The Jeep Liberty is a practical SUV that doesn’t hesitate to pass by on the sidewalk. True to Jeep’s legendary 4×4 heritage, the Liberty offers two Jeep Trail Rated all-wheel-drive systems, giving it formidable off-road prowess. It’s tall and angular, with ambitious, upright styling reminiscent of the rugged Jeep Cherokee of the 1990s. Unlike the old Cherokee, however, the Liberty rides excellent and smooth. However, it maintains the robustness that made Jeep famous.
The all-new 2011 Jeep Liberty Jet brings a premium look to the lineup. The 2011 Jeep Renegade, introduced mid-year in 2010, boasts features that position it between Sport and Limited, with an emphasis on off-road equipment. The Renegade features a rugged, premium appearance and comes with brightly colored skid plates, fenders, fairing, and headlights.
New for 2011, all Liberty models feature a new guide wheel with redundant radio controls. Three new media centers will also be available on the 2011 Liberty models.
The Jeep Liberty is powered by a 3.7-liter V6 that makes 210 horsepower. A 4-speed automatic is standard. In these days of 6-speed automatics, the 4-speed is somewhat antiquated, and we don’t think it gets the most out of the V6, which could use a little help. When it comes to fuel economy, the Liberty’s weight and powertrain provide numbers that are on the lower end of the class: The federal Environmental Protection Agency rates Jeep Liberty 4WD 15/21 mpg City/Highway.
The two four-wheel-drive systems, Command-Trac II and Selec-Trac II, make the Jeep Liberty highly capable off road, and they are further aided by Hill Start Assist and Hill Descent Control.
The Liberty rides firmly, but irons out most bumps quite well and is stable on the highway. The Liberty sacrifices on-road handling for off-road prowess. The Liberty leans in turns and has a floppy feeling in quick changes of direction. Still, it’s rugged and capable off road; if we were heading up a rough logging road, we’d be pleased to be in a Liberty.
Inside, the Liberty offers enough space for five people. However, we don’t live up to the hype in terms of curtain quality, compatibility and finish, with many hard plastic surfaces. However, it’s not an unsightly booth. The cargo area is a plus. The Liberty’s second-row seats fold down, as does the front passenger seat, to provide enough room to haul boxes, motorcycles and other necessities of life.
With a maximum towing capacity of 5,000 pounds, rugged off-road capability, and plenty of shipping space, the Jeep Liberty is a smart pick for small families or couples towing boats or camping. If your daily commute doesn’t take you off-road, other small SUVs will offer better fuel economy and handling, but few will be able to match the Liberty’s capabilities.
The Jeep Liberty comes in 3 trim levels. Sport 2WD ($23,250), Sport 4WD ($24,865), Limited ($26,650) and Limited 4WD ($28,250) can all be had with two- or four-wheel drive. The Renegade ($27,250) can only be purchased with all-wheel drive. The only engine is a 3. 7-liter, 210-horsepower V6, mated to a 4-speed automatic transmission.
The basic formula for all-wheel drive is Jeep’s Command Trac, a part-time formula designed for off-road use. Also introduced is Selec-Trac II ($445), a full-time formula that allows all-wheel drive to be used on dry roads. Both formulas have low-diversity leverage. Liberty Sport features come with cloth upholstery, air-conditioning, a tilt-facing steering wheel, 65/35 split-folding rear seats, heated forced mirrors, forced locks, forced windows, keyless entry, AM/FM/CD/MP3 and an auxiliary input jack, one vehicle. data middle and P225/75R16 all-season tires on aluminum wheels. The mats come standard. Sport features come with a Sky Slider canvas sunroof ($1,200); a regular sunroof ($850); Class III Tow Package with Trailer Balancing ($545); 235/70R16 all-terrain tires; skid plates ($225). The Popular Equipment Group ($995) comes with a shipping cover, fog lights, roof rails, CruiseArray external temperature gauge and compass, and dark glass.
Liberty Renegade includes skid plates for the transmission, transfer case, front suspension, and engine; transmission oil cooler; tow hooks; and fender flares. It is fitted for the more rugged off-roading experience. Options are similar to those of the Sport.
