The 2007 Jeep Liberty Review
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Jeep has found a way to strikes a balance between off-road capability and on-road sophistication with the 2007 Liberty. This is the perfect vehicle for those who need it as a daily driver with comfort and practicality, but also like to venture into the backcountry. A higher degree of off-highway capability separates the Liberty from other small SUVs. Though it is less agile on the road, the Liberty is far superior once you leave the pavement. In fact, the Liberty is true to its Jeep heritage and can negotiate most trails with confidence. The Liberty is among the best of the small sport-utilities for drivers who want serious off-road capability on the weekend yet need practicality and affordability during the week. The Jeep Liberty was all-new for 2001, and was extensively updated for 2005, with more comfortable seats and a more contemporary appearance. For 2006, all Liberty models come with Jeep's Electronic Stability Program (ESP), anti-lock brakes (ABS), Electronic Roll Mitigation, and all-speed traction control. 2007 is mainly a carryover, but Jeep has dropped the Renegade trim and the diesel engine.
Driving the Liberty
The Liberty rides reasonably well for a short-wheelbase 4x4. The Liberty can tackle steep ditches and gullies on an off-road trail, thanks to its short front and rear overhangs and a suspension that articulates well. Jeep says Liberty can handle 20 inches at 10 mph. The Liberty may not be superior to its competitors on the road, but its city and highway driving is sufficient, the Liberty handles well and does not have to much road and wind noise while on the highway.
2007 Jeep Power
The standard engine in all Liberty models is a 3.7-liter V6. A six-speed manual transmission is standard in Sport and Renegade. The Jeep Liberty's 3.7-liter V6 works well with the optional automatic transmission, delivering good response. Fuel economy is EPA-rated 18/22 City/Highway mpg with the standard six-speed manual, 17/22 mpg with the automatic. The turbocharger is an advanced design with variable-geometry vanes that deliver significant induction improvements at both low rpm and high rpm, and at high altitudes. For the Sport trim level, a six-speed manual transmission is standard. The automatic comes standard on the Limited trim. Properly equipped, the Jeep Liberty can tow up to 5,000 pounds.
Liberty Design
The Liberty is all Jeep, with a tall and angular body. The height of the Liberty actually provides the driver with a commanding view of the terrain ahead. In its exterior dimensions, the Liberty fits between the Jeep Wrangler and Grand Cherokee. With an overall length of 174.4 inches, the Jeep Liberty is slightly longer than the Ford Escape. It's longer than the Wrangler, but significantly shorter and lighter than the Grand Cherokee.
Cabin Features
The Liberty was extensively updated for 2005, with more comfortable seats and a more contemporary appearance. The front seats in the Limited are more comfortable. The door openings are relatively narrow, the step-up height is a little higher, the seats have those side bolsters to get past, and your feet must clear relatively high side sills. The Liberty's rear seats are comfortable, capable of holding three people. The Liberty offers a generous amount of cargo space behind the rear seats. Dropping the split rear seat is a one-hand operation in the Liberty, as the rear seat bottom stays in place. A full-size spare is hung on the nifty rear cargo door, which features a single-action swing-gate/flipper-glass system. The Liberty's main fault is entry and exit for rear passengers; it can be challenging due to the small rear doors and the intrusion of the rear wheel well into the doorway.
Safety for 2007
Safety features add to the Liberty's appeal. For 2007, all Liberty models come with Jeep's Electronic Stability Program (ESP), anti-lock brakes (ABS), Electronic Roll Mitigation, and all-speed traction control. The electronic stability program that comes on Liberty models can help the driver avoid accidents. In NHTSA crash tests, the 2007 Jeep Liberty earned a perfect five stars for driver protection in a frontal impact and four stars for front-passenger protection. Side-impact testing resulted in a five-star rating for both front and rear passengers.
Liberty Option Packages
An Off-Road Group for four-wheel-drive Sport adds heavy-duty engine cooling, P235/70 all-terrain tires, tow hooks, and skid plates for the front suspension, fuel tank, transmission and transfer case.
The Luxury Group adds leather seats with power adjustment, upgraded inside door panels; power heated foldaway mirrors, and an overhead console with HomeLink transmitter and a vehicle information center (VIC) that allows the customer to program automatic locking, lighting, and other features.
Limited Edition 2WD and 4WD add upgraded seats and interior trim with satin-silver accents, security alarm, cargo compartment cover, P235/65 all-season tires on 17-inch Sparkle Silver aluminum wheels, and a spare-tire cover. Fender flares are body-color.
Leather for Limited is available as part of a big Customer Preferred option package that includes the programmable overhead console, power seat adjusters, deep-tint glass, power heated outside mirrors, a security group, and an AM/FM/6CD stereo, steering-wheel-mounted audio controls and Infinity speakers
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Summary
The Jeep Liberty seems to have struck a perfect balance between off road fun and daily commuting. It can seat up to 5 passengers and works well as a family vehicle. It comes available in two trim levels: Sport and Limited Edition. Each is offered with two-wheel drive or four-wheel drive. For more research, read another Jeep Liberty Review.
