Introduction
Jeep introduced the Liberty in 2002 and completely redesigned it for the 2008 model year. This is a unibody small SUV that tries to marry carlike road manners with a Jeep’s go-anywhere ability. The redesigned Liberty only comes with a 3.7-liter V-6 engine that produces 210 horsepower, mated to a four-speed automatic or a six-speed manual transmission. Base Libertys have rear-wheel drive, but there are two available all-wheel-drive systems: Command-Trac, which is a part-time, shift-on-the-fly setup; and Selec-Trac II, which is a full-time system. Hill-descent control is standard with both all-wheel-drive systems, and hill start assist is standard on all Libertys.
Verdict
The Liberty is a highly capable off-roader, but it suffers from a lack of poise on-road, at least compared with the best offerings from the Japanese, the Toyota RAV4 and the Honda CR-V. Although the Liberty’s interior is quite spacious, the quality of the materials and finishes is lacking compared with that of the class leaders, too.
On the plus side of the ledger, the Liberty has a lot of standard safety equipment, including front side airbags, stability- and rollover-control systems, and anti-lock brakes. It excels in traditional truck roles. It is excellent off-road and can tow up to 5000 pounds when properly equipped, which is at the top of the cute-ute class.
Click here to read our latest comparison test involving the Jeep Liberty.
What’s New for 2008
The Liberty was completely redesigned for the 2008 model year. The exterior is more rugged and masculine than the original, and a new suspension—independent up front and a five-link rear—underpins the vehicle. The Liberty now features more accurate and responsive rack-and-pinion steering. A whole array of new equipment has become available, including the Sky Slider full-length canvas roof.
Trim Levels
The base Liberty is the Sport, which starts at $21,025 in two-wheel-drive form, rising to $22,635 for an all-wheel-drive version. Standard features include curtain airbags; 16-inch aluminum wheels; fold-flat, reclining second-row seats; air conditioning; power windows; and an AM/FM/CD stereo with four speakers.
The Limited model starts at $25,210 in two-wheel-drive guise and is $26,820 for the 4x4. This adds a fold-flat passenger seat, a classier seat fabric, a power driver seat, an eight-speaker Infinity audio system, the four-speed automatic transmission, cruise control, 17-inch aluminum wheels, Sirius satellite radio, and heated power-folding exterior mirrors.
Optional Equipment
The Sport has a number of packages and stand-alone options. An automatic transmission costs $825, a power sunroof is $850, and the Sky Slider roof is $1200. The latter is great if you like an ambience that’s comparable to a convertible’s, but the trade-off is a ton of wind noise. The Trailer Tow Group ($495) includes sway control. Jeep offers a more sophisticated all-wheel-drive system than the standard part-time, shift-on-the-fly Command-Trac II setup. Called Selec-Trac II, this is an active, on-demand system and costs $445. The Premium Sound Group ($395) includes a six-CD in-dash changer, and the Popular Equipment Group ($1095) consists of fog lamps, cruise control, deep-tinted glass, a fold-flat front-passenger seat, and a cargo-compartment cover.
The Limited has a lot more options. You can still order the power sunroof as a stand-alone option, along with the full-length canvas roof, the Selec-Trac II all-wheel-drive system, and the Trailer Tow Group, just $395 on the Limited. The MyGIG infotainment system with navigation costs $1550 and incorporates a 20-gigabyte hard drive for tunes and photos, Bluetooth phone connectivity, and real-time traffic information through the Sirius satellite-radio system. There are three options packages. The Premium Sound Group is $395. The Premium Group I costs $995 and upgrades to leather seating, heated front seats, auto on/off headlights, a power passenger seat, and remote start. The Premium Group II incorporates Premium Group I and adds automatic climate control, 18-inch wheels and tires, and a rear backup alert system. The cost is $2295.
Safety
All Liberty models have front and side airbags as standard, along with anti-lock brakes, hill start assist, a skid-control system with rollover mitigation, and traction control. All-wheel-drive models have standard hill-descent control, and a trailer-sway-control system is part of the trailer-towing package. Finally, a rear backup system is available on the Liberty Limited.
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