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2009 Jeep Liberty Performance Review

June 25, 2009

PERFORMANCE | 7 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

the revised suspension provides a smooth and quiet ride
Kelley Blue Book

Engine power was sufficient
Truck Trend

There are far better powertrains out there
Edmunds

The 2009 Jeep Liberty is a true dual-purpose SUV that you can actually drive off road on tough trails, without too many resulting on-road compromises.

Jeep upgrades the Liberty’s on-road manners for 2009 by tweaking the SUV’s suspension and steering. Kelley Blue Book states, “At freeway speeds, the revised suspension provides a smooth and quiet ride, yet on winding roads the steering is responsive and body lean is well controlled. However, it is away from paved roads where the Jeep Liberty really shines, with two highly capable four-wheel drive systems, All-speed Traction Control, Hill Descent Control, Hill Start Assist and anti-lock brakes with rough road detection giving the Liberty truly impressive off-road credentials.”

Edmunds complains about the Jeep’s performance in routine driving duties. “The V6 engine is torquey enough to live up to its Jeep heritage, we suppose, but the progress of the Liberty (4,030 pounds in 2WD, 4,222 pounds in 4WD) is best described as deliberate. The automatic's shifts are a bit clunky. Simply put, there are far better powertrains out there.” When trail-running, Truck Trend observes, “Engine power was sufficient and throttle response smooth. The automatic-transmission and transfer-case gearing helped us to climb extremely steep sections, as you'd expect a Jeep to be able to do.”

In conclusion, the NYTimes.com says, “On the road, the Jeep’s ride and handling could be charitably described as unfortunate. Sometimes a vehicle with a comfortable ride doesn’t handle very well. Sometimes a good-handling vehicle has an uncomfortable ride. The Liberty managed both a poor ride and lackluster handling, which is a stunning lack of achievement.”

Conclusion

Off road, there are few compact or mid-size SUVs that scramble up hills or drive off cliffs as well as the 2009 Jeep Liberty. In order to do this, some on-road compromises are made.

PERFORMANCE | 7 out of 10Expert Quotes:the revised suspension provides a smooth and quiet rideKelley Blue BookEngine power was sufficientTruck TrendThere are far better powertrains out thereEdmunds The 2009 Jeep Liberty is a true dual-purpose SUV that you can actually drive off road on tough trails, without too many resulting on-road compromises. Jeep upgrades the Liberty’s on-road manners for 2009 by tweaking the SUV’s suspension and steering. Kelley Blue Book states, “At freeway speeds, the revised suspension provides a smooth and quiet ride, yet on winding roads the steering is responsive and body lean is well controlled. However, it is away from paved roads where the Jeep Liberty really shines, with two highly capable four-wheel drive systems, All-speed Traction Control, Hill Descent Control, Hill Start Assist and anti-lock brakes with rough road detection giving the Liberty truly impressive off-road credentials.” Edmunds complains about the Jeep’s performance in routine driving duties. “The V6 engine is torquey enough to live up to its Jeep heritage, we suppose, but the progress of the Liberty (4,030 pounds in 2WD, 4,222 pounds in 4WD) is best described as deliberate. The automatic's shifts are a bit clunky. Simply put, there are far better powertrains out there.” When trail-running, Truck Trend observes, “Engine power was sufficient and throttle response smooth. The automatic-transmission and transfer-case gearing helped us to climb extremely steep sections, as you'd expect a Jeep to be able to do.” In conclusion, the NYTimes.com says, “On the road, the Jeep’s ride and handling could be charitably described as unfortunate. Sometimes a vehicle with a comfortable ride doesn’t handle very well. Sometimes a good-handling vehicle has an uncomfortable ride. The Liberty managed both a poor ride and lackluster handling, which is a stunning lack of achievement.” ConclusionOff road, there are few compact or mid-size SUVs that scramble up hills or drive off cliffs as well as the 2009 Jeep Liberty. In order to do this, some on-road compromises are made. 2009 JEEP LIBERTY STYLING | [7 out of 10] NYTimes.com: “an unmistakable Jeep grille combined with squared-off, go-anywhere pugnacity” Automobile.com: “an uncanny resemblance to the Dodge Nitro” TruckTrend.com: “Jeep has definitely masculinized the Liberty’s styling” The 2009 Jeep ...

Read More of this Review:

  1. styling
  2. performance
  3. quality
  4. safety
  5. features

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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