked the big, round traditional knobs for various controls, such as heating, instead of the increasingly common buttons.

For example, there are reassuringly hefty clunks as the doors lock and unlock and there's no attempt to disguise the hefty bolts which firmly attach the front seat bases to the floor.

For normal driving conditions the car travels in front-wheel-drive mode with the rear wheels kicking in automatically when more traction is needed.

There's an easy to use single button for locking the car in 4WD at speeds up to 10mph which instantly gives you a useful off-roader capable of getting you through some pretty deep, nasty stuff that normal cars really wouldn't want to go near.

From a family perspective, there's plenty of room in the cabin, with a boot providing a very good 536 litres of stowage - this rises to 1,277 with the split fold-flat rear seats down. Incidentally, these recline too. Nice.

Usefully, the front passenger seat folds down flat too, which means you can cart seriously long junk down to the local tip with ease.

If you want more opulence and street cred - and have the readies - you'll need a Land or Range Rover. But the Patriot CRD is a good proposition for those on a budget looking for a practical 4x4 with decent economy and a comprehensive list of standard equipment capable of looking after a family.

Especially if that family has syndicate connections

4:25pm Monday 21st April 2008

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