Automotive Reviews
Posts tagged Jeep
2002 Jeep Liberty Limited
01049 days
“I thought you said that Jeeps were hard to live with,” my wife said upon meeting the Jeep Liberty. “This looks like a real car inside.” Say hello to the Jeep Liberty, the kinder, gentler replacement for the very long-in-the-tooth Jeep Cherokee. By borrowing the looks of the Wrangler (and more than a bit from the very popular Jeep Dakar show truck, which did the auto show circuit in 1997) it looks like Jeep hopes to cushion the blow to the Cherokee faithful while courting Ford Escape and Honda CR-V buyers with a slick new around-town package.
But wait, there’s more. The Jeep Liberty isn’t as kind and gentle as its brushed aluminum trim and nicely styled body might suggest. There’s no frame underneath, because the Liberty has a car-like unibody–but it’s the most rigid body ever seen on a Jeep vehicle. Strengthened steel covers most of the body. Even the one-piece tailgate has been designed with strength in mind. The suspension components are made of sturdy cast iron, rather than weight-saving aluminum.
All of that structure does, unfortunately, make itself known to the powerplant. The 3.7 liter V6 is all-new and related to the powerful 4.7 liter V8 found in the Grand Cherokee, but its 210 horsepower isn’t quite enough for the 4115-lb body. Ford Escapes and Toyota RAV4s are quicker away from the stoplights. A 150-horsepower four-cylinder is also available, with a manual transmission only. It may feel more nimble off-road, but waiting for the four to drag the Liberty up to speed could try even the most patient soul. The Liberty does better on in-town commutes than on long freeway trips. The four-speed automatic transmission operates with minimal fuss unless pushed to accelerate quickly. Hard acceleration equals hard, clumsy feeling shifts. Downshifting to pass is a similarly neck-jerking affair. Luckily, for those morally opposed to automatic transmissions in Jeeps, a five-speed manual is also available. The four-wheel drive is engaged with a lever, like that of the Jeep Wrangler, and moves solidly in and out of gear. It’s a part-time system that incorporates a”creeper” gear for serious off-road work or extremely hostile weather. In two-wheel drive mode, the rear wheels provide power.
Like all Jeep products, the Liberty went off-roading during its development. A coil-spring front suspension and link-coil rear have eight inches of travel, for crawling over off-road obstacles. The Liberty also possesses a tight turning circle, making its maneuverability nothing short of miraculous both on and off-road. It’s not as twitchy as other short-wheelbased SUVs like the Jeep Wrangler and Isuzu Rodeo Sport. Brakes are a front-disc, rear-drum setup, and ABS is optional. The ABS is sensitive to the needs of off-roaders, with a special setting that helps to monitor wheel lockup in the “creeper” gear. It is also smart enough not to be triggered by washboard pavement or railroad tracks.
At a glance, the Liberty is a housebroken Jeep. So much for not being able to judge a book by its cover. The familiar round headlights and seven-slot grille of the Jeep are integrated with a tall, slab-sided wagon body. It’s a very vertical truck, but handsome styling details abound, from the stacked-circle taillights to the Wrangler-style fender flares. Out back, the swing-out tailgate incorporates a separately-opening glass hatch, which can be a bit hard to close but is handy nonetheless. An exposed spare tire and roof rack complete the look. The Liberty blends the timeless look of the Cherokee and the familiar face of the Wrangler into a retro-modern design that’s hardly a jellybean, and looks ready for action. The wide stance and white-letter tires give the Liberty a rough-and-ready look on the road. It’s a vehicle that looks good in motion.
The Liberty blends aspects of its stablemates at Jeep into an interior that is stylish and rugged. My Limited test vehicle included handsome brushed-aluminum dash trim and pretty round aluminum door handles. Black lettering on cream-colored instruments is reminiscent of more expensive Chrysler products. Thanks to the high roof, visibility is good except for a minor blind spot created by the nearly vertical A-pillars. And like any self-respecting truck, a big step is required to get over the high sill. Once inside, the Liberty is comfortable enough for a full day’s drive, should you plan to be there that long. On the safety front, side curtain airbags are available.
