Patriot to Be Lowest-Priced Jeep

NEW YORK – Chrysler Group says its new Patriot cross/utility vehicle will be the lowest-priced model in the Jeep lineup.

The CUV, which shares its platform with the Dodge Caliber and Jeep Compass, will come in below the Compass’ recently announced $15,985 base price, executives say here at the Patriot’s unveiling.

The Compass hits the market this summer, while the Patriot will make its way to U.S. dealer showrooms in the third quarter, along with the new Wrangler Unlimited 4-door model also revealed here.

One of the reasons Jeep will price the Patriot below Compass is its more youthful targeted buyer, says Joe Eberhardt, Chrysler executive vice president-global sales, marketing and service.

Patriot price to start at less than $15,985.

“You can’t market to younger buyers without hitting the mark on price,” Eberhardt says.

Patriot marketing will differ slightly from that of the Compass, he says, which is aimed at older buyers, with a higher mix of women.

“The media selection (for advertising) will be different,” he says. “And some of the content will be different – we may emphasize some of the (Compass’) features, such as safety, that women are more interested in. But overall, the message will be the same.”

Eberhardt says the price points of the Patriot and Compass will cross, with the top-of-the-line Patriot, with its offroad package, likely to cost more than a high-end Compass. Unlike the Compass, the Patriot has a Trail Rated edition.

Actual pricing won’t be announced until the Patriot is closer to launch.

Meanwhile, Eberhardt says the new Wrangler Unlimited is expected to appeal to buyers who always wanted a Wrangler but needed more passenger- and cargo-carrying capacity.

Jeep literally uncovered the new model here, using the New York Fire Dept. to blast away a mound of mud to reveal the Wrangler Unlimited buried beneath.

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