2005 Jeep Liberty Limited CRD (Video Clip)

One of the nice surprises was the fact that the power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering was very precise. Very little wheel input was required to get the Liberty going in the direction that I wanted. On the other hand, the braking system was disappointing. The pedal felt disconnected from the callipers and initial grab was not impressive. Stopping distances were long.

A quick trip off-roading with the Liberty was very revealing. It proved that the Jeep is very capable to perform in the rough stuff. Whether we drove it through mud bogs, sand pits or up a steep incline, it seemed as though nothing could stop it. I did notice two things that could have easily changed the outcome of our day off the beaten path. The first is the tires. Granted, this vehicle will spend 95% of its useful life on tarmac so the tires must be quiet and comfortable enough for daily commutes to and fro. More aggressive rubber would have elevated the Liberty and truly honour its Trail Rated badge. The other issue has to do with the oil filter location on the 2.8L CRD engine. It is at the lower portion of the block and behind the front engine cradle, basically unprotected. The diesel has prodigious torque and does short work of any climbing jobs. However, because only the Renegade version has optional skid plates, I would proceed with caution in extreme  situations.

Those looking into buying a Liberty must remember that this is in fact a truck. Its ride is stiff and dry and not particularly comfortable. It will lean heavily in curves and will sway in crosswinds. A test drive is in order before signing on the dotted line.

Safety

The Liberty has standard dual front air bags, optional side air bags, available ABS brakes (standard with diesel engine) and seatbelt pre-tensionners. The NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) awarded the truck 5 out of 5 stars (a perfect result) for the driver and 4 out of 5 stars (a good result) for the passenger in a frontal impact. It also received 5 out of 5 stars for both front and rear passengers in a lateral impact. The IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) has rated it "Marginal" and is classified 13th out of 14 tested trucks in its category.

Conclusion

The Liberty is more of a work tool than an urban commuter. The suspension revisions that DaimlerChrysler did a few years back improved the drivability of the Liberty compared to the way it behaved when it was first launched in 2002. It has stiff competition in the form of the Honda CR-V, Hyundai Tucson/Kia Sportage and the Ford Escape/Mazda Tribute when it comes down to chartering the family around the neighbourhood. When the going gets tough though, the Liberty has no rivals.

The CRD engine is the Liberty's shining star. This $2,265 option gives the Sport and Limited versions of the Liberty more character, thanks to the diesel clatter, and improved driving pleasure. As far as fuel consumption is concerned, perhaps it would improve as the kilometres pile on, however I doubt that it would drop to the level of the Jeep's 2.4L 4-cylinder at approximately 10.5L per 100 km.

Good stuff:
2.8L CRD engine
Steering

Not so good stuff:
Driving position
Cramped quarters
Fuel consumption