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2008 Jeep Liberty Review
Squared off and bulked up for the new year. Despite the presence of the new Compass, Patriot, and four-door Wrangler, Jeep chose to keep the long-running Liberty a part of its now-massive SUV collection. It's understandable, since its combination of truck-like attitude, genuine off-road ability, and classic Jeep styling apparently holds enough appeal to keep it one of the front-runners in the sales race. The 2008 Liberty retains the basic platform of the old model, but Jeep stretched its size a bit, gave it a Jeep Commander-like face, and tweaked the steering and suspension gear. It's supposed to be more carlike now, yet those who have driven the new Liberty report that it still feels tall, tippy, and heavy (as a 4,000-pound SUV should). The 210-horsepower 3.7-liter V6 is a carryover engine, delivering the same slowish acceleration and lousy fuel economy (about 16 MPG) it did before. Jeep doesn't offer the option of upgrading to the stronger 4.0-liter V6 found in the Liberty's new corporate cousin, the Dodge Nitro. The new interior sports attractive, straightforward controls, though some find the front seats and footwells to be too narrow. The back seat now offers good room and better support than it used to, and the new optional Sky Slider sunroof has a huge opening. As a true Jeep, the Liberty of course returns with two 4-wheel-drive systems -- one part-time system (Command-Trac), and a better system with a full-time mode (Selec-Trac II, available only with automatic transmission). Hill Descent Control is part of the deal, and the Liberty can still tow a formidable 5,000 pounds when properly equipped. But shoppers who need neither feature are almost certainly better off enjoying the better performance, higher gas mileage, and more pleasant ride/handling of any of the myriad car-based SUVs on the market. What's new for the 2008 Jeep Liberty: Redesigned; new model. Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com |
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