The Jeep Liberty Renegade and Liberty Sport - car reviews

Jeep Liberty Renegade and Jeep Liberty Sport car reviews

The Jeep Liberty spurred many arguments in the enthusiast community, thanks to its independent front suspension and modern engine, but in the end, what matters is how well it performs on and off-road, and the answer to that is - quite well. That shouldn't be surprising; Jeep invented the four-wheel-drive independent front suspension back in 1962 with the Wagoneer.

The Renegade model is equipped with extra gear for off-road use, along with a special light green color. The price is still very reasonable for this segment, especially considering the relative comfort of the Liberty, the strengths of its engine, and Jeep's undeniable off-road reputation.

The Liberty maintains the Jeep look, perhaps more than the square-headlight Cherokee and current Grand Cherokee, going back to round headlights.

Perhaps the most groundbreaking aspect of the Jeep Liberty has been its strong reliability ratings; for decades, Jeeps and other off-roaders faired poorly in reliability surveys, with Jeep known for durability (resistance to shocks and abuse) but not long-term freedom from mechanical failures. (To be fair, many off-road-ready vehicles have had this issue - most quality surveys feature the Hummer H1 firmly at the bottom, followed in low-quality ranking by Land Rovers and Range Rovers.) But the Liberty has stuck firmly to the tops of the charts.

Another groundbreaking feature has just appeared in 2005 models: a diesel engine option, available on either Sport or Limited models, providing long life, long breaks between service, and the towing and torque of a V6 with better mileage than the four.

Handling on pavement was not exceptional until the ground clearance was reduced a bit; not even the Limited is surprisingly adept around corners, though the still-tall Renegade is a bit less exciting. Braking is good, and of course with four wheel drive on, accelerating in rain or snow is no problem. (Stopping and steering are still issues in any vehicle, four wheel drive or not.) The optional all wheel drive is practical for everyday use, while the part time four wheel drive is good in snow, dirt, and heavy rain. A simple shifter makes changing modes easy, though sometimes a good strong push of the lever is needed. We easily shifted between modes while driving.

The ride is relatively well cushioned and smooth for a true off-roader, making major bumps disappear without totally smoothing out the ride or eliminating jouncing. The engine is well insulated, and though there is some wind noise, it is will controlled.

The V6 engine is a high revver, providing very good acceleration once it gets going - around 3,000 to 4,000 rpm. The five-speed automatic transmission makes very smooth downshifts, avoiding the lurching which is common when gear ratios are as far apart as they are with the Liberty. There are still relative "dead spots" between gears, partly because the ratios are so widely spaced, but somehow the shifts are much more subtle than they could be. In short, the automatic makes for a smooth but inefficient powertrain, which provides spirited but not instant acceleration - almost as though it has a turbocharger. The manual transmission makes far better use of the engine.

The eight hundred pounds of weight that the Liberty adds to the similarly sized Cherokee shows in gas mileage of 16 city, 20 highway (1 mpg better in the 2003 Sport) with the automatic. Some weight loss would help both economy and acceleration - though admittedly Jeep could go the other way and simply make the Liberty large enough to justify its weight. The four-cylinder, with stick and two wheel drive, gets a respectable 21 city, 26 highway. Only the diesel, which has similar horsepower to the four but gobs of torque, can match it - and the diesel can tow 5,000 pounds. (More on that later.)

The manual transmission provides better gas mileage and acceleration - the EPA gives it an extra mile per gallon in the city, but we suspect real life will provide more benefits. Indeed, an available manual transmission is the Liberty's main advantage over the Grand Cherokee. A diesel is available starting in 2005 models at an extra $1,800; this allows the best gas mileage of the three engines, despite being hooked up to an automatic, along with long oil-change intervals.

Interior space is vertically generous, with considerable headroom and plenty of seating for four. Five will fit comfortably, as well, with room for luggage. Entry and exit is fairly easy, thanks to doors that open wide. Rear leg room could be better but will do for most people, while cargo space is efficient but not huge. The rear seats fold down.

