2009 Jeep Liberty: Overview

Vehicle Highlights

The 2009 Jeep Liberty is largely unchanged following its 2008 redesign. Liberty shares its basic design with the Dodge Nitro. Available in two models, the Sport and the Limited, Liberty uses a 210-hp 3.7-liter V6 with a 4-speed automatic transmission. The 6-speed manual transmission has been dropped. Maximum towing capacity is 5000 lb. Rear-wheel drive is standard, and two 4WD systems are available: Command-Trac, which should not be left engaged on dry pavement, and Selec-Trac II, which can be left engaged on dry pavement. Both include low-range gearing for off-road use. The Liberty has Sky Slider, a retractable canvas roof that opens over both seating rows. Available safety features include ABS, traction control, an antiskid system, and curtain side airbags. New for 2009 is Chrysler's uconnect multimedia suite, which includes a 30-gigabyte hard drive for storing digital media and picture files, a wireless cell phone link, and a navigation system with real-time traffic updates.

COMPETITION

Consumer Guide Automotive places each vehicle into one of 18 classes based on size, price, and market position. Among utility vehicles, Compact SUVs are typically the least costly and offer the best fuel economy. Most utilize a car-type chassis and are not designed for heavy-duty, off-road use. Nearly all are five-passenger vehicles; some offer seating for seven.

Our Best Buys are the Honda CR-V, Suzuki Grand Vitara, and Volkswagen Tiguan. Our Recommended picks are the Saturn Vue and Toyota RAV4.

New or significantly redesigned models include the GMC Terrain, Subaru Forester, and Volkswagen Tiguan.