Liberty Limited comes with a 368-watt Infinity audio formula with 8 speakers, cruise control, leather-wrapped steering wheel with redundant audio controls and vehicle data center, auto-dimming rearview mirror, roof rack, driver’s seat with six-position power and folding seat. . Flat front passenger seat, universal garage door opener, anti-theft alarm, fog lights, and 235/65R17 all-season tires on aluminum wheels. Navigation formulas come with an AM/FM/CD/DVD formula with HDD navigation, as well as Uconnect and a similar formula with Garmin navigation. The Comfort & Convenience package comes with automatic climate control, rear park assist, and remote start ($595). The Premium wheelset comes with 18-inch P235/60R18 chrome all-season tires. alloy wheels ($1,125). Most of the features available for the Sport are also available for the Limited, if applicable.
Liberty Jet is an appearance package available on Sport ($995) and Limited ($1,495) models. The exterior features of the new Liberty Jet come with 20-inch polished aluminum wheels equipped with P245/50R20 all-season tires; chrome-plated lower fascia opening, frame side moldings, license plate front, roof bars, and mirror housings; headlights turned off; and an exclusive Jet badge. In one aspect, the Jeep Liberty Jet Edition has a premium 9-speaker audio formula; a popular protection formula that comes with additional curtain side airbags and Park Sense rear parking assist; Available Dark Slate Grey leather seats with contrast stitching; heated front seats, available with six-way drive for the driver and bi-directional for the passenger; leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls; and raise/lower windows with a single tap.
(All new car test handling costs are manufacturer-recommended retail costs, which come with destination fees and are subject to replacement at any time without ice. )
Safety features on all Liberty models come with dual front airbags, as well as side curtain airbags to cover the head with rollover sensors, front side airbags to cover the torso and active headrests in the front seats. Active defense features come with anti-lock brakes with brake assist, hill start assist, traction, and electronic stability with rollover mitigation. Anti-lock brakes have tricky road detection; When difficult situations are detected, the formula maintains braking impulses for longer to further reduce the vehicle’s speed. Hill descent is popular on 4×4 models. Optional bumper features come with trailer sway control and rear obstacle detection.
The Liberty is a true Jeep, with off-road prowess and bold, upright styling. Its tall, upright, angular styling is in line with Jeep’s existing design language while also being reminiscent of the Cherokee of the 1990s. The gaze is designed to draw an equal distribution of male and female buyers. The most notable aspect of the front trim is Jeep’s signature seven-slot grille. The grille is body-colored on the Sport and chrome on the Limited. The front fascia is completely body-colored and the front air intake is removable to provide increased ground clearance off-road.
In appearance, the Liberty has tall windows in the shape of a greenhouse. The Limited’s chrome theme extends to the exterior with chrome side moldings and roof rails. In an effort to give the Liberty the open feel of a Wrangler, Jeep gives the sunroof Sky Slider. Jeep claims that this canvas sunroof is 4 times larger than an average sunroof.
A notable feature of the rear end is the absence of an external spare wheel. The spare component is fixed in the internal and the rear is available via a tailgate with a rear window that opens.
The interior of the Jeep Liberty is functional and luxurious. Most drivers will appreciate the increased seating position. Headroom in the front seat is plentiful, but taller drivers will need more legroom in front. The side mirrors are giant and the cabin has plenty of windows. allowing for intelligent rear visibility.
2011 Liberty models feature a new steering wheel with redundant controls for the radio. The gauges are easy to spot and the controls are simple to use. The climate functions are controlled by three simple knobs and the radio and other vehicle controls are straightforward. There is a useful cubby on the center of the dash top, and a sizable grab handle is located just above the smallish glove box. The center console is deep and has a removable tray on top. There is also a small tray next to the shift handle. In 4WD models, a small electronic switch replaces the previous generation’s transfer case lever.
The dashboard is made entirely of plastic, with no soft surfaces to the touch. The same goes for the more practical door, where passengers can rest their arms. The only upholstered surfaces found here are the door armrests. The center console also has a bit of flexibility on its surface, but it’s also not padded.