A good measure of a vehicle’s off-road, go-get-em nature might well be the extent to which it makes one want to remove the doors. Think about it. All of the great off-road SUVs–Jeep Wrangler, Suzuki Samurai, Land Rover Defender–are frequently seen in action in doors-free form. Hard-core off-roaders sometimes remove the doors from their Jeep Cherokees as well. On the other hand, try to imagine tooling around in a Lexus RX300 with no doors. Not going to happen. The Jeep-faithful will be happy to hear that the Liberty had me considering the proper size socket to disassemble the door hinges. The little trucklet’s weight makes it a little sluggish from stoplights, but the Liberty has just the right mixture of eagerness and frisky handling to feel “like a Jeep.” It’s ready to crawl up and over whatever is put in front of it, just like the Wrangler.
The Liberty is a bit more expensive than the outgoing Cherokee, but still represents a good value. On the Liberty Limited Edition I tested, air conditioning, fog lamps, a full-size spare and the roof rack were standard. The Limited starts at $22,720, and my test vehicle featured the optional overhead console, six-CD changer, and a handy storage net in the tailgate, for a grand total of $25,165.
SUV buyers who plan to spend quality time getting dirty off-road will find the Liberty a good compromise between the all-out ruggedness of the Jeep Wrangler and pavement-friendly “soft-roaders” like Honda’s CR-V and the Hyundai Santa Fe. It’s not completely civilized…but that’s a good thing.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2002 Jeep Liberty Limited 4wd, which we tested.
Length: 174.4 in.
Width: 71.6 in.
Height: 70.9 in.
Wheelbase: 104.3 in.
Curb weight: 4115 lb
Cargo space: 29.0 cu.ft (seats up); 69.0 cu.ft (seats folded)
Base price: $22,720
Price as tested: $25,165
Engine: 3.7 liter SOHC V6
Drivetrain: four-speed automatic, four-wheel drive
Horsepower: 210 @ 5200
Torque: 235 @ 4000
Towing capacity: 5000 lb.
Fuel capacity: 18.5 gal.
Est. mileage: 16/20
2009 Jeep Commander
01091 days
The Commander is an unlikely survivor of the current product-cutting bloodbath going on at Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep. It started life in 2006 as the answer to a question nobody had asked, a three-row, not-quite-full-size SUV that fell somewhere between being a retro homage to the 1980s Cherokee and an attempt to compete with the infamous Hummer H2.
The Commander proved to be a capable off-roader for its size, but prices were high, its V8 engine was a fuelish performer, and it hit the market just as gas prices soared through the roof. Unsold Commanders promptly filled acres of runoff parking lots around the Detroit factory. For several years running, the Commander has been at the top of the list to be dropped, but a last-minute reprieve always seems to arrive. For 2009 it’s escaped the axe yet again. Someone among Jeep’s higher-ups clearly likes this truck.
For 2009, the Commander’s big news (other than surviving) is the introduction of a new 5.7 liter HEMI V8. The new engine produces 357 horsepower with an improved fuel economy rating. The gains come primarily from the adoption of variable valve timing and Chrysler’s Multi-Displacement System (MDS). The now-familiar MDS switches the big V8 over to a fuel-saving four-cylinder mode when full power is not called for. The HEMI V8 is the top of the line; the Commander can also be had with a 210-horsepower SOHC 3.7 liter V6 or 305-horsepower flex-fuel 4.7 liter V8. Five-speed automatic transmissions are standard across the board. Jeep equips the Commander with one of three four-wheel drive systems, offering full-time four-wheel drive (Quadra-Trac I), a two-speed electronic transfer case (Quadra-Trac II), or an active transfer case with front, center and rear limited-slip differentials (Quadra-Drive II).
