UAZ Patriot

UAZ Patriot 2015 at a glance

The Patriot is a mid-size, five-seat SUV built by UAZ, which is part of the Sollers group. Series production started in August 2005, after a prototype had been shown in 2003, and the Patriot (factory code 3163) replaced the short-lived UAZ Simbir (3162). In the brand's range it sits alongside the UAZ Hunter, while the UAZ Pickup is its four-door load-carrying sister on a 3,000 mm (118.1 in) wheelbase.

Export markets knew the car under other names: Kazak in Colombia and Chile, Patrol in Mexico, and Baijah Tulos in Germany between 2007 and 2012. In Germany the Baijah Tulos was listed from 22,900 euros in 2007. For the wider story of the brand, see our history of UAZ.

What changed in the 2014 facelift

The 2014 update was the Patriot's first visual revision, and it focused on the front end, the seats and the chassis. The facelifted car has new bumpers and headlights, new seats, and an optional multimedia system with navigation and a rear camera. Chassis improvements and a new diesel turbocharger completed the list.

Part of the work came earlier: in August 2013 UAZ put a "renewed" Patriot into production with an electronically controlled Hyundai Dymos transfer case and an improved interior, while the exterior stayed unchanged. WardsAuto reported then that the 2014 facelift would bring improved axles and suspension. A year before that, in May 2012, the interior had already been redesigned with a new dashboard, a four-spoke steering wheel and a 2DIN media unit with USB.

Engines, gearbox and four-wheel drive

The 2015 Patriot was offered with two ZMZ engines, both four-cylinder units from UAZ's own engine plant, and both met Euro 4.

The ZMZ-409 petrol has a 95.5 mm bore and 94 mm stroke (3.76 x 3.70 in) with multi-point injection. Its 128 PS rating is consistent across German, English and trade-press sources; the torque figure for this version is not, so we leave it out. The 2.2 diesel, with four valves per cylinder and common-rail injection, took over from the Iveco unit in 2012, when the Sollers and Fiat cooperation that supplied it came to an end.

Every Patriot of this period has a five-speed manual gearbox. Drive goes to the rear axle, with selectable front-wheel drive and a two-speed transfer case for low range; since August 2013 the transfer case has been the electronically controlled Dymos unit. The 2006 car tested by Czech magazine Auto.cz had no differential locks, and we found no source confirming locks for the facelift.

Underneath, the layout is classic off-roader: a ladder frame, rigid axles front and rear, coil springs at the front, semi-elliptic leaf springs at the rear and anti-roll bars. Brakes are ventilated discs at the front and drums at the rear, with hydraulic power steering.

Dimensions and ground clearance

The key off-road figure, 210 mm (8.3 in) of ground clearance, is the same in every source we checked.

Kerb weight is quoted anywhere between roughly 1.9 and 2.2 tonnes depending on source, engine and year, so treat "about two tonnes" as the honest figure. Fuel tank and boot volumes also differ between databases, so we leave them out.

Equipment, comfort and safety

Independent sources document little equipment beyond the optional navigation and rear camera, the new seats and the 2012 dashboard. Safety is the weak point on paper. German sources state that airbags and ESP were added for the 2017 model year, and we found no source confirming either for the 2015 car. We also found no Euro NCAP, IIHS or ANCAP result for any Patriot.

Driving and reliability: what testers found

Independent road tests describe a capable but old-fashioned car. Auto.cz, testing an early car in March 2006, praised its off-road ability as excellent but criticised fit and finish, a truck-like feel on the road with play in the steering, body lean and noise above about 120 km/h (75 mph). The Czech importer told the magazine its cars had covered 200,000 km (124,000 miles) without major problems or unusual wear.

Thirteen years later, Novinky.cz drove the 150 PS model and found much the same character: hard plastics, generous rear space, a firm ride, dated handling on asphalt and good progress on gravel. Its verdict was a car of compromises for buyers who want an older style of driving.

For the 2015 car specifically, the engine choice matters most:

• The 2.2 ZMZ diesel is described by German sources as having reliability problems, and UAZ dropped it in 2016.
• The 2.7 petrol is the simpler choice and stayed in production, but it is thirsty. Declared figures for the later 135 PS version are 14 L/100 km urban and 11.5 L/100 km extra-urban (16.8 and 20.5 mpg US).
• A buyer should check the frame, axles and transfer-case electrics, as on any older 4x4 used off road.

The Patriot over time and which version to choose

The Patriot changed in steps rather than clean generations, so databases split it differently.

Variants on the same base include the Pickup (from August 2008, payload 725 kg or 1,598 lb), the short-wheelbase Patriot Sport of 2010 and the Profi from 2017. A 2015 news item covers the Patriot's new engine supplier, and the full line-up is in all UAZ models.

For simple, mostly off-road use the 2014–2016 petrol is the car to look at. Anyone who drives long distances on tarmac, or carries passengers regularly, should look at a 2017 or later car, because airbags and ESP were only fitted from that model year.