When the Jeep Liberty debuted in
2002, it was the alternative off-roader.
Its doe-eyed headlights and curvy cute looks were a hit with everyone but
Jeep enthusiasts, who found their Rubicon sense of machismo unhinged; the
ultimate man's brand was being shopped by women.
Turns out, Jeep had created a vehicle that non-Jeep owners wanted, taking
its clunky ruggedness into a new era of "modern Jeep styling."
But instead of continuing in that vein -- catering to those considering a
jump to the Jeep family fold -- the iconic brand has redesigned the 2008
Liberty to appeal more to its core constituency. It's the "classic Jeep
styling," which I think looks great. And that's precisely the problem: I'm a
guy.
The new Liberty, with its slab sides and tall squared-off front looks more
like the discontinued Jeep Cherokee than the curvaceous first-generation
Liberty, which, ironically, replaced the Cherokee. It's out with the new and
in with the old.
The swollen and removable plastic fenders -- a must for off-roading -- keep Jeep's trapezoid lines over the wheels and add to the muscular stance. The new Liberty has run off and joined the East German swim team.
But there's nothing scary about this off-roader: It has a great personality. Take this SUV for a spin, and you'll be impressed with a smooth-riding, well-appointed vehicle.
A gentler ride
The Liberty comes with a new independent front and five-link rear suspension making it quiet and comfortable on the highway and deserving of its "Trail Rated" badge in the backcountry. The power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering is precise and well-balanced.
While driving through the rolling hills outside of Indianapolis, I never felt jostled or battered. Even on tough trails, the Liberty remained smooth bounding up steep hills and articulating over uneven roads. The additional 2 inches to the wheelbase and 3.3 inches to its overall length over the previous generation certainly create a gentler ride.
Some ingenious add-ons, such as the hill descent control and brake assist, make driving in some conditions easier. The downhill descent on the Liberty allows a driver to simply let go of the brake and gas to gently descend steep, off-roading hills. It's unnerving to test, but after it works, you sigh and reassure yourself that you knew it would work all along.
The brake assist allows the driver to press the brake, move his foot over to the gas without any back roll -- a friendly feature on trails or paved roads.
The Liberty also offers the best $1,200 option available for any vehicle: the Sky Slider. The innovative canvas top opens up half of the roof (from the front or the back) without sacrificing body strength or roof crush results. The top seals up and Jeep promises a leak-proof life. When closed, there's little noise seeping in, and when open, it's still easy to talk to passengers.
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