The rear hatch is, depending on your point of view, clever or goofy, and we're leaning toward goofy. As you pull the latch, the windows glass pops up; then you can open the door. If you open the latch too quickly, the rubber support hits the glass - we could not cause any damage. Pressing the rear hatch release on the key fob pops the glass alone. The door itself swings open. No matter what, if you use the rear hatch, you will get fingerprints on it, since there's no defined area to push it shut. It does shut very easily and with little force, but the overall design seems like a kludge.

Our 2005 model had a new organizing shelf built into the rear cargo area. It is easy to swing into place our into storage, and can easily be folded out as well. Normally it sits flat, hiding the contents of the cargo area; but unfold the three panels, and there are two handy compartments for groceries and such. The top can only hold up to 30 pounds (100 pounds when folded down), but it's easy to move into and out of place, and virtually doubles the grocery-bag capacity of the Liberty - a good thing given the small cargo area.

The spare tire is sensibly mounted so it does not interfere with rear visibility. Rear doors have darkened glass.

Inside as well as outside, the Liberty is a styling triumph. Starting with a classy, 300M-like instrument panel, the Liberty combines innovative and unique styling with simple controls to make a usable, attractive package. Bits of chrome here and there, consistent with the Jeep image, make the Liberty unusual without being flashy or overdone - no TT-style overkill. The instrument panel is easy to read at a glance, but the use of a separate circle for each warning light is a bit odd. Differently textured materials for the center stack and other interior panes may raise some eyebrows. The de rigeur "passenger airbag off" lamp is cleverly situated off to the right, and stays off when the car is running and the passenger seat is empty.

The only quirk in the controls is the electric windows - four buttons are clustered in the center console, with the front windows controlled by the bottom buttons. Rear passengers can move their windows from switches on the back of the console. The layout is similar to the PT Cruiser. Cup holders are primitive but effective if you have the right size cup, and there are plenty of places for gear to be stowed.

Ventilation comes through modern round vents, though for some reason the clever aero system in the PT Cruiser is not used in the Liberty. The control is needlessly old-fashioned, with the compressor control combined with the vent control, but the air conditioning is very powerful and took very little time to cool the interior even on triple-digit-heat days. The air conditioning, in short, is substantially more powerful than any foriegn competitor we've driven.

The stereo is easy to handle, with sliders for bass and treble, and easily controlled knobs for balance and fade. The sound is very good even on the Renegade's base stereo. The Infinity stereo on our 2005 model had a cheaper but less satisfying setup with only one knob (for volume); audio was handled by pressing the Audio button repeatedly, and then pressing up/down buttons. It was hard to lower bass enough for talk radio (and it doesn't remember settings by station), but otherwise had good sound.

As with all fuel-injected Chryslers, one handy feature is the ability to view computer fault codes without a scanner. In brief, by moving the key back and forth, you can see what problems the computer has seen and stored in its memory. This can be a good way to keep your dealer or mechanic honest, and is a major troubleshooting tool for do-it-yourselfers. (See the repair section at allpar.com for an explanation of what the codes mean.)

As with most SUVs, cargo space can be increased by folding one or both of the rear seats forward. As the seat back goes down, the seat bottom moves forward.

Smaller cargo can go into the center console, which has space for eight CDs, into a slot in the center stack, the dual cupholder (which holds sunglasses nicely), or the front map pockets. The glove compartment has little space, and will probably be used to house the wheel lock key.

Our Renegade sold for a base price of $23,855 (including destination charge), complete with remote keyless entry, four wheel drive, skid plate shields, speed control, rear washer/wiper, air, power locks and windows (with one-touch controls for both driver and passenger), a six-speaker CD stereo, tilt wheel, lighting package, tow hooks, fog lights, and a roof-mounted light bar. The Renegade does not come with things like a navigation computer or leather seats, but that's because it's set up as an off-road package, not a luxury edition. The powerful roof lights, operated by an instrument panel switch, are very bright and quickly turn day into night. They include plastic caps so the lenses are not damaged in everyday driving, and are probably illegal in most states for on-road use. There are also plastic fender guards with visible bolts, no doubt to attract those who love Nissan truck/SUV styling. (The combination of the light package, special paint color, and plastic bits lead us to believe that more Renegades will be sold to macho image-seekers in cities than to actual off-roaders.)