That said, the Limited’s interior includes a leather-wrapped shift knob with a chrome cap; and contrast leather stitching on the console and door armrests, grip support and parking brake bellows.
The Sky Slider sunroof is much larger than a popular sunroof. It’s made of canvas and creates a feel, especially for rear passengers. However, it also creates wind noise at road speed when closed. This is a vital point because without the Sky Slider, the cabin is incredibly quiet.
The second row offers plenty of headroom. Legroom is decent, even with the front seats fully retracted. Footroom is plentiful under the seats, but there’s an annoying bulge on both sides next to the transmission tunnel. The second row has the most comfortable seats, though; They are flat and short with little support for the thighs or shoulders and lack a fold-down center armrest. Getting to the second row is a simple step, but the opening is a bit small, requiring some twisting of the ankle.
Cargo space is about average for the class. The second-row seats fold flat in an easy one-step process to yield 60.9 cubic feet of cargo space. With the seats up there is 25.2 cubic feet of cargo room, which is plenty of room for hauling groceries with the kids in the vehicle. The available fold-flat front-passenger seat allows for loading long items. In back, Jeep provides a shallow under-floor storage area with a reversible cover that is carpeted on one side and formed into a plastic tray on the other. This is a useful feature for stowing muddy boots. Cargo tie-down hooks are also provided to secure loose items. The load floor is fairly low, making it easy to load heavy cargo. The rear glass panel opens separately, so groceries can be set inside without opening the tailgate.
The Jeep Liberty provides a fun driving experience. The ride is firm, but the Liberty smoothes out bumps as much as possible and is never demanding, even with the available 18-inch wheels.
In terms of handling, the Liberty is relatively large and heavy, so it’s not as nimble as most of its compact SUV competitors. It leans more than its maximum in corners and struggles to regain composure in quick steering adjustments. Its forged axle rear suspension is designed for the toughest towing tasks and off-road capability.
Off-road, however, the Liberty is pretty good. With generous tee technique and angles and low diversity for 4×4 models, it can move slowly over rocks and giant logs. All-wheel-drive models feature Hill Descent Control, which applies the brakes through ABS to restrict the vehicle’s speed when driving on steep inclines. Hill Start Assist is also standard. It helps keep the brakes uphill when the driver releases the pedal to prevent the vehicle from sliding backwards. We drove the Liberty down a technically challenging off-road trail where it behaved well.
Wind and tire noise is well controlled in the Liberty and the engine is noticeable when accelerating hard.
With the available towing package, the Liberty is capable of towing a load of up to 5,000 pounds. This towing capability combined with the Liberty’s off-road prowess makes it a smart pick for families who enjoy camping, skiing, or vacationing in off-road terrain. Busiest locations.
The 3. 7-liter V6 alone is sufficient in this vehicle. It has a decent recovery from a stop, but it doesn’t provide the power needed to make overtaking easier. The 4-speed automatic transmission starts smoothly to provide available overtaking power.
With EPA fuel economy ratings of 16 mpg city and 22 highway with 2WD and 15/21 mpg with 4WD, the Liberty burns less fuel than most of its competitors.
The Jeep Liberty has more off-road capabilities and more towing capacity than most of its competitors. Offers a generous shipping area and superior seating position. But it’s heavy for a compact SUV and doesn’t have the top-of-the-line handling or fuel economy of its rivals. If off-road capabilities are important, the Liberty is a smart choice; Otherwise, several rivals will perform better and consume less fuel.
NewCarTestDrive. com correspondent Kirk Bell filed this from Indianapolis.
Jeep Liberty Sport 2WD ($23,250), Sport ($24,865), Renegade ($27,250), Limited 2WD ($26,650), Limited ($27,250).
Toledo, Ohio.
Comfort & Convenience Package ($595), Class III Tow Package with Trailer Roll Control ($545); skid plates ($225), Selec-Trac II permanent all-wheel drive ($445); Sky Slider sunroof ($1,200); Premium wheelset ($975).