Freedom Drive 4WD System

Thanks to the Freedom Drive on-demand system – which only engages four-wheel drive when it’s needed on or off-road – the Patriot is a car that gives its owners the very best of both worlds: the fuel-efficiency of a conventional hatchback and the go-anywhere ability and all-year confidence customers expect of a Jeep®.

Whereas some four-wheel drive systems concentrate on off-road performance or simply improving traction, Freedom Drive  also improves the car’s on-road handling. Between 40 and 100kph, the system is designed to improve the car’s stability in corners, applying torque to the rear wheels to help the car turn more easily and reduce any understeer.

Unlike other systems, however, Freedom Drive doesn’t only come into action when there’s front-to-rear slippage. Instead, sensors recognise when extra traction will be needed and the system automatically transfers torque to the rear wheels.

In addition, for the ultimate versatility, at speeds up to 15kph, the driver can also engage an off-road mode at the flick of a switch. This activates the enhanced off-road features of the system and ensures the best traction in very tough conditions such as snow, mud or off the beaten track.

Off Road ABS

Standard on all models is a version of the ABS system designed specifically for off-road use. This takes advantage of the fact that, on loose surfaces such as gravel, sand and mud, braking distances are shorter if a car’s wheels lock up, ploughing through the surface and building up a ‘wedge’ in front of the wheels, which helps to slow the car. With conventional ABS, the wheels would not lock up, so the wedge could not form, and stopping distances would be longer.

Off-road Brake Lock Differentials

When a driver puts the car into off-road mode, the off-road setting for the differentials is activated. The off-road settings allow the system to work for longer, giving extra forward mobility in extreme off-road circumstances, such as when one wheel is completely in the air.