2012 Jeep Patriot Overview, Reviews, Ratings & Specs

2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011
IIHS Crash Test
Good
Source   IIHS.org
MPG (up to)
20 -22 City / 23 -28 HWY
Source FuelEconomy.gov
Horsepower
172
Seats
5
Front passenger 3/4 w/ wheels turned.

Positive Owner Reviews

accountCircle dom H
That it handles the road very well and gives a comfortable ride
It is a 4 door mid size suv with hatchback, 6 cylinder and gas engine and I love how it rides, the interior roominess. The mpg could be better though
accountCircle Angie L
Snow performance and comfort.
One problem that has come up a few times is a small evap leak. Fixed it once and it came up again about a year later. Other than that, I find this car very reliable. The four wheel drive and off road option perform great in the snow. Vehicle is comfortable and I love the sunroof.
accountCircle Heather A
Jeep patriot is a great vehicle!
It's a great car. It is reliable, good on gas, and durable. It is white and spacious on the inside. I have had it for 6 years. I haven't had really any problems with it at all. Jeep patriot is a brand I trust and highly recommend to others. I will definitely purchase from jeep in the future.
accountCircle Janet Y
4 wheel drive and heated seats.
I love my Jeep patriot it has 4 wheel drive and I can drive on the beach. The ride is a great ride. I love my inside has a lot of room and a big back to fit things. I have two grandson in cars seats and I have room in the car with the two car seats. The seats are comfortable. The seats are also heated.
accountCircle david N
Family fun jeep for the whole family and friends
It has bucket seats for added comfort as well as rides smooth ride especially over rough terrain. The features of the two DVD players in the back of the seats is an added blessing when on long drives with a full jeep on the road.rarely have had any problems just maintenance and 1 recall
accountCircle Absidy R
It is red it is nice and has enough room I love it.
I do not have any problems with my vehicle it is pretty fine, I do need a oil change tho because it is lagging too take off I have a broken headlight to due to a car crash the other day I made a report and called the cops. I think I am going to trade it in for something else.
accountCircle Marianna B
It gets good gas mileage.
Like the color. Like that it fits a lot of stuff. Have been in many accidents without any damage. No bad blind spots. Do not have any complaints.
accountCircle Will S
I really love everything about my jeep patriot.
No problems with this vehicle so far. Love everything about it for the 5 years that I have had it. Handles great, comfortable, and makes you feel safe and in control. I have no complaints about my jeep patriot. I would highly recommend this vehicle to anyone.

Negative Owner Reviews

accountCircle Tammy Miedema
Transmission
74000 miles and the transmission is bad. Also have two friends with the same issues
accountCircle Louis Scrivani
Worst vehicle I ever owned
Purchased used Jeep Patriot for my son. Have had to replace transmission and several other major components. Now jeep will not fill properly at gas station. Rollover valve issue, will have to replace gas tank. There was a recall on this issue but Jeep says our car not eligible. Multiple owners with same issue but Jeep will not admit there is a problem. Will never buy a Jeep again.
accountCircle Madeline S
Not worth the price at all.
It breaks all the time. It is a SUV but awful in the snow. Always needs something done to it and is always expensive.
accountCircle KaSandra G
Have had trouble since the day I bought it.
Have had issues with it since the day I bought it, the catalytic converter has gone out, transmission is gone, have to get an alignment done every 6 months, have had to replace the throttle sensor 4 times, there are many recalls on multiple different parts.
accountCircle guy G
The most important thing is that I should have read the Consumer's Report on the vehicle before I purchased it. The car was rated extremely poorly and now I know why. My advice is to never buy a Jeep !
The car has leaked since the day I got it and the dealer has never been able to repair it. The car is very unsteady under windy conditions and is especially unsteady when it is passed on the highway by a big truck. Changing the oil is a pain in the neck because the skid plate is in the way.
accountCircle Gerardo L
It does have an option to turn on 4x4, it's good that it doesn't have to be turned on all the time.
It's an OK car, it does no have any bells and whistle. It spends more gas than advertised. I would not buy again, nothing extraordinary about it.
accountCircle Christine S
My experience with the Jeep Patriot
My vehicle is old and it has a lot of miles on it. I don't care for the square shape and the seats are uncomfortable. The vehicle doesn't have a pick up power when going on the highway. I don't like the shaking in the mufflers either. This is definitely not my style of vehicle at all.
accountCircle Rachael C
Spacious SUV for the whole family!
The 2012 jeep patriot that I drive is all over a good vehicle. It has never had any performance issues and is very reliable. I can fit 3 car seats in the back but it is a tight fit. The trunk/gate has plenty of room for everything I need. When the seats are laId down, you can easily move small furniture and/or plenty of boxes. My only problem is that I got a model with manual locks/windows which is a bit of an inconvenience.

