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2008 Jeep Liberty
 When
Jeep replaced the aging Cherokee (XJ) with the Liberty (KJ) in 2002 they
stepped out on a limb. Gone was the simple two-box design of the XJ and
in its place was a bigger and, dare we say, cuter entry level SUV. With
its big round headlights, smiling seven-slot grill and stocky stance,
the first Liberty had the visual personality of a boxer puppy –
muscular yet playful. It was much more approachable than previous Jeeps
and drew a lot of people into Jeep dealerships for the first time - 70%
of all Liberty owners were first time Jeep owners. More importantly, the
Liberty drew more women into Jeep dealerships. More than half of KJ’s
were purchased by the fairer sex.
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Liberty designer Dan
Zimmerman showing off a little trail rash on the back corner of
a 2008 Jeep Liberty |
Everything old is new again, and the 2008 Jeep Liberty, now known as
the KK brings back the box with a profile that resembles a 5/8ths scale
Commander. Actually, according to Dan Zimmerman (the Liberty’s
designer and a serious XJ fanatic) the new Liberty was heavily inspired
by the last generation Cherokee. The intent was to create a vehicle
that was less cute and more masculine.
The new look works. In this smaller form factor, the boxy styling coupled
with aggressive wheel flares, and fairly short front and rear overhangs
looks a lot less awkward and top-heavy than the full size Commander.
The front end is adorned by the traditional seven-slot grill and classy,
semi-trapezoidal headlights.
 Out
back the biggest difference is the missing spare tire. To improve rear
visibility and to add a bit of space to the interior the folks at Jeep
relocated the spare below the rear cargo area. The spare is accessed
from underneath the vehicle rather than from inside which keeps you
from having to empty your load of camping gear if you have a blowout
on the trail,
The only engine choice is Jeeps venerable 3.7L SOHC V6 belting out
210 hp and 235 lb-ft of torque while driving either a 6-speed manual
or a 4 speed automatic.
The manually operated transfer-case from the KJ is gone and in its
place sits a new Command- Trac
or optional Selec-Trac II unit. Both units are 2 speed transfer cases
with electronic engagement and both offer a 4WD Low range with a fairly
deep 2.72:1 ratio. The big difference is that the Command-Trac is strictly
a part time 4WD unit while the Selec-Trac II unit can be set for either
2WD or full time 4WD.
Inside, the Liberty is all-new. From the drivers seat it is difficult
to distinguish the Liberty from its upscale cousins, the Grand Cherokee
and the Commander, which is a good thing for KK buyers considering that
the Liberty costs thousands less than they do. Ergonomics are good,
with all of the controls being in easy reach. The gauges are supremely
legible and there are plenty of cubbies and cup holders. The only real
down side to the new interior is that the texture of plastic looks fairly
low end.
 One
of the most impressive things about the Liberty is the incredibly long
list of upscale options that are available for it. Of course all of
the options we have come to expect from a modern vehicle are available
including power heated leather seats, auto-dimming rear view mirror,
touch screen navigation and a HomeLink garage door opener. You can also
order Chryslers MyGIG hard drive based entertainment system which allows
you to store your MP3 files right on the build in hard disk. The folks
at Jeep raised the bar for the pint-sized SUV’s by also making
available rain sensing wipers, remote start, Bluetooth telephone integration
and a 115V inverter for powering your household electronics.,
 The
most impressive and unique option available on the Liberty however,
is the all new Sky Slider roof. This reinforced canvas sunroof opens
all the way to the back seats at the touch of a button. You can even
open it from the back to the front if the kiddies want to let the sunshine
in but you don’t. The roof works great, looks cool and does a
good job of replicating the open air experience you would get in a Wrangler.
The Liberty is a hoot to drive. The ride is firm but not punishing
and the overall feel is playful and about as nimble as a two ton SUV
can possibly be. While you won’t be competing in any autocross
events, the Liberty does feel confident and nimble on twisty back roads.
 The
3.7L V6 is adequate but far from impressive. There is certainly enough
power available to keep you out of trouble when passing or merging into
traffic but when you consider that the Liberty is up against vehicles
like the Toyota Highlander (270 HP), the Ford Edge (265 HP) and the
Mazda CX-7 (244 HP) you have to wonder why Jeep elected not to offer
the 250 HP 4.0L out of the Dodge Nitro R/T.
Off road the Liberty is much more capable than anything in its price
class. It comes equipped to play with two new features; Hill Descent
Control and Hill Start Assist. Hill Descent Control augments engine
braking when heading downhill but pulsing the brakes to help control
the vehicle speed. The system can be activated or deactivated with a
switch on the console and it works whether the vehicle is going forward
or backward.
 Hill
Start Assist helps the driver get started when heading up or down a
grade by maintaining brake pressure for two seconds after you release
the brake to give you time to get your foot on the gas. The system will
release the brake as soon as you touch the gas if you do so in less
than two seconds. OK – I know – if you were braking with
your left foot like you were supposed to off road this wouldn’t
be necessary but it is a nice feature for beginning off-roaders.
The Liberty also includes Jeep’s Rough Road Detection System
that senses when you are off road and adjusts the behavior of the Anti-Lock
Brake system to allow a wedge of surface material to build up in front
of the wheel to aid in stopping on gravel or dirt.
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good news is that it all comes together rather nicely off-road. Jeep
turned us loose with a Sky Slider equipped Liberty Limited at the Redbird
State Riding Area in east-central Indiana and let us hit some of the
steepest hills the park had to offer. On stock tires the Liberty performed
admirably. It didn’t get hung up, it handled the hills well and
the open canvas roof really enhanced the experience.
So can you afford one? Well, a 4X4 Sport starts at $22,600 which includes
power windows, cloth seats and the Command-Trac T-case. If you decide
to pimp out your ride with every available option including leather,
navigation and the Sky Slider roof you should plan on spending around
$32,000. Not bad considering you are getting a vehicle that is comparable
to  a
Land Rover LR3 in capability and features and the Land Rover starts
at nearly $35,000. Sure, the leather may be a little nicer in the LR2
but you don’t get a two speed transfer case.
Jeep has a winner on its hands with the Liberty. It is an attractive
and capable vehicle that performs well on and off the road and it is
pretty easy on the wallet if you are careful with the options sheet.
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