The Jeep Liberty has a terrible reputation amongst Jeep purists as a lame "soft-roader" 4x4, but after the introduction of the less-than-trail-rated Jeep Compass and Patriot, all of a sudden the Liberty doesn't look so bad. There has been a complete redesign of the Liberty, making it not only more attractive to some (imagine a little Commander), but more enjoyable as both a trail and asphalt wheeler. The major changes are styling, which takes the squarish cues from Wagoneers and Cherokees of years gone by, a new front and rear suspension, and the full canvas sunroof that slides back to uncover both the front and rear seats.
Since there's a Jeep logo on the hood, we had high hopes that the new Liberty would excel in the dirt, but unfortunately there is still a Liberty logo on the side. The Liberty would spank most of the contenders in its class off road (the Honda CR-V, Toyota Rav4, and so on) since most don't even come with a low range, but when compared to the higher caliber (and more expensive) 4x4s in our test, the Liberty didn't stand out.
The Liberty does have traction control and a short wheelbase, not to mention fairly good visibility and some semblance of ground clearance, so it wasn't completely pathetic. But no matter what terrain we headed to-sand, high-speed desert, rocks, or hillclimbs-the Liberty wasn't really putting up a good fight. Many judges complained about the stiff suspension, bouncy high-speed ride, and the general lack of power from the V-6. And even though it has traction control, it is an inferior brake-activated version, where we would have appreciated the active limited-slip version found in the Grand Cherokee and Commanders. Our Liberty (referred to as the KK, maybe short for Kan't Keep up) was pretty economical with an average 14.6 mpg, but we miss the performance and mileage of the previous diesel-optioned Liberty we tested back in 2005.
The Liberty is a fine little car. It has good room, is easy to drive in the city, and has a nicer interior than some of its more expensive opponents (Pathfinder, learn from Liberty's simplicity). Plus if we were looking for a safe little ride for our mom to drive, whether she lives in the snowy north or down a gravel road, we'd feel good recommending the Liberty as it is better than many options in its price range. However in the end we feel that it's still a soft-roader that could benefit greatly from some of Jeep's other off-road options, or those of the 4x4 aftermarket.
Likes
* Clean, simple interior
* Sky-Slider fabric roof
* Short manueverable wheelbase
Dislikes
* Needs more power
* We miss the diesel option
* Give it the Grand's traction control or a locker
Verdict
* Changed a lot but stayed basically the same
| SPECIFICATIONS |
| GENERAL |
| Manufacturer | Jeep |
| Model | Liberty Limited |
| Base Price | $26,785 |
| Price as Tested | $30,270 |
| Options as Tested | Customer Preferred |
| Package, trailer tow, skidplates, Premium Equipment Group, Selec-Trac II transfer case, Sky-Slider roof |
| ENGINE |
| Type | 90-degree V-6 w/balance shaft |
| Displacement (liters/cubic inches) | 3.7/226 |
| Bore & Stroke (inches) | 3.66x3.57 |
| Compression Ratio | 9.7:1 |
| Induction Type | Sequential, electronic, |
| returnless, multiport fuel injection |
| Fuel Req. (octane)/Capacity (gal.) | 87/19.5 |
| SAE Peak Horsepower | 210 @ 5,200 rpm |
| SAE Peak Torque (lb-ft) | 235 @ 4,000 rpm |
| TRANSMISSION |
| Type | Four-speed automatic |
| Model | 42RLE |
| Ratios | First: 2.84:1; Second: 1.57:1 |
| Third: 1.00:1; Fourth: 0.69:1; Reverse: 2.21:1 |
| TRANSFER CASE |
| Type | Two-speed, full-time |
| Model | Selec-Trac MP3022 |
| Low-range Ratio | 2.72:1 |
| AXLES |
| Front Type | Independent/Dana 30 |
| Rear Type | Solid/DAP 8.25 |
| Hubs | N/A |
| Ratio | 3.73:1 |
| SUSPENSION |
| Front | Upper and lower A-arms, coil |
| springs, low-pressure gas-charged shock absorbers, stabilizer bar |
| Rear | Live axle, upper and lower |
| trailing arms, coil springs, stabilizer bar, low-pressure gas-charged shockabsorbers |
| STEERING |
| Type | Power-assisted rack-and-pinion |
| Turns Lock-to-Lock/Ratio | 3.5/17.36:1 |
| Turning Circle (feet) | 35.5 |
| WHEELS |
| Size (inches) | 17x7.0 |
| Material | Aluminum |
| TIRES |
| Size | P235/65R17 |
| Brand | Goodyear Wrangler HP |
| BRAKES |
| Front | 11.9-inch vented disc |
| Rear | 12.4-inch disc |
| 60-0 (feet) | 138.93 |
| ACCELERATION |
| Standing 1/4-mile | |
| (seconds @ mph) | 18.19 @ 77.30 |
| WEIGHT (pounds) |
| Curb Weight | 4,525 |
| Advertised GVWR | 5,675 |
| MILEAGE | |
| EPA Estimate (city/hwy. mpg) | 15/21 |
| As Tested (mpg) | 14.6 |
| DIMENSIONS (inches) |
| Wheelbase | 106.25 |
| Overall Length | 178 |
| Overall Width | 82.75 |
| Overall Height | 71.25 |
| Front/Rear Track | 61.75/60.75 |
| Front/Rear Overhang | 29.5/45.75 |
| Min. Front Ground Clearance | 6.75 |