It’s easy to miss the Commander on the road. Though it’s fairly uncommon in most areas, the lines are very similar to those of the smaller Liberty and mid-1980s Jeep Cherokee models. Boxy, angular lines and a vertical windshield offer a 1980s-retro feeling, making the Commander look a bit larger than it is. Size-wise, it’s comparable to the Toyota Land Cruiser and Land Rover Range Rover, though it’s not priced as high as those luxury trucks. The familiar seven-slot Jeep grille is rendered in chrome and flanked by roundish headlamps in square housings, while an upright two-box design is marked by chunky fender flares, squared-off wheel openings and distinct bumpers. An interesting style fillip is the roof rack, which extends down the back end of the Jeep to form a pair of neatly integrated grab handles.
The interior is comfortable if a bit snug; I remain of the opinion that the Commander is too small to provide sufficient legroom for a third-row seat. Keep it folded down and there’s a handy 36 cubic-foot cargo area, however. As for the working bits, a purposeful dash offers full instrumentation. The Commander’s also available with a full complement of amenities, from new dual-zone climate control to a DVD entertainment system with a large 9-inch screen. The interior is brightened somewhat with available “CommandView” skylight panels for the rear seat passengers and a sunroof up front. Opt for the navigation system, and there’s an iPod jack in the dash. Rain-sensing wipers and HID headlamps are newly available as well. The available power tailgate is a convenience, though its operation is almost painfully slow. The available leather seats are broad and comfortable, and a full day of road-trip driving won’t leave you aching or fatigued.
That long-distance comfort is something of a shame, since the Commander’s not much of a road-tripper. A smallish fuel tank and average fuel economy in V8 models limit its range. Acceleration is leisurely at best; passing on a two-lane road when going up a slight grade is not advised. When not on the freeway, power is adequate, and off-roaders will definitely appreciate the 389 foot-pounds of torque available from the HEMI. This truck serves well as a modern-expedition vehicle, ready to spend days slogging through uncharted territory–while keeping everyone entertained with concert-quality music and movies, of course.
The Commander is similar to the Liberty in that it’s a sturdy, off-road capable vehicle. That also means it drives heavy. Like any self-respecting vehicle to wear the Jeep badge, this truck is well matched to off-roading, if less than smooth on pavement. The Commander is equipped with a short-long arm suspension up front and a five-link rear, and it’s quite trucklike. Turn too quickly into a steep driveway or hit a speedbump and the Commander reacts violently, tossing passengers and cargo around. It’s stable, but far from refined. Four-wheel disc brakes with standard ESP and ABS are also adequate, but the Commander frequently reminds of its over-5000-pound weight when braking.
The Commander is something of a throwback to Jeep’s Grand Wagoneer; it’s a go-anywhere device that’s better suited to life off-pavement in spite of its luxury trappings. The market for such vehicles these days is small, but crowded, and to many objective measures, vehicles like the Toyota Land Cruiser and Land Rover Range Rover do it better. However, none of those vehicles sport the all-important Jeep badge, and that counts for a lot. It’s persuasive enough that it’s kept the Commander in the lineup for a few years past its expiration date, at the very least, and in spite of somewhat stiff pricing. Commanders start at $30,160 for a five-passenger, 4×2 model. You’ll have to walk up to $32,160 to get the four-wheel drive and seven-passenger seating that make the Commander special. My Limited tester stickered for $44,860.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2009 Jeep Commander Limited.
Length: 188.5 in.
Width: 74.8 in.
Height: 72.1 in.
Wheelbase: 109.5 in.
Curb weight: 5185 lb.
Cargo space: 68.5 cu.ft. (all seats folded); 36.3 cu.ft. (third row folded)
Base price: $40,605
Price as tested: $44,680
Engine: 5.7 liter OHV V8
Drivetrain: five-speed automatic transmission, four-wheel drive
Horsepower: 357 @ 5200
Torque: 389 @ 4350
Fuel capacity: 21.1 gal.
Est. mileage: 13/18