One of the nicer options, familiar to Chrysler owners for decades, is the overhead trip computer. It provides average and on-the-fly gas mileage, a compass and outside temperature, and distance-to-empty estimates. It isn't cheap but we do recommend it. Our test Renegade did not have one, but it did have a single option - the automatic transmission. The cactus green color, a no-cost option, is (we were told) available only on the Renegade.

If you never plan to go off-road, the Renegade is probably not for you, because much of the price goes to off-road items: the roof lights (which increase wind noise and are not legal for on-road use), skid plates, and such. But the Renegade might be the best choice if you do go off-road, or need a good emergency services vehicle, or live far along a private path in the cold white North. We expect reliability to be far higher than the Land Rovers, and better than most of the Japanese off-road-capable competition as well.

The Jeep Liberty is a winner, with more refinement for the price than its competitors, a smooth V-6, five-speed automatic or stick, and Jeep's well-deserved reputation for off-road prowess. The Liberty is new, and higher quality than most past Jeeps, but it is still built in Toledo, and it is still an off-road champ.

Jeep Liberty Diesel (CRD)

Diesels are available on every Jeep model sold in Europe, from Wrangler to Grand Cherokee, but in America cheap gas and cheap cars, combined with troublesome and smoke-belching 1970s Mercedes and GM diesels, made the efficient but more expensive engines fairly rare outside of one-ton pickup trucks.

Diesel engines are common in Europe because they offer higher gas mileage and greater longevity; in a continent where people tend to keep their cars longer, and where fuel is more expensive, these factors offset the higher initial price. So does their lower maintenance (oil changes every 12,500 miles, for example), and their terrific torque at low engine speeds, which is handy in city traffic. Their roughly-20% lower carbon dioxide emissions are handy, too.

As an added factor in their favor, diesels can run on "grown and distilled" fuel - that is, biodiesel, which is a fluid with diesel-like properties made by distilling almond oil, soy, or various garden wastes. Biodiesel is grown naturally, does not require lots of outside energy for distillation (as alcohol and hydrogen do), and, when spilled, is generally not toxic. People can actually grow their own biodiesel fuel; Chrysler uses a 5% bio fuel ("B5," see sidebar) for Libertys as they leave the factories, but research has shown that pure biodiesel can be run in Cummins turbodiesels (used in Ram trucks) with no harm, and we suspect Libertys can run it equally well. (Pure biodiesel is fairly rare at commercial filling stations, even in Europe, but common in Germany, where it qualifies for tax breaks. As the EU phases in renewable-fuel laws, the proportion of bio to petrodiesel will increase.) Thus, diesels can actually be the most environmentally and socially friendly engines: they can preserve open space by helping farmers to stay in business, divert revenues from terror-supporting nations and businesses, and, because the fuel can be produced locally with very little energy input, producing and distributing biodiesel requires less fuel (oil brought in from the Middle East must be shipped by boat and refined - both steps require quite a bit of fuel).

The diesel Liberty is only $1,860 more than the standard, equally-equipped model, but many of the first run of 3,000 vehicles (assembled in Europe using American bodies and engines - go figure) use the pricey Limited model for their base, leading to a sticker price of at least $27,000 - our test car, with many other options, went just over $30,000. (At the time we wrote this, all Libertys had a $1,750 rebate which we are not including). The Liberty Sport is a better buy, in our opinion, with a good number of creature comforts and better cornering at a lower price.

The engine itself is a Detroit Diesel / VM Motori model, which is quite reputable, and a good choice over the Mercedes engine that one would normally expect to find under the hood. It's been proven in European Jeeps.

