My Honest Review of the UAZ Patriot 2018: A Reliable Family Vehicle

Hello everyone!

I'm sorry to say that this review won't have any photos, 📷because we've parted ways with the reviewed object. If I get the chance, I'll dig them up.

This is my very first review of a domestic car. I'm warning you upfront: there won't be a description of a 40-year-old, rusty, and rotten Lada, which reeks of gasoline and has a body that scrapes against the asphalt. In short, this review isn't about the horrors of our automotive industry. It's specifically about the UAZ Patriot 2018.

Shall we get started?

The UAZ Patriot 2018 is a multi-functional vehicle with several trim levels.

Features:

The interior of the UAZ Patriot 2018 was updated in 2017, so the dashboard remains the same, but with some additions:a new steering wheel with a different layout of various components;two airbags;a 3-inch display on the dashboard cluster, speedometer, and tachometer;a 3-spoke multimedia steering wheel with heating and adjustable tilt and extension;a steering wheel equipped with 13 control buttons, including call and hang-up for a mobile phone;additional heating for the seats;ESP system;cruise control;airbag indicators;an assistant for uphill and downhill driving;an 8-inch multimedia system located in the center of the dashboard cluster, displaying a rearview camera on the screen;front adjustable seats;rear folding seats that transform into a 3-person sofa;a console with a gear lever, a full-wheel drive switch, and 3 cup holder niches.I'm still trying to figure out what trim level we had. It was the 'Style' trim, which is supposedly the full package. This means I can tell you about the unusual features of the UAZ Patriot.

The heated rear seats are a game-changer, especially on cold and frosty days. The heated steering wheel is a nice touch too, but it can't be used at the same time as the heated driver's seat.The cruise control is another feature that's been a lifesaver on long road trips - not to mention daily commutes. I set a specific speed and just cruise along.I'll save my thoughts on the smart magnetola for later, as it's part of the interior.The four-wheel drive system is nice, but I'm not sure how often we'd use it with our big wheels. Still, I can see how it would make the car more responsive.I've been eyeing the UAZ Patriot for a while before we finally bought it in September 2018. We were getting by with our second Lada Niva (VAZ-21213 or 214) - three passengers and one driver. We just needed more space, some quiet, and less vibration. The Niva's 'boot' was more like a giant glove compartment, to be honest.

That's why we traded it in for the UAZ Patriot, which cost us around 800,000 rubles. It's been worth every penny, despite the occasional breakdown. The interior light would flicker off from time to time, and our parking sensor stopped working in the last few months.

Now, let's talk about the engine. We run it on 92-octane fuel, and it's got 150 horsepower and a 2.7-liter engine. The car moves quickly, and I'm not complaining.

The body is in great shape - not a single scratch, rust spot, or accident in the three years we've owned it. Okay, there was that one time when the wheel nuts came loose while we were driving, but that was on a bridge, thankfully.

We opted for a beautiful dark bronze or bright copper color, which we love. We tend to prefer dark-colored cars, and this one's no exception. In the 19 years we've been driving, only two of our cars have had light-colored bodies.

I've got to say, the brakes on the UAZ Patriot are really good and the mechanical gearbox is a nice touch. Don't get me wrong, we didn't do much driving around the city, and the car does come with cruise control, but it's still a welcome feature. It's super handy: set the speed and you can just relax, only needing to turn and brake occasionally. The UAZ Patriot handles smoothly in traffic.

The headlights are huge and look great. We've got xenon lights, which I think are less prone to getting dirty compared to halogen ones. However, we still needed to use the fog lights for extra visibility. The high beam is pretty bright, but it's not a replacement for the main headlights.

Now, let's talk about the interior. There are air conditioning vents everywhere, including the back seats (although ours didn't work in the back for some reason). The heated steering wheel, front, and rear seats were a lifesaver on cold days. Our new Lada Vesta SW, which we replaced the UAZ with, doesn't have heated rear seats. That's not surprising, given the smaller cabin and fabric seats. The UAZ, on the other hand, had leather seats, which were easy to clean but did get sticky in the heat.

The audio system could be improved, but the touchscreen media player was a nice touch. It even allowed us to watch YouTube videos, although we had to use Chrome recently due to outdated software.

The boot space is decent. We recently took a trip to Yaroslavl and packed it to the brim. The rear view was obstructed, but it wasn't a problem. Given that there were six of us, including the driver, the car struggled to keep up.

So, why did we need to swap cars? It was simply a matter of space. We replaced it with a Lada Vesta SW in the Winter trim, which is still a compact car. My mom will likely drive it in the future, while my dad will take the Hyundai Grand Starex.

I'd definitely recommend this car to anyone looking for a reliable family vehicle.