There were times when Jeep was virtually synonymous with SUVs. It is not so one-sided now, though Jeep remains among the biggest names in the industry. The Jeep Patriot and its sibling Jeep Compass represent Jeep’s attempt to stay in line with the compact crossover SUV trend.
Production of Patriot
The Jeep Patriot is manufactured at Chrysler’s Belvidere Assembly Plant in Belvidere, Illinois alongside the Jeep Compass. The Jeep Patriot and the Jeep Compass are based on the same GS platform co-developed by Chrysler and Mitsubishi. The production began in 2006 for 2007 model year.
Up until the introduction of Italian-made Jeep Renegade last year, the Patriot remained Jeep’s lowest-level entry and still remains one of the lowest priced crossover SUVs in North America.
2016 Jeep Patriot 75th Anniversary edition © Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V.
Belvidere Assembly Plant
Belvidere Assembly Plant assembles vehicles since 1965. The first production line was started on July 7, 1965. The current vehicles produced at the factory include the Jeep Patriot, the Jeep Compass, and the Dodge Dart. In the past, the factory was also engaged in the assembly of such vehicles as Dodge Omni/Plymouth Horizon (1978-1990), Dodge Dynasty (1988-1993), Chrysler New Yorker (1988-1993), Chrysler New Yorker Fifth Avenue (1990-1993), Chrysler Imperial (1990-1993), Plymouth Neon (1994-2001), Dodge Neon (1994-2005), and Dodge Caliber (2007-2012).
Belvidere Assembly Plant has 5,300,000 square feet (490,000 m2) of floor space over 280 acres (1.1 km2) of land. It is adjacent to the Chrysler-operated Belvidere Satellite Stamping Plant. The stamping plant produces sheet metal parts for the production line.
2016 Jeep Patriot
The 2016 Jeep Patriot received mixed reviews from observers. Its main advantage is the price; with MSRP starting at $17,595, it is one of the least expensive SUVs on the market. However, the Patriot hasn’t been redesigned or substantially updated since its debut. In 2018, either the Patriot or the Compass will disappear from the Jeep’s model range. The all-new compact SUV with one of these names will cover both.