Like most diesels, the VM likes to be warm - it operates without spark plugs, relying on pressure to ignite the fuel. We tested it under rather adverse conditions, with weather reaching a high of 32 degrees Farenheit during our drives, and reaching a low of 7 degrees. The engine always started, but it was very noisy for a few minutes, making a pronounced diesel noise complete with clanking, gradually quieting down over time; and power was very low for the first minute or two. On warmer days (32 degrees), the engine quieted down much more quickly and didn't make quite as much noise at first; it also wasn't as sluggish. Gas mileage was horrendous for about the first 15 minutes, and shot up rapidly once the engine was fully warm. This isn't the best choice for someone who makes lots of short trips around Newfoundland. Estimated mileage for this engine, under EPA testing conditions, is better than that of the V6 (with automatic) by 4 mpg city, 6 mpg highway - that is, 21/27. The four-cylinder manual, in contrast, is rated at 20 mpg city, 24 highway, with a six-speed manual transmission. The Kia Sorento, by other contrast, is rated at 16 city, 22 highway with V6 and automatic; the Ford Freestyle, which we wouldn't take offroad, is at 19 city, 24 highway.

The Liberty seemed to be very good at conserving its warmth; it took almost no time to reach normal operating temperature, including roasting heat from the vents, after it had been left in freezing cold for three hours.

We were surprised and gratified, that even at a meager 7 degrees Farenheit, the Jeep started right up with only a couple of seconds on glow plugs. In "normal" weather - 20 degrees Farenheit - the Jeep started up with nothing more than a turn of the key and three or four cranks. That's a far cry from past diesels, which required a fairly long time on glow plugs even in warm weather.

Our Liberty was unmistakeably diesel-powered; the familiar uneven clanky diesel sound was present, but not annoying or intrusive at idle. The idle noise is only a little louder than a standard gasoline engine, but different in character - very familiar to any European, for whom small diesels are commonplace. Jeep did probably make a mistake in having the CRD initials on the back to denote this option, though; few Americans know what CRD means (common rail diesel), and many, on seeing and hearing this Liberty pass by, must have thought something was wrong with the engine. We'd certainly have spelled out the whole word "Diesel" on the back and on the sides, to explain the noise, surprise people at the fast startups and total lack of smoke, and provide bragging rights to the owners.

Once warm, the diesel provided plenty of power right off idle, mostly in the form of torque. The tachometer was cleverly set up so the redline was in the usual place on the dial, though the engine itself only goes up to 4,300 rpm (standard engines tend to go up to 6,000 rpm). Any light touch of the throttle immediately sent the tach from 750 rpm to about 1,500 rpm, and the vehicle moved shortly after. We were rather surprised by this and initially blamed the normally-responsive automatic, but an inquiry to Chrysler resulted in this brief note: "Until the turbo kicks in (1500 to 1800 RPM) the diesel engine has excellent torque but limited acceleration." It takes a while to get used to this.

Flooring the gas from idle brought a small delay, then a sudden boost of power and a quick shove forward. Normal acceleration requires just a slight touch of the throttle, and the Liberty turned out to be a very responsive city car.

Highway acceleration is another story, due more to the "under 1500 rpm" issue (turbo lag) than to the engine. The Liberty gets up to highway speeds quickly enough, with fairly large gaps between the gears due to the low (around 4,000 rpm) redline. We suspect the six-speed manual transmission would be ideal with the diesel engine, but that combination isn't available. Perhaps if the diesel sells very well, it will be.

Once on the highway, the Liberty can't accelerate at 55 mph without downshifting, which causes both delay and noise. Again, the normally pleasant and responsive 545RFE automatic ends up feeling loose and inefficient. At 65 mph, the engine comes back into its power band, and acceleration is quick, requiring only a light touch of the throttle. Engine noise is moderately high at these speeds, but not especially unpleasant.

