Jeep Liberty History
By
LATEST ARTICLE
MINI Convertible Highgate Edition: 'Brit-Cool' For Sale
MINI is well-known for its highly customizable cars, with everything from exterior color, decals... Read More
MINI Convertible Highgate Edition: 'Brit-Cool' For Sale
MINI is well-known for its highly customizable cars, with everything from exterior color, decals... Read More
- #3LEADERBOARD RANK
- 5106ARTICLES CONTRIBUTED
- 187COMMENTS POSTED
489 views
The Jeep Liberty is a five-passenger compact SUV that's still capable of off-road duty thanks to its Jeep heritage and available low-speed four-wheel drive transfer cases. The primary competition for the Jeep Liberty are Subaru Forester, Honda CRV, Toyota FJ Cruiser, Nissan Xterra and Toyota RAV4, and the Jeep's attractive pricing--ranging between $24,000 and $29,000--keeps it abreast of the pack.
First introduced in 2002, the first-generation Jeep Liberty was offered in both two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive versions, with a range of engines that included a 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder, a 3.7-liter V-6, and, from 2005 to 2006, a 2.8-liter diesel four-cylinder. The diesel was discontinued in 2007 for emissions reasons. Sport and Limited were the two trims offered during the 2002-2007 first-generation model run, varying primarily in their features and interior specification. The four-wheel drive systems available included the part-time Command-Trac or full-time Selec-Trac transfer cases. With a range of high and low four-wheel drive gearing and its unibody-on-ladder-frame construction, the original Liberty was capable of actual off-road use, unlike many of its car-based competitors.
The second-generation Jeep Liberty was completely redesigned for release in 2008, built from the same platform as the Dodge Nitro, bringing with it a sharper, simpler, and more aggressive look. The four-cylinder engine option was discontinued, with the 210-horsepower, 3.7-liter V-6 engine the only available option for both the Sport and Limited trims. A third trim, the Jeep Liberty Renegade, was introduced for the 2010 model year. Designed to slot between the Sport and Limited models, the Renegade offers a ruggedized exterior appearance and slightly nicer interior appointments than the sport, including a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, more leather on the dash, and new driftwood accents. The Sport features a standard six-speaker CD/MP3 stereo system, cloth seats, and power windows. The Limited upgrades to leather-trimmed bucket seats, power-adjustable driver and passenger front seats, 17-inch alloy wheels, and in two-wheel drive trim, an Infinity premium stereo. The Renegade, being the rough-and-tumble one of the bunch is available only in four-wheel drive. The Sport and Limited are available with either four-wheel or two-wheel drive. Safety ratings for the Jeep Liberty are generally good, with five-star NHTSA scores for front and side impact tests, and three stars for rollover resistance.
Plans for the 2011 Jeep Liberty aren't likely to include much in the way of updates, as the vehicle is still relatively new. Minor technology or trim updates are possible. As one of the few truly off-road capable vehicles in its class, the Liberty isn't fully refined on-road, but modifications to the suspension layout for the new generation have made it better for highway cruising and more resistant to rollover than previous versions.
