First rolled out in 2002, the Liberty was Jeeps answer to
the long-serving Cherokee. The 2009 Liberty has classic
Jeep brand style, thanks to those much-loved design cues; the
seven-slot grille, trapezoidal wheel openings, round headlamps and
ready stance. An interesting feature of the 2009 Liberty is
the Sky Slider roof, an optional full-length canvas roof. Fuel
economy for two-wheel-drive models is 16 miles per gallon in the
city and 22 on the highway. Four-wheel-drive models achieve only
slightly lower numbers, at 15 mpg city and 21 on the highway.
Starting MSRP for the 2009 Liberty is $23,015. The benefits of the
Liberty for 2009 are its excellent safety features (standard side
curtain airbags and standard stability system), and it 5,000-pound
towing capacity.
Jeep Liberty Drive
Rear-wheel drive is standard. Both the Selec-Trac II and
Command-Trac II four-wheel-drive systems are very well integrated
into Liberty's various systems, including traction control,
Electronic Stability Program, hill-start assist, hill-descent
control and available trailer tow package. A 19.5-gallon fuel tank
provides an approximate driving range of 389 miles. Hill Descent
Control, which keeps vehicle speed to a minimum when traversing
treacherous terrain, is included on four-wheel-drive models.
Like other Jeeps, the Liberty receives top marks for its off-road
prowess, but on road driving lags behind competition and may not be
the best daily driver.
Liberty Power
Featuring lightweight aluminum components, it produces 210
horsepower and 235 pound-feet of torque. Properly equipped, the
Liberty can tow up to 5,000 pounds. The automatic has a
special tow-haul button to adjust gear shifting for better
efficiency when towing.
Inside the 2009 Liberty
Features available on the Liberty include rain-sensitive wipers,
automatic temperature control, a six-speaker sound system and remote
start. For 2009, the leather package on Limited models gets a
soft-touch armrest on the door, upper-door trim pieces, and upgraded
grained plastics on the instrument panel and center console. Liberty
offers outstanding cargo flexibility; and its seats a very versatile
with their six-way power adjustable front driver seat. The left rear
panel houses a concealed compartment for jack storage and tools.
Cargo room behind the second-row seat measures 31.5 cubic feet but
can be expanded to 64.2 cubic feet by folding the seat.
Liberty's 60 / 40 split-folding rear seat includes a 12 degree
recline feature for enhanced versatility and rear seat comfort. The
front passenger seat also folds flat for even more versatility.
Lineup Features and Options
There are two trims for the 2009 Jeep Liberty, Sport and Limited.
Sport trim includes 16-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry, automatic
headlamps, air-conditioning, full power accessories, a 65/35
split-folding rear seat, a trip computer and a six-speaker stereo
with a CD player, an auxiliary audio jack and satellite radio. The
Popular Equipment Group is optional for the Sport, and it adds roof
rails, cruise control, upgraded cloth upholstery, a fold-flat front
passenger seat, foglamps, rear privacy glass and a cargo cover.
The Limited comes standard with the Sport's Popular Equipment
Group and tacks on 17-inch wheels, a power driver seat, an
auto-dimming rearview mirror and an eight-speaker upgraded stereo
that also adds steering-wheel controls
The optional Premium Sound Group adds a six-CD changer and
Bluetooth, while the Premium Group I adds leather upholstery, heated
front seats, a power front passenger seat, remote engine start and
driver memory settings. The Premium Group II includes all the
Premium Group I items plus 18-inch wheels, rear parking sensors,
automatic climate control and automatic wipers.
Design of the Liberty
The Liberty has various safety features included. Both of
Liberty's Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems regularly check inflation
levels for optimal safety, security, performance and fuel economy.
The Skyliner is a unique feature on the Liberty. Unlike many
panoramic sunroofs offered today, Jeep's Sky Slider roof is made of
canvas rather than glass. Rear legroom and shoulder room are
particularly improved. Cargo space is quite good with 31.5 cubic
feet with the rear seats raised and 64.6 cubic feet with them
lowered. The Liberty and Dodge Nitro share a common underpinning,
yet the Jeep Liberty is made shorter and narrower than the Nitro to
distinguish the pair. The Liberty comes in at 176.9 inches long and
72.1 inches wide.
Summary
Overall, the Jeep Liberty is a vehicle with a fun personality.
Standard on the 2009 Liberty are antilock disc brakes,
stability control, traction control, electronic roll mitigation and
side curtain airbags. The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTS) awarded the Liberty a perfect five-star rating
in both front and side impact crashworthiness. The Insurance
Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave the Liberty its highest
rating of "Good" for frontal offset impacts.