When in the right gear, the Liberty responds in a satisfying way to light throttle - as one would expect with a torque of 295 lb-feet that peaks at 1,800 rpm (idle is 750 rpm). This torque is actually greater than that of the 4.7 liter V8, and almost as high as the Hemi V8; the V6 tops out at 235 lb-ft. That helps the Liberty diesel to tow up to 5,000 pounds, and it probably does so with greater ease than the V6. However, horsepower is barely above that of the four-cylinder, (160 vs 150), which results in less than stellar sprint numbers. (The V6 has 210 horsepower).

Overall, the diesel is an interesting package. We suggest that you consider the kind of driving you'll do before ordering it, and think about whether you can make or buy biodiesel fuel for it as well. Though gas mileage is substantially better than most similar SUVs, a similarly sized car or a bigger minivan will meet or beat the diesel's gas mileage with ease. If you're only willing to get an SUV, it's an economical, environmentally friendly option - and it'll get more economical the longer you own it, as the longevity of the diesel pays off.

Liberty Sport

The Liberty is a bargain even before the standard copious rebates. You can easily spend the same on many lesser vehicles, without getting a strong engine, comfortable and classy interior, or Jeep's undeniable off-road reputation. Our Sport, for example, listed at $19,170 with the strong V6, automatic transmission, and part-time four wheel drive. That includes rear defroster and wipers, folding rear seat, and six-speaker cassette stereo. A huge number of options, including air, power locks, windows, and mirrors, keyless remote entry, lighting package, trailer towing, off-road package wit trac-lok differential, ABS, full-time four wheel drive, cruise control, and a six-disc CD changer, raised the price of our test vehicle to just under $25,000. Current incentives and bargaining could knock that down to $20,000.

Handling on pavement is surprisingly good in the 2003 Sport, not bad in the 2002 Limited - partly because the body was lowered slightly to improve handling and to make it easier to climb in and out. Braking is good, and of course with four wheel drive on, accelerating in rain or snow is no problem. (Stopping and steering are still issues in any vehicle, lest you feel overconfident.) The optional all wheel drive is practical for wet weather, while the part time four wheel drive is good in snow, dirt, and heavy rain. A simple shifter makes changing modes easy. We easily shifted between modes while driving, though two wheel drive generally has a better feel in acceleration and turning.

Pushing the Jeep Liberty Sport in sharp turns tended to result in some noise and moderate understeeer, giving indications of being near the limits without crossing them. In short, the Liberty Sport behaves very well under hard cornering, providing good feedback without losing control. It should do whatever most people require of it in daily driving without causing accidents in sudden maneuvers.

The ride is well cushioned and smooth, though you feel road imperfections thanks to the off-road-ready suspension. Still, it is unusually smooth for a real off-roader. The engine is so well insulated that it sometimes seems to be in the rear, since that's where you hear the exhaust (the Sport has a more prominent exhaust note, tuned to give a sense of power). There is less wind noise than we would expect.

Acceleration is mixed. The engine is clearly spirited and wants to rev high, but the Liberty is not a lightweight - indeed, it tips the scales at roughly 800 pounds more than the Cherokee, and isn't much larger. The result is poor gas mileage - the government estimates 17 city, 21 highway - and good, but not great, acceleration with the automatic. The five-speed automatic is very responsive, and downshifts smoothly and easily as needed. The manual transmission no doubt provides better gas mileage and acceleration. Indeed, looks and a manual transmission are the Liberty's main advantages over the Grand Cherokee.

(Since we wrote the preceding paragraph about the Limited, we tested a Sport with the four-speed automatic. We found it to be tuned better, so that acceleration is more spirited and enjoyable. It is good at providing bursts of acceleration on demand, but feels less capable in sustained sprints.)

Interior space is generous, with considerable headroom - incredible headroom in back - and plenty of seating for four. Five will fit comfortably, as well, with room for luggage. Entry and exit is fairly easy, thanks to doors that open wide, and loading up the rear is convenient thanks to the Liberty's reasonable height. Indeed, the lowering of the body helped not just in handling, but also in clambering in and out - you don't climb up, you just get in. For most people, it's a good height, and for off-road purists, Jeep sells the Liberty Renegade.

