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2002 Jeep Liberty Sport
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| A genuine Jeep for the compact SUV buyer |
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| Updated |
Jun 10, 2004 21:57:27 |
| Rating |
 1229 ( -144 -11.71% ) | | Author | Phil Ruth |
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Description:
2002 Jeep Liberty Sport
A genuine Jeep for the compact SUV buyer.
Writer's Notes
Styling: Familiar Jeep grille, body taller than most.
Engines: Get the 3.7-liter V6 for the extra power.
Off-road: There's eight inches of ground clearance in front.
Tailgate: One pull, and both panels open wide.
Utility: Split rear seat folds (almost) flat.
Configuration: Options on test car increased the price by nearly $10K.
The Liberty's substantial box-section frame is also typically Jeep, even while other manufacturers are moving toward lighter, more car-like structures
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In these patriotic times, one would expect a vehicle dubbed "Jeep Liberty" to sell out on name alone. The Liberty replaces the compact Cherokee after its successful 17-year run, and the new model's pop-eyed headlights and upright styling ensure that there's no mistaking this Jeep's identity.
The Liberty's substantial box-section frame is also typically Jeep, even while other manufacturers are moving toward lighter, more car-like structures. According to DaimlerChrysler, which is Jeep's corporate parent, the Liberty has been tested on the Rubicon Trail. Having that kind of off-road prowess at your disposal can make you feel like a hero among compact SUV owners.
However, most SUVs never leave the road, and in everyday driving, the Liberty feels heavy. That's what you would expect from a vehicle that packs the weight of a Lincoln Town Car into the length of a Toyota Corolla - and using manufacturer's figures, we see that the 4,115-pound Liberty Limited 4WD actually weighs 68 pounds more than a Town Car Executive. The Liberty significantly outweighs its similarly-equipped competition - the Jeep carries 660 more pounds than a Mazda Tribute.
With this in mind, skip the four-cylinder engine and get the 3.7-liter V6, which is optional in the Sport and standard in the Limited. The larger engine still has its work cut out for it, though. It's fine around town; the V6's plentiful torque easily launches the Liberty from a halt. But hills and passing are a different story, as you press the accelerator and wait for the engine to overcome the vehicle's obvious mass. Those two tons act as a sponge, absorbing the response that makes the lighter Tribute (and its corporate twin, the Ford Escape) so zingy and nimble. Weight drags down gas mileage, too: the EPA pegs the V6 Liberty 4WD's city rating at 16 mpg, while a comparable Tribute gets 18.
The driving experience also reflects this Jeep's true mission. Steering is tight and accurate, with no slack, and the brakes stop with strength. Handling is ponderous, though. The Liberty's tall body leans in curves, and once you've slowed down to keep it level, the engine needs time to gallop back up to speed. Also, be aware that a Liberty Sport rolled wheels-over-roof in AutoWeek magazine's slalom test, and another teetered on two wheels for the German magazine Auto Bild. According to AutoWeek, "DaimlerChrysler questions the validity of such at-the-limits testing of an SUV, particularly one like [the] Liberty that is designed to perform off-road."
The Liberty's interior is roomy enough for six-footers front and rear, although those in back may find their knees brushing the backs of the front seats.
With rural environments as the Liberty's clear focus, it's interesting to find that the Jeep gets one feature right for us city slickers - the rear tailgate. It's similar to the Honda CR-V's in having a swing-up window and swing-out door, and opening the Liberty's is a one-touch affair, with the window rising automatically when the door handle is pulled. And happily, the Jeep's tailgate swings away from the curb. Tailgates from Honda, Toyota, Suzuki and others swing away as well, but only in countries where you drive on the left. They're not switched for the U.S. market, and loading from the sidewalk means always stepping around the door. The Jeep's design creates easy access.
The Liberty's interior is roomy enough for six-footers front and rear, although those in back may find their knees brushing the backs of the front seats. The official rating is five passengers, but four is the real-world limit within the Liberty's narrow body. Entry and exit to the rear seat involves climbing over the rear wheel arch, and the intuitive method is to place your palm flat on the metal arch as you twist over and out of the vehicle.
Up front, the driver adopts a regal posture, with chair-height seats and a low dashboard. The Liberty's white-faced gauges are clearly readable, and the center stack of radio and climate controls is close at hand.
You'll notice that the interior décor varies widely between the Sport and Limited trims: the Sport makes do with lots of same-colored plastic. The cloth upholstery is hospital-gown smooth, and the drab dash forgoes sculpture for symmetry (to ease switching the steering wheel to the right for overseas markets). However, the Limited jazzes things up considerably with a combination of shiny trim and contrasting colors. Both versions can be ordered with Chrysler's handy steering wheel-mounted radio controls, which poke out from behind the spokes.
The Limited adds $4,810 to the Sport's $18,170 bottom line, but it's a worthwhile upgrade, if only because the tested Sport's optioned-up price of $27,440 shined a light on its Spartan interior. In addition to the larger engine, the Limited also includes body-colored bumpers and fender flares, which together lend the tall-boy Liberty a sleeker and more substantial look.
Substantial - there's that word again. While its main competitors have four-wheel drive systems that are set from the factory, the Liberty has a floor lever that dips it into 'low' mode for serious rock climbing. The Limited's standard roof rails can support 220 pounds, and the test car's $765 "Off Road Group" includes tow hooks and skid plates. It's ready for those who drive off the beaten track. Patriotic references aside, the Liberty is a true Jeep.
--Story by Phil Ruth
© 2002, RoadTestReview.com |
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