The Jeep brand has arguably been Chrysler ’s brightest star over the last few years, but that doesn’t mean the iconic off-road brand hasn’t seen its share of setbacks. In Chrysler’s attempt to grow the nameplate from a niche brand to a mainstream label, the Jeep name has been watered down with the inclusion of some less-than-spectacular crossover vehicles. But Jeep is looking to get back on track with a redesigned version of its Liberty, so we decided to take a second look at the second-generation SUV.
What is it?
Don’t think of the Liberty so much as a “Grand Cherokee minus,” but rather a Wrangler Unlimited plus – a modern day Cherokee of sorts. If you’re looking for a plush luxury SUV, keeping looking because that’s not the Liberty’s style. But what the Liberty lacks in luxury amenities it more than makes up for with a Trail Rated attitude.
What’s it up against?
The Jeep Liberty is among the dying breed of ‘true’ SUVs, which means there aren’t a whole lot of direct competitors. But the Liberty straddles the line of compact and mid-size SUV, so you could lump it together with the Nissan Xterra, Subaru Forester, Mitsubishi Outlander, Ford Escape and Saturn Vue.
Any breakthroughs?
Introduced for 2008, the 2009 Liberty is by no means a technological tour de force, but it could be just the breakthrough Jeep has been looking for since the Daimler-forced death of the iconic Cherokee in 2001. Unlike the first-generation Liberty, the redesigned SUV doesn’t feel like it’s trying too hard to uphold the legendary Jeep name. Jeep took a simplistic approach to the redesign of the Liberty and it truly comes off as a case of less is more.
How does it look?
Compared to the cartoonish exterior of the last-generation Liberty, the ’09 model is a breath of fresh air. Jeep designers must have taken a quick look at their history books and realized that ‘boxy’ and ‘Jeep’ go together like ‘peanut butter’ and ‘jelly’. Although the Liberty’s styling isn’t all that different from its Dodge Nitro platform mate, it comes off as pure Jeep, unlike its cartoonish predecessor.
The Liberty’s new look is set off by Jeep’s signature front grille, which is flanked by new-style headlamps. Whereas the previous Liberty did with Wrangler-style round headlights, the redesigned SUV does with more Commander-esque square units. However, two circular housings do peer out from beneath the clear lenses.
To remind you that the Liberty is Trail Rated, the 2009 model features bold fender flares and door handles that would feel at home on the more rugged Jeep Wrangler . Aerodynamics was clearly not the priority here. The Liberty finishes off with an appropriately square rear end.
And inside?
Jeep designers absolutely nailed the Liberty’s interior design. The last Liberty definitely ventured a little too far down the crossover/car path when it came to interior design, but the new rig is all Jeep.
The Liberty’s dash and center stack have strong ties to the Wrangler, but with a slightly more upscale feel. It’s not enough to confuse the Liberty with the Grand Cherokee, but it definitely doesn’t have the same hose-off feel of the Wrangler.
That theme continues on the center console, with a vastly improved gated shifter and a toggle switch for the four-wheel drive system that lends credence to the Liberty’s Trail Rated badge. A well executed two-tone finish also adds a bit of an up-scale air to the SUV’s cabin.
Although the Liberty’s interior design is much improved, it still suffers from low-rent materials. Hard plastics abound, with the only soft material to speak of covering the center armrest. We like the idea that Jeep designers borrowed from the successes of the Wrangler for the Liberty’s interior, but we just wish they would have left the cheaper materials for the rugged Wrangler.
The Liberty’s front seats are comfortable and offer plenty of support, but a lack of adjustability makes it extremely difficult to find a comfortable seating position. The driver’s side seat on our Sport tester is only a four-way adjustable unit, with no way to change the seat height. Smaller drivers might not have a problem with the factory setting as it is on the high side, but drivers over 6-feet will want to consider the optional Sky Slider retractable roof for a bit more head room.
Our tester was optioned with that Sky Slider roof, and it turned out to be a really unique feature – even if you don’t need it for additional headroom. Although the canvas top – which almost spans the entire roof – can create some extra wind noise at highway speeds, it’s not excessive and we’re sure its sunny day benefits outweigh any negatives.
Another gripe we have with the Liberty’s interior is the intrusion of the SUV’s drivetrain on interior space. Whether it’s from the transfer case, drive shafts or otherwise, the Liberty’s driveline requires a massive bulge below the shifter and center console, which can cramp front-seat legroom.
Back seat comfort is par for the course, but a rear seat 115-volt power outlet really helps qualify the Liberty as a road trip machine.
Cargo space in the Liberty is downright cavernous thanks to its boxy design, with fully foldable rear seats offering enough room to put any Liberty owner in serious jeopardy of the dreaded moving day detail.
But does it go?
The Liberty handles daily driving duties pretty much like every other vehicle in its class, but offers something rare in today’s world of car-based crossovers – true off-roadability. Engage the Liberty’s four-wheel drive system via the console-mount toggle switch and it almost feels like a mini Wrangler. Our test car’s standard Command-Trac II part-time four-wheel drive system felt sure footed in snowy conditions, although its lockable feature makes tight parking lot turns clumsy due to the center differential lock. A pavement-acceptable full-time mode would make it a better all-weather driver. A 3.73 axle ratio and a standard hill descent control further ensure the Liberty is more than capable of the occasional two-track adventure.
The Liberty can be further fitted for off-road duty – as our Inferno Red tester was – with a skid plate option that includes tow hooks and skip plate protection for the vehicle’s transmission, fuel tank, transfer case and front suspension.
But even though the Liberty is more than capable of handling much rougher conditions than the grocery store parking, we’re sure most Libertys won’t even get their tires dirty. Thankfully for those types of buyers, the Liberty is reasonably at home on the pavement. The Liberty’s 210-horsepower 3.7-liter V6 isn’t the thing dreams are made of, but it’s more than up to the task of getting from point A to B. Although our test car did with a rather archaic four-speed automatic transmission, we were fully surprised at how smooth the unit was.
Why you would buy it:
You need a capable four-wheel drive vehicle that won’t break the bank and you don’t mind a vehicle that drives more like a truck than a car.
Why you wouldn’t:
You have absolutely no need for an off-road vehicle and you prefer refinement over utilitarian.
2009 Jeep Liberty Sport 44 base price, $24,325. As Tested, $28,270.
Inferno Red Crystal Paint, $225; Trailer Tow Class III Group, $580; Skid plate group, $225; Popular Equipment group, $1,095; Sky Slider full open roof, $1,075; Destination, $745.
Words and photos by Drew Johnson.