The rear hatch is both clever and goofy. As you pull the latch, the windows glass pops up; then you can open the door. If you open the latch too quickly, presumably the rubber support hits the glass. Pressing the rear hatch release on the key fob also pops the glass. The door itself swings open after you raise the glass. There are two sets of detents, for partial and for full opening.

Visibility is good, and the spare tire is sensibly mounted so it does not interfere with the rear window.

Inside as well as outside, the Liberty is a styling triumph. Starting with a classy, 300M-like instrument panel, the Liberty combines innovative and unique styling with simple controls to make a usable, attractive package. Bits of chrome here and there, consistent with the Jeep image, make the Liberty unusual without being flashy or overdone - no TT-style overkill. The instrument panel is easy to read at a glance, but the use of a separate circle for each warning light is a bit odd. Differently textured materials for the center stack and other interior panes may raise some eyebrows.

Most of the controls are sensible and self-explanatory. The cruise control sits on the front of the steering wheel, while radio control buttons are on the back (this applied to the Limited model we tested, but not the newer Sport). The one problem is the electric windows - four buttons are clustered in the center console, with the front windows controlled by the bottom buttons. Rear passengers can move their windows from switches on the back of the console. The layout is similar to the PT Cruiser, and makes as little sense.

The center-mounted shifter allows for manual selection of all four normal gears (the fifth gear is for kickdown only). First and second are selected by the gearshift itself, while a button on the side shuts off overdrive, limiting you to third. The four wheel drive system is controlled by a separate handle-like shifter, which can require some muscle to move into neutral and low-range four wheel drive. Most Liberty buyers will never use those settings, though some may, perhaps, drop into low gear for exceptionally bad winter weather.

Ventilation comes through modern round vents, though for some reason not the clever system used in the PT Cruiser. The control is needlessly old-fashioned, with the compressor control combined with the vent control. The optional Infinity stereo is much easier to handle, with sliders for bass and treble, and easily controlled knobs for balance and fade. As you move the sliders and knobs, a digital display shows where you are. It has excellent sound, too, with strong bass and clear stereo separation. CD and AM/FM modes are cycled using a single button, a more convenient setup than in past models.

As with all modern Jeeps, one handy feature is the ability to view computer fault codes without a scanner. By pressing in the odometer reset button and then moving the key to RUN (not START), you can see what problems the computer has seen and stored in its memory, and also watch the gauges jump around and see the serial number. This can be a good way to keep your dealer or mechanic honest, and is a major troubleshooting tool for do-it-yourselfers. (See the repair section at www.ptcruizer.com for an explanation of what the codes mean.)

Our Limited model was fully loaded, with antilock brakes, leather seats, side airbags, and all sorts of other goodies. One of the nicer options, familiar to Chrysler owners for decades, was the overhead trip computer. It provided average and on-the-fly gas mileage, a compass and outside temperature, and distance-to-empty estimates. This was absent from the Sport, which could use a compass. Both have a door ajar readout in the odometer area, which reads "glass" when the glass section of the rear hatch is ajar.

A standard feature which families will appreciate is the LATCH system, which provides lower anchors for child seats as well as rear tether strap anchors. The anchors are unusually easy to use, and, unlike some competitors, do not require the straps to cross the cargo area.

As with most SUVs, cargo space can be increased by folding one or both of the rear seats forward. As the seat back goes down, the seat bottom moves forward.

Smaller cargo can go into the center console, which has space for eight CDs, into a slot in the center stack, the dual cupholder (which holds sunglasses nicely), or the front map pockets. The glove compartment has little space, and will probably be used to house the wheel lock key.

The Jeep Liberty is a winner, pretty much across the board. With more refinement for the price than any of its competitors, a standard, smooth V-6, five-speed automatic or stick, and Jeep's well-deserved reputation for off-road prowess, it's hard to beat the Liberty.