EDMUNDS.COM 2004 JEEP LIBERTY
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 Summary
What Edmunds.com Says
A thoroughly capable and comfortable compact SUV if you like to bash boulders, but if you''re like most people and spend 99 percent of your time on the pavement, the Liberty lags behind its more carlike competitors.
Pros
Extremely capable off-road, creative interior design, still a Jeep at heart.
Cons
Thirsty at the gas pump, not as "carlike" on the street as most of its competitors.
What''s New for 2004
All Libertys now feature a passenger-side grab handle and a power accessory delay feature, while Renegade models get additional rock rail protection and black accent body side moldings. New options include UConnect, Chrysler''s hands-free in-vehicle communication system, a tire-pressure monitoring system and a cargo organizer. Safety is enhanced thanks to a system that unlocks doors, illuminates interior courtesy lights and shuts off the fuel pump after airbag deployment. A new trim -- the Jeep Liberty Columbia Edition -- has been introduced, offering 16-inch graphite-painted aluminum wheels; graphite-painted fascias and body moldings; body-colored fender flares; a sun roof; fog lamps; and Columbia badging.
Overview
Introduction:
The Liberty is Jeep''s newest vehicle and the replacement for the aged Cherokee, which had been in production since 1984. Evolved from the Dakar and Jeepster concept vehicles (''97 and ''98, respectively), the Liberty features design themes from each, such as a large greenhouse, short front and rear overhangs, high roofline, rear-mounted spare tire and 16-inch alloy wheels below pronounced wheel flares. It also borrows from the past; the Liberty is a bloodline descendant of the original Jeep Willys, which helped to "liberate" -- hence the name -- Europe during World War II. The Liberty carries the trademark Jeep grille with seven vertical rectangles as well as the traditional Jeep round headlamps. The Liberty, like all Jeeps, is designed as a true off-roader with steep approach and departure angles and a full eight inches of suspension travel. To help foster competent handling on paved surfaces, the Liberty employs an independent front suspension, a coil-link rear suspension and rack-and-pinion steering (the first time a rack-and-pinion setup has been applied to a Jeep product). For 2004, Liberty buyers have a new, limited-edition trim to enjoy. The Jeep Liberty Columbia Edition comes with goodies such as 16-inch graphite-painted wheels and body-colored fender flares on the outside. Within its cabin, this new model offers two-tone seats embroidered with the Columbia logo, satin chrome instrument panel accents, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and a six-speaker CD player. In spite of its whimsical looks, Jeep is adamant that this is not a "cute-ute" or "soft-roader"; rather, the Liberty is designed as a go-anywhere Jeep first and a suburban grocery-getter second. As such, for genuine off-roaders, the Liberty is a natural-born leader in the compact-ute segment. Its standing as a daily driver is, however, tarnished by its big thirst at the fuel pump. Additionally, although its on-road ride and handling is better than its Cherokee predecessor, the Liberty can''t compete with the road manners of more carlike mini-utes offered by Ford/Mazda, Honda and Toyota.
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For Pricing information, see Edmunds'' Pricing page. |
Body Styles, Trim Levels and Options:
The Liberty is offered with four doors only and in four trim levels: Sport, Limited, Renegade and the Columbia Edition. The Sport is bare bones; standard features include 16-inch wheels, a 12-volt power outlet and an AM/FM/CD stereo. The Renegade offers additional goodies such as air conditioning, higher-grade seat cloth, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, power windows and electronic cruise control. The more exclusive Limited trim gets you amenities such as 17-inch chrome wheels and heated seats. The new-for-2004 Columbia Edition has a features list that includes a sunroof and a six-speaker CD player. Available options include a power sunroof, an in-dash six-disc CD player with Infinity speakers, and UConnect, Chrysler''s hands-free in-vehicle communication system.
Powertrains and Performance:
The Liberty offers two engines: a 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder that generates 150 horses and 165 pound-feet of torque, and a 3.7-liter V6 rated at 210 hp and 235 lb-ft of torque. The base four-cylinder comes with a five-speed manual transmission only, while the upgraded V6 offers both a manual and a four-speed automatic. The base engine is rated to tow up to 2,000 pounds, while manual-equipped V6s can tow 3,500 pounds; automatic V6s can haul 5,000 pounds. Both engines are available in two- and four-wheel-drive configurations. Fuel economy is 20 mpg city/24 highway with the base four; the V6 is greedier, rating 16 mpg in the city and 20-22 on the highway.
Safety:
Side curtain airbags are available as an option on all models. In government crash tests, the 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. In frontal offset crash testing by the IIHS, the Liberty was given a "Marginal" rating, the second lowest of four.
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For more Safety information, see Edmunds'' Safety page. |
Interior Design and Special Features:
The Liberty provides ample room for four adults inside (five in a pinch), with satin aluminum accents on the center stack and steering wheel and chrome-ringed, black-on-white gauges. A full-size spare is hung on the nifty rear cargo door, which features a single-action swing-gate/flipper-glass system. There''s a total of 29 cubic feet of cargo space available behind the Liberty''s 35/65-split folding rear seat and 69 cubic feet when that seat is folded down.
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For more Interior Features information, see Edmunds'' Specifications page. |
Driving Impressions:
As the base four-cylinder really isn''t enough to propel this pudgy SUV, most buyers should stick with the V6, which provides good acceleration but drinks plenty at the gas pump. Like other Jeeps, the Liberty is a sensational off-roader. However, the heft required to make it a surefooted billy goat in the rough hobbles it somewhat on the highway and in the city. Compared to truck-based SUVs like the Nissan Xterra, its performance on pavement is tolerable enough, but the steering is heavy and numb, and the Liberty exhibits considerable body roll around corners. The Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 are much easier to live with on a daily basis. On the plus side, its long suspension travel does a good job of smoothing out bumps and potholes.
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For more Driving Impressions, Recent Articles and Car Awards from Edmunds'' editors, see Edmunds'' Road Tests page. |
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