The Jeep Liberty is a newer model manufactured by Daimler/Chrysler that was created to replace the Jeep Cherokee. Liberty is a small, 4- door Sport Utility Vehicle, falling into the same class as the Ford Escape and Nissan Xterra XE, which are its closest competitors.

Features of the 2002 Liberty:

There are four different models of the Liberty to choose from: Sport 4x2; Sport 4x4; Limited Edition 4x2; and Limited Edition 4x4. The Sport editions are about $4,500 less expensive than their Limited Edition equivalents. In addition to the 4 wheel vs. 2 wheel drive options, you can also choose a 4 or 6 cylinder engine, and automatic or manual transmission.

Cargo capacity is less in the Liberty than in the larger, better known SUV’s, like the Explorer, Expedition, Blazer, Escalade, etc. The total cargo space is only 69.5 cubic feet, with the seats down (29 cubic feet, with the seats up). The length of the Liberty is approx. 14.5 feet, and the width is 6 feet, making it compact enough to fit in roughly the same space as a compact to mid size car.

With the smaller dimensions, one would assume that the gas mileage is probably a little better than average, but it isn’t. Liberty gets about 16 miles per gallon in the city, and 21 miles per gallon on the highway (the numbers are slightly better, with the manual transmission), and the gasoline tank holds 18.5 gallons. Part of the reason for the low gasoline efficiency is the fact that the Liberty weighs in at around 4,200 pounds, making it heavier than the competition. Acceleration is ok in this vehicle. It can go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in about 8.8 seconds (for the limited edition). Braking is not as good with the Liberty as its competition (Escape and Xterra). Liberty takes nearly 200 feet to brake from 70 miles per hour, down to zero.

Looking at the interior of the Liberty, it comes standard with front bucket seats and rear bench seating for three, with individual head rests for all three passengers. The leg room, for rear passengers, is a little tight. Your knees scrape against the front seat, especially sitting behind a driver who has very long legs, and has his/her seat extended all the way back.

I like the display panel in the front. The dials are all white, which has become customary now with Chrysler vehicles. They are much easier on the eyes than the old black- colored style.

Style/Handling:

Liberty has the appearance that one would expect in a Jeep. The front end looks like other models in the Jeep family. The body is stocky and aggressive- looking, like a bulldog. The headlights are the “bug eye” style that is popular with any type of Jeep.

This vehicle uses rack and pinion power steering that responds well. Making a sharp turn is easy, and you don't get the feeling of toppling over like you do in some other SUV's and vans.

The Liberty doesn’t accelerate really fast, but you have to remember that this is an SUV, not a sports car! If you are accustomed to the quick 0 to 60 that your 250 horsepower sports car provides you, then you will be disappointed with the Liberty.

Bottom Line:

Jeep Liberty is a solid SUV, and it’s an improvement over the Jeep Cherokee, both in appearance and handling. This vehicle can be purchased for as little as $17,035, the base MSRP for the Sport 4x2 model. The MSRP for the Sport 4x4 is $18,545; Limited 4x2 is $21,795; and the Limited 4x4 is based priced at $23,305. Whether or not you want a four- wheel drive is a matter of personal choice. But I recommend passing on the Sport model and purchasing the Limited Edition instead with a 3.7 liter, V-6 engine. The price is higher, yes, but the additional power and additional features are worth the extra money. The V-6 engine has the power of 210 horses, while the 2.4 liter, V-4 struggles along with a lethargic 150 horsepower, which is much too weak for an SUV, even for a compact SUV like Liberty.

Once you pile on the options, you can expect to pay about $3,500 over the base MSRP listed above, placing the cost of the Liberty right in line with its closest competitors in the compact SUV market. I haven’t had a chance to test drive the others yet, so I can’t really make any comparisons.

Overall, with the 2002 Liberty, I think Jeep has a winner on its hands. Fans of the Jeep name and Jeep styling will like the appearance of this vehicle because it retains many of the traits of other Jeeps, along with more updates and modern styling. The round headlights give the front end a somewhat juvenile appearance, but fans of Jeeps won't mind at all. For the money, this is a good, solid vehicle!


Amount Paid (US$): 26000.00
Condition: New
Model and Options: Jeep Liberty Limited Edition