About 85 percent of Libertys sold had the V6 engine. Top seller has been the V6/automatic-transmission 4WD Sport. Acceleration with the V6 is good off the line, but a Liberty can feel labored in highway merging or passing. A deep stab at the throttle is needed to coax the automatic to downshift two gears. Selec-Trac allows set-and-forget 4WD running, but requires initial driver activation. Most rivals have no-fuss all-wheel drive. Fuel economy falls short for a compact model. A 4WD Limited Edition averaged 14.8 mpg in mostly highway driving. In similar usage, a 4WD Sport managed 16.6 mpg. Liberty uses regular fuel. Ride quality could be better, too. The suspension is not overly firm on bumps, though big ruts and ripples mean a jiggly--but not uncomfortable--ride. Rocking-horse motions and annoying side-to-side swaying on uneven surfaces are reduced somewhat by the lowered ride height, but still noticed. Steering is not as responsive as that of a Toyota RAV4, Ford Escape, or Mazda Tribute. In turns, grip and balance are good, but body lean remains pronounced, even with the reduced ride height. The Liberty's rack-and-pinion steering feels firm and accurate, but transmits too much kickback off-road. Brakes feel strong and have the added benefit of rear discs for 2003-04. The lowered suspension seems to reduce nosedive in quick stops. Liberty ranks best-in-class in terms of isolation from unpleasant body resonance. But the full-throttle exhaust note and high-speed wind rush are intrusive. Tires sing on coarse surfaces, and one test model's Selec-Trac emitted 4WD gear whine. Gauges are large and legible. Low-set audio and climate controls are a little far from the driver, but generously sized and clearly labeled. Door-mounted power-lock buttons are easily mistaken for power-window switches, which are inconveniently located on the center console. The new-for-2003 overhead console includes controls to customize such functions as which doors unlock with the first press of the remote key fob. Interiors have numerous padded surfaces and sturdy-feeling materials. Expect fine head and leg room up front. Seats set unusually high, and could use more lumbar and lateral support. The front passenger gets a narrow footwell. Head clearance is bountiful in the rear. Rear leg room is reasonable, but the footwell shape is uneven. You get good toe space under the front seat, though. Like the front, the back seat is unusually high, and has subpar thigh support. Step-in is higher than in an Escape or CR-V, but not excessive. Door openings are narrow. With the rear seat up, the cargo bay is wide and tall, but not long. Rear-seat sections easily fold in one motion, without removing headrests, but they don't lay flat. Folding the seatbacks exposes brackets on walls of the cargo bay that intrude into load space. The swing-open tailgate takes getting used to. Its window pops fully open via a remote key fob or a pull of the tailgate handle, but that convenience is undercut by an awkward reach into the cargo hold.

Value for the Money
Solid and capable, the Liberty was competitively priced when new. It's been the off-road leader among compact SUVs, which prompts our Best Buy rating. For better or worse, Jeep avoided making it as carlike as most rivals. That dictates some compromises in rear-seat comfort and on-road handling.