2008 Jeep Liberty

What comes to mind when one hears the word Jeep? I think that we all have images and certain, very specific, ideas when we hear the word. It's actually come to represent an entirely different type of vehicle for most of us....in a class and category all by itself. Although this car company has a sizeable variety of products, all one has to say is the word Jeep, and instantly images of rough terrain, trails, outdoor activities, etc....are conjured up. The new liberty that I've been driving kind of follows suit with these thoughts but in a slightly more subtle way. First of all, the styling is all Jeep. From the flattened dash to the exterior fenders and front grill, there is no doubt that this model is a Jeep. Whether that's good or bad depends upon the person looking at it but I, for one, am a fan of the classic Jeep look and so I really like the looks of the new liberty. By the way, it also happens to look almost identical to the larger and more upscale Jeep Commander. As with most suv's, the liberty has good ground clearance and has come a long way in the ride category. That's not to say it's a smooth ride like a Buick or anything but, for what it is, it is acceptable. Of course, being a Jeep, it is required by the factory to pass certain off-road tests and have trail-riding abilities that many of its competitors do not have to do.



All of the above taken into account, here are my thoughts on my driving experience in the new liberty. Overall, I like it for what it is (see above) but as a regular, every day driver, I have to pass. I love the classic Jeep styling on both the exterior and interior...looks great. The ride is mediocre but again, to be expected of a vehicle that is partially designed to run off-road. The powerplant is the tried and true 3.7 liter V-6, a seemingly reliable engine with a good track record, although not the smoothest running thing in the world. As with most Jeeps, the transmission is geared a bit low so as to be able to tackle any off-roading requirements that the owner may decide to put it through. Unfortunately, the noise and rough feeling that this creates in the cab, because of the high revving at low speeds, is very noticeable over other vehicles in this class. In other words, the speedo says you're going 20 but the sound and feeling through the gas pedal, tells you that you are really running. I do have to say that this new liberty is better than the previous model as far as noise and roughness but it's still no cupcake on the senses! Also, as a result of this lower tranny gearing, the fuel efficiency that someone like myself expects from a smaller vehicle such as this one is non-existent. I averaged 18 mpg in this little jewel. The absolute best I could get it up to was 22mpg on the highway and only 16 in the city. Again, the engine runs faster than it should for regular every day chores so that it can be yanked off road and driven through the forest when necessary. (How often do any of us do that?) It is true that none of the suv's I have driven get what I would call GOOD gas mileage but it just seems like one this size ought to be able to pull off something a little better in the city mpg department than my full-size pickup truck which has 2 additional cylinders and a much greater towing capacity!! Anyways, the interior is nice and well laid out. I find the front seats to be very comfortable and they finally put the power window controls where they belong...on the door, instead of in the center of the dash as on previous models. This new liberty has good storage room, a nice amount of rear cargo space with a pull-out tonneau cover, and rear seats that lay pretty flat for extra cargo space. Also, one neat feature is that it has an AC outlet which can be used while the vehicle is running. Another change from years prior, they moved the spare tire from the rear of the vehicle to the underside of the vehicle where it is less obtrusive and more difficult to steal. All in all, if you're looking for a nice, small to mid-size Jeep, the liberty is one to be considered. However, if you're only looking for a small suv, I would look elsewhere. There are smoother, more user-friendly, and much more efficient options out there that would still suit the majority of us average Joe's off-roading needs.

My report card:

styling: A (if you like the Jeep look)
comfort: B-
Ride: C
Economy: D
Drivetrain: C
Overall: C