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I am looking at buying a 3rd vehicle for my long snow filled commute 30 miles through lake effect snow. Any ideas if the Jeep Patriot or Jeep Commander would be better? Leep Patriot has 4x4 with the 4x4 Lock switch -- the Jeep Commander has "Quadra Drive."
Last edited by michiganmoon; 08-31-2015 at 09:03 PM..
The Jeep Commander will definitely outperform the Patriot in snow.
The Jeep Commander has Quadra Drive, which means it has 3 locking differentials. One in the transfer case and one in each axle. So when the front looses traction, torque will be send to the rear and vice versa, and if the left tyre looses traction torque will be send to the right.
The Patriot has Freedom drive, which doesn't have locking differentials, but a brake- lock system, which is good, but not as good as a true 4x4 with diff locks.
On top of that the Commander with it's Quatra Drive has a real low gear while the Patriot's Freedom Drive only has the ability to "hold" the lowest (1st) gear to keep better traction.
The low gear definitely makes the biggest difference when things get tough.
The only advantage of the Patriot over the Commander would be the lower weight I guess.
I rented a Jeep Patriot once for a business trip out to Steamboat Springs, CO in late February. Also brought my family. We went up over Rabbit Ears Pass in the worst snowy conditions I had ever seen. The western side of the pass has some 7% grades and I was pretty fearful, but the Patriot handled it just fine.
When we got to the bottom of the pass, the gates were closed. The state trooper that let us through told us when they had closed the pass, and it had to have been just after we started ascending the east side. I'm glad the office manager at work insisted I rent a 4WD vehicle.
I'd say the Patriot should work just fine in the snow, if that's all you care about
The Commander will have the more robust 4wd system. It also, IMO, is the better built and more robust vehicle here in general. On the flip side, your likely to be spending a lot more in gas for the Commander, if that makes a difference to you.
Any reason why you are looking at just these two? They seem awfully different in size/purpose. The Patriot is more of a car based CUV, where the Commander is more of a full size SUV. There would be a lot of good choices in between, a couple of would also be Jeeps.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1DG-P6oOGY
Jeep Commander with Quadra Drive II one of the best factory off-road systems one can find in a post 2001 Jeep Cherokee (XJ) jeeps unless you are looking at Range Rover HSE or Mercedes G-Wagons that run the same type of locker diffs but cost 4X-5X more.
Also OP the Quadra Drive II was used on the 2005-2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee (WJ) but like the Commander it has to be optioned with a V-8 in order to get the Quadra Drive II but then again the 3.7L V6 was a horrible in terms of both power fuel consumption and reliability your best bet is the 4.7L PowerTech V-8 and 5.7L Hemi V-8.
The Commander will have the more robust 4wd system. It also, IMO, is the better built and more robust vehicle here in general. On the flip side, your likely to be spending a lot more in gas for the Commander, if that makes a difference to you.
Any reason why you are looking at just these two? They seem awfully different in size/purpose. The Patriot is more of a car based CUV, where the Commander is more of a full size SUV. There would be a lot of good choices in between, a couple of would also be Jeeps.
I was thinking the same thing. There's a lot of good mid size SUV's in between.
To keep it in the Jeep stables, the Jeep Liberty KJ or KK would be a good middle way. At least it was for me. I drive a Liberty and are pretty happy with it. It doesn't have the Quadra Drive, but a Command Trac T-case so it still has a center lock in the t-case for slippy roads/snow, a full time 4x4 for dry roads, and a limited slip diff in the rear and it has low gear. So it's pretty good in tough conditions and still it has better mileage than the commander.
OP I thinking it might be better to pay the price premium and just find a really nice lower mileage 1997-2001 Jeep Cherokee (XJ) with the 4.0HO I6 since it will be your winter beater then just get some really good winter tires on it and it should be nearly un-stoppable in winter.
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