The
Jeep Liberty is one such vehicle. It's arguably among the best in its compact SUV class, which has become rather crowded
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| The Liberty is stylish, solid, nicely appointed and a decent performer, but what I like best about it is its non-pretender persona. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
in the last few years. It's stylish, solid, nicely appointed and a decent performer, but what I like best about it is its non-pretender persona. I mean, why build a vehicle that sits taller, holds less and performs worse than a station wagon, unless it can do something much better than any road car can? What I'm referring to is the Liberty's mountain goat-like ability to trek far from any paved surfaces. Try to break trail in a Honda CR-V, or a Toyota RAV4, for instance. I have, and while each offers decent grip in light snow or slightly muddy terrain, attempt to power one through a deep rut, wade through a three-foot stream or straddle over an 8-inch stump, protruding rock or even a small
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| The 2005 Liberty sports minor interior upgrades too, including relocated power window switches, now in a more convenient position on the center console between the two front seats, new instrument panel cluster graphics and more stylish trim bezels. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
fallen sapling and it is game over. And just to be fair to Honda and Toyota, Ford's Escape, Chevy's Equinox and most of their rivals are equally useless when the wild green yonder beckons. Only the Kia Sorento and Nissan X-terra offer the same level of off-road prowess in the compact SUV category - sad really. What's sadder is that the once vaunted Land Rover brand, known throughout the world for producing the most rugged, capable 4x4s available, now puts out an entry-level compact SUV that doesn't even offer a low-range. Sure, the company touts the Freelander's off-road capability, but during a recent test drive I managed to get it stuck on a foot-high lump of sand while taking a photo - pretty pathetic. No self-respecting 4x4-equipped Jeep would have trouble with such a menial task.
