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2009 Jeep Liberty Bottom Line

June 25, 2009

By Rex Roy's avatar Rex Roy, Detroit EditorRex Roy

TheCarConnection.com has driven the Jeep Liberty on- and off-road in order to give you this expert opinion. TheCarConnection.com's SUV experts then researched available road tests on the new Jeep Liberty to produce this conclusive review.

Likes:

  • Off-road efficacy
  • Size of sunroof
  • Replaceable fender flares

Dislikes:

  • Poor fuel economy
  • Cramped rear legroom
  • Interior materials
  • Truckish ride and handing
  • Lethargic acceleration

Buying Tips:


The latest Liberty represents a solid value, and factory incentives sweeten the pot even further.

The 2009 Jeep Liberty defines SUV-lites by not being one. The Liberty’s fresh shape, combined with its 4x4 heritage, provides consumers with the rugged Jeep image that has long been the Jeep brand’s appeal.

2009 Jeep Liberty models receive upgrades to its chassis, including stiffer rear axle shafts and retuned springs, shocks, anti-roll bars, and a steering gear valve meant to improve the vehicle’s steering and handling. A retuned booster, low rollback calipers, and a revised brake pedal ratio are meant to increase brake pedal feel.

The 2009 Jeep Liberty’s exterior appearance is a masculine twist on the former version, which was more softly rounded. The interior is restyled, with some of the materials that get complaints from TheCarConnection.com’s writers, but plenty of cool features, such as a music hard drive system, are installed.

Reviewer criticisms of the Jeep Liberty range from tepid praise to downright harsh. Their remarks, however, reveal something important about SUVs; there are subsets to this huge segment of vehicles and it’s important to know what you want your vehicle to do while you’re evaluating alternatives.

For instance, do you require an SUV to be off-road capable or a vehicle that looks the part while commuting to and fro around town in comfort? The Jeep’s on-road ride and handling are not as carlike as some other SUVs that couldn’t begin to keep up with the Liberty off road; the changes for this year don't really change that. The Liberty's 3.7-liter V-6 is torquey enough, but acceleration is nothing special, nor is fuel economy.

If you’ll never go off road in a million years, consider other SUVs. There are plenty of SUV-ish crossovers out there. However, if you’re apt to put a wheel on a trail or have another genuine need for the kind of performance that the Liberty provides, spend some time in one and you’ll be impressed. It’s important for SUV shoppers to know what they want their truck to do. In other words, pick the right tool for your job, and you’ll probably be happy with your choice.

While the 2009 Jeep Liberty comes standard with a host of standard safety features, such as side and side-curtain airbags and electronic stability control, plus several electronic off-road aids, it only achieves a worrisome Marginal rating from the IIHS in side-impact safety. Other crash-test results are more positive.

Other Choices:

If you like the 2009 Jeep Liberty, also consider:

Reason Why:

If you really want genuine Jeep performance, the 2009 Liberty doesn’t disappoint. If you want something that just looks like it could go off road, there are better choices. Among those more carlike choices are the Subaru Forester, which has a tough all-wheel-drive system that can even take on muddy, rutted trails. The RAV4 is styled closer to an SUV, but it's more carlike; inside you can specify a small third-row seat. Honda's CR-V is one of the smoothest-riding and most fuel-efficient, and it's a good choice for those who don't plan to venture off-road. For those who want hardy off-road alternatives and really plan to take to the trail, the Nissan Xterra is a good choice, especially if you have a lot of equipment to haul around. And for off-road fashionistas, the FJ Cruiser is a hot ride.

The Bottom Line:

The 2009 Jeep Liberty is a very capable SUV, but one that might not be right for most everyday drivers.