Jeep Patriot Models

Models also known as Trim Levels, are used to identify a vehicle's level of equipment or special features.

car
Sport
172 HP 21-24 MPG 5 Seats
car
Latitude
172 HP 21-24 MPG 5 Seats
car
Limited
172 HP 21-24 MPG 5 Seats
Photos may not match model

2012 Jeep Patriot Owner Reviews

4.17
270 Reviews
close Write Review
5 stars 42%
4 stars 39%
3 stars 16%
2 stars 2%
1 star 2%
accountCircle Amber T on June 24, 2021
If you are looking for a reliable, spacious vehicle, the jeep patriot is for you.
I have personally not had any problems with my jeep patriot. It is been really reliable. It is really good on gas mileage, the seats are comfortable, and it is very spacious. I love taking my dog for car rides, he has enough room to spread out. There’s plenty of room for groceries, bookshelves, etc. It handles really well in the winter.
accountCircle Beth M on June 9, 2021
Love my jeep patriot and it is my favorite car I have owned.
I really enjoy my jeep patriot. It runs amazing in the snow and I always feel in control. It has spacious trunk space and the ability to fold down the rear seat is very helpful. The engine is a bit loud and the acceleration is slower than similar vehicles.
View All Reviews (270) chevronRightAlternative

Pros from Owners

likeFilled Savanna C.

4Wd. Comfy. Spacious. Family vehicle. Drives place to place. Somewhat reliable. Not bouncy. Still comfy. Four doors. 2Wd to 4wd. Compact but does not feel like it. Goes fast. Soccer mom car for sure. Mom car in general.

likeFilled Aldrich A.

It is decently spacious. (I get a lot of legroom,) comfortable (the seats are nice to sit on,) multiple ports for phone chargers (If you use a multi-port car charger, plus the socket found under the arm rest, you have a lot of options,) and a good sound system (the act of customizing the sound it my favorite.).

likeFilled Erin B.

Size interior is roomy and I am taller than average female. Size exterior is great feel safe and easy to parallel park, also VERY good turn radius. Trunk space adequate and back seats pull down easily for more storage. On highways, potholes, and bumpy terrain the jeep absorbs shock easily. Also great in winter and snow.

likeFilled John H.

I live in a rural area and regret that I did not have the chance to get this with 4wd. Lets in a lot of outside noise. Manual transmission is convenient now that I have re-learned how to use it. A little bit cramped.

Cons from Owners

dislikeFilled Savanna C.

Transmission issues. Spark plug issues. Fuel injector issues. Parts are all only found at jeep dealerships if it breaks. Expensive to fix. Impossible to find your specific car in Colorado. Not universal parts.

dislikeFilled Aldrich A.

The mileage of the car is really low. I do not know the specifics of the mileage in the city or on the highway, but I know that in the city, to get a full tank, I have to fill up every 3-4 days if I drove a lot. On the highway, with a full tank, I can go 2 and a half hours of driving non-stop without filling up.

dislikeFilled Erin B.

Not a lot of amenities, a simple vehicle. Otherwise I love it. I cannot really say anything I do not like about my jeep besides things like I wish it had a sunroof and leather seats if I could have afforded those. There's no heated seats but again this is an amenity I couldn't afford.

dislikeFilled John H.

Oy! I put the cons in the previous question. The car has good response and pick-up with the manual transmission. It gets an acceptable mpg (about 28) relative to my explorer, which gets about 12-18 mpg.

Ranks #15 Compact SUV by Owners

The 2012 Jeep Patriot has an average owner rating of 4.17 out of 5 which ranks it #15 of 23 other Compact SUVs.

1
car
2012 Land Rover LR4
4.67
2
car
2012 Honda CR-V
4.52
15
Tie
car
2012 Jeep Patriot
4.17

Ranks #9 Compact SUV by Fuel Economy

The 2012 Jeep Patriot has a combined MPG of 29 which ranks it #9 of 23 other Compact SUVs.

1
Tie
car
2012 Dodge Caliber
32 MPG
1
Tie
car
2012 Toyota Matrix
32 MPG
9
Tie
car
2012 Jeep Patriot
23 MPG

Is The 2012 Jeep Patriot A Good Car?