TheCarConnection.com has driven the Jeep Liberty on- and off-road in order to give you this expert opinion. TheCarConnection.com's SUV experts then researched available road tests on the new Jeep Liberty to produce this conclusive review. Likes:Off-road efficacySize of sunroofReplaceable fender flaresDislikes:Poor fuel economyCramped rear legroomInterior materialsTruckish ride and handingLethargic accelerationBuying Tips: The latest Liberty represents a solid value, and factory incentives sweeten the pot even further. The 2009 Jeep Liberty defines SUV-lites by not being one. The Liberty’s fresh shape, combined with its 4x4 heritage, provides consumers with the rugged Jeep image that has long been the Jeep brand’s appeal. 2009 Jeep Liberty models receive upgrades to its chassis, including stiffer rear axle shafts and retuned springs, shocks, anti-roll bars, and a steering gear valve meant to improve the vehicle’s steering and handling. A retuned booster, low rollback calipers, and a revised brake pedal ratio are meant to increase brake pedal feel. The 2009 Jeep Liberty’s exterior appearance is a masculine twist on the former version, which was more softly rounded. The interior is restyled, with some of the materials that get complaints from TheCarConnection.com’s writers, but plenty of cool features, such as a music hard drive system, are installed. Reviewer criticisms of the Jeep Liberty range from tepid praise to downright harsh. Their remarks, however, reveal something important about SUVs; there are subsets to this huge segment of vehicles and it’s important to know what you want your vehicle to do while you’re evaluating alternatives. For instance, do you require an SUV to be off-road capable or a vehicle that looks the part while commuting to and fro around town in comfort? The Jeep’s on-road ride and handling are not as carlike as some other SUVs that couldn’t begin to keep up with the Liberty off road; the changes for this year don't really change that. The Liberty's 3.7-liter V-6 is torquey enough, but acceleration is nothing special, nor is fuel economy. If you’ll never go off road in a million years, consider other SUVs. There are plenty of SUV-ish crossovers out there. However, if you’re apt to put a wheel on a trail or have another genuine need for the kind of performance that the Liberty provides, spend some time in one and you’ll be impressed. It’s important for SUV shoppers to know what they want their truck to do. In other words, pick the right tool for your job, and you’ll probably be happy with your choice. While the 2009 Jeep Liberty comes standard with a host of standard safety features, such as side and side-curtain airbags and electronic stability control, plus several electronic off-road aids, it only achieves a worrisome Marginal rating from the IIHS in side-impact safety. Other crash-test results are more positive. Other Choices:If you like the 2009 Jeep Liberty, also consider:Subaru ForesterHonda CRVToyota FJ CruiserNissan XterraToyota RAV4Reason Why:If you really want genuine Jeep performance, the 2009 Liberty doesn’t disappoint. If you want something that just looks like it could go off road, there are better choices. Among those more carlike choices are the Subaru Forester, which has a tough all-wheel-drive system that can even take on muddy, rutted trails. The RAV4 is styled closer to an SUV, but it's more carlike; inside you can specify a small third-row seat. Honda's CR-V is one of the smoothest-riding and most fuel-efficient, and it's a good choice for those who don't plan to venture off-road. For those who want hardy off-road alternatives and really plan to take to the trail, the Nissan Xterra is a good choice, especially if you have a lot of equipment to haul around. And for off-road fashionistas, the FJ Cruiser is a hot ride. The Bottom Line:The 2009 Jeep Liberty is a very capable SUV, but one that might not be right for most everyday drivers. TheCarConnection.com has driven the Jeep Liberty on- and off-road in order to give you this expert opinion. TheCarConnection.com's SUV experts then researched available road tests on the new Jeep Liberty to produce this conclusive review. Likes: Off-road efficacy Size of sunroof ...

Other Choices:

If you really want genuine Jeep performance, the 2009 Liberty doesn’t disappoint. If you want something that just looks like it could go off road, there are better choices. Among those more carlike choices are the Subaru Forester, which has a tough all-wheel-drive system that can even take on muddy, rutted trails. The RAV4 is styled closer to an SUV, but it's more carlike; inside you can specify a small third-row seat. Honda's CR-V is one of the smoothest-riding and most fuel-efficient, and it's a good choice for those who don't plan to venture off-road. For those who want hardy off-road alternatives and really plan to take to the trail, the Nissan Xterra is a good choice, especially if you have a lot of equipment to haul around. And for off-road fashionistas, the FJ Cruiser is a hot ride.

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See the Jeep Liberty in Other Years:

2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002

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