Yes it's a great vehicle. It is reliable and durable. It has longevity and gives me the feeling of freedom.
Heather A.
It’s very comfortable and good on gas. Otherwise I don't like this vehicle. Small electrical problems continue to occur and the transmission slips a lot and doesn't shift properly.
Elizabeth V.
This Jeep handles all weather perfectly. Not once have I had a problem in snow. Or rain. It’s an honest car that will get where you need to go.
Crystal G.
Yes the Jeep Patriot is a very reliable vehicle. When I drive in the snow I never had any problem. Very good vehicle in the snow.
Carla T.
Yes, I enjoy it. Its reliable with little mechanical issues. Problems are typical of jeep. The window motors go quickly and the clock keeps bad time.
Kathy J.
It has a recall that the dealer has never gotten parts to repair; otherwise, it is a good vehicle. It concerns me that JEEP and/or the dealer are not repairing a defect that is considered a safety... Read More
Jaime S.
In the beginning. After a few years some issues started to arise such as dash alerts and engine coolant leaking
timmy F.
Yes it is. Good gas mileage and comfortable ride. I have taken it on a lot of long distance trips and never had any issues. Love the frame and size of it. Perfect for a woman in her 20’s
Erin H.

How Reliable Is The 2012 Jeep Patriot?

The 2012 jeep patriot sport is reliable and is a vehicle I can count on. I have had no problems with it.
Heather A.
This vehicle has a few problems. The transmission slips and doesn't shift properly, and I have actually won a lawsuit with lemon law and it is considered a lemon. Electrical problems continue to occur... Read More
Deb C.
The only problem I have with my Jeep Patriot is that the window motor doesn't last long. And my radio does not work anymore. Other than that it’s all been basically ware and Tate fixes
Lisa W.
Yes the Jeep Patriot is a reliable vehicle. For the past seven years I have not had any serious problems except for maintenance
Felicia P.
Mechanically yes. It drives great. The problems are electrical such as the window motors. Instead of having a broken one replaced again, I left it. Sometimes it will work for a while. Then it will at... Read More
Michele C.
It has a recall that is considered a safety issue that either JEEP and/or the dealer have not bothered to obtain parts for repair here in my town.
Marty E.
I have had to replace my entire radiator because the engine coolant began to leak out of nowhere. The check engine light comes on quite frequently when there is no issue with the car
James R.
It didn't have any problems until I got in an accident last January which caused me to get a new radiator and transmission. Runs like new now
Stephanie J.

Is The 2012 Jeep Patriot A Good Value?

The 2012 jeep patriot cost $23,000. It is a good value and a great investment. I would definitely recommend this vehicle.
Heather A.
My vehicle was $25,000. For a 4 wheel drive vehicle with power locks/windows, I feel it was a fair price.
Brandon H.
Mine is a 2012. And I paid about 21000 for it about 5 years ago. And no. It’s not a good value. Maybe the newer models hold their value more. But mine does not. But it is reliable
Cathy C.
When I bought the vehicle I paid 27,000 for it. I believe that this vehicle is a good value. I am very pleased with this vehicle and I will keep it till it dies.
Santana R.
It costs between 21000 to 28000. Yes, I find its reliability makes it worth it. Very little mechanical maintenance.
Andrea R.
It cost me $9000 with a trade in. It does not cost me a lot in maintenance other than routine oil changes and tune ups..
Christie B.
The car was around $20,000 cash as it was a higher model of the car, including sunroof, heated seats, speaker system and all black exterior. For the price it is a very sharp and cool car with its... Read More
Ali R.
I bought it in 2013 with limited credit score. So my monthly payment is $330. It is affordable and definitely worth the money
Kristen G.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What would cause my 2012 Jeep Patriot check engine light to come on?

Answer: The check engine light in a 2012 Jeep Patriot can come on for many different reasons. If You have Your check engine light come on while You are driving the first thing that You should do is get off the road and...

How do i reset the 2012 Jeep Patriot check engine light?

Answer: One of the easiest ways to reset the check engine light on the 2012 Jeep Patriot is to do it with an OBD II scanner tool. You can purchase one at an auto parts store or online if You wish to do so. They...

What's the 2012 jeep patriot oil type?

Answer: The 2012 Jeep Patriot uses SAE 5W-20 oil in the engine. Jeep recommends that You use synthetic oil whenever You need to change it in Your vehicle. The two common types of oil on the market these days are...
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Answers are provided by third parties. We do not guarantee accuracy of responses

Safety & Reliability

NHTSA Logo
NHTSA Crash Test
(Not Rated)
*National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
IIHS Logo
IIHS Crash Test

Moderate Overlap Front

Side

Roof Strength

Driver-side Overlap Front

*Insurance Institute for Highway Safety