The Jeep Liberty for 2007 represents the best of both worlds;
the off road ability that Jeep is known for, and the on road behavior
that comes in handy when using the Liberty as a daily driver. With steep
approach and departure angles and plenty of suspension travel with a
solid rear axle, the Liberty is at ease when climbing over boulders or
stirring up gravel. The Jeep Liberty is very similar to its
more rounded modern looking Jeep Compass cousin, but the main difference
between the two is that the Liberty is trail rated. The 2007
is a carry over from the previous year. The only changes are
that the Jeep Liberty's Renegade trim has been discontinued for 2007.
Also, the 2.8-liter diesel engine is no longer available.
Full Review
2007
Driving the
Liberty
The Liberty's long suspension travel does a
good job of smoothing out bumps and preventing it from bouncing around
too much. Although some road capability has been sacrificed
for off road capability, the Liberty is tolerable cruising down the
highway or through town. It doesn't get the best mileage, and
compared to other compact sized SUVs it's steering is heavy.
Also the Liberty exhibits considerable body roll around corners. The V6
provides good acceleration and overall the Liberty is a sensational
off-roader.
2007 Jeep
Power
The Jeep Liberty has a standard 3.7-liter V6
and an optional automatic transmission. Two-wheel or
part-time four-wheel drive are available for both trim levels, as is a
full-time "Selec-Trac" 4WD system. For the Sport trim level, a
six-speed manual transmission is standard and a four-speed automatic is
optional. Properly equipped, the Jeep Liberty can tow up to 5,000
pounds. For fuel consumption the 2007 Liberty gets 18 mpg
through the city and 22 for the highway. The optional
turbocharger is an advanced design with variable-geometry vanes that
deliver significant induction improvements at both low rpm and high rpm,
and at high altitudes.
2007 Lineup
The 2007 Jeep Liberty comes in two trim levels: Sport and
Limited. The Sport features 16-inch steel wheels, air-conditioning, full
power accessories, stability control and a six-speaker stereo with CD
player. The more up level Limited trim gets you amenities such as
17-inch alloy wheels, cruise control, a six-way power adjustable driver
seat and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.
Liberty
Design
The Liberty is one hundred percent Jeep, it is more
brawny and square than the Compass, yet it has the shape and design of a
modern SUV. The height of the Liberty is rather tall and
this actually provides the driver with a commanding view of
the terrain ahead. In its exterior dimensions, the Liberty fits between
the Jeep Wrangler and Grand Cherokee. With an overall length of 174.4
inches, the Jeep Liberty is slightly longer than the Ford Escape. It's
longer than the Wrangler, but significantly shorter and lighter than the
Grand Cherokee.
Liberty
Cabin Features
The 2007 Jeep Liberty gets a decent interior
space with room for five. The Limited cabin is much improved
over the Sport's and the front seats are more comfortable. Getting in
and out of the Liberty is not the easiest, as the door openings are
relatively narrow, the step-up height is a little higher, the seats have
side bolsters to get past, and your feet must clear relatively high
side sills. The Liberty's rear seats are comfortable and there is
reasonable leg room and head room for an adult. The Liberty
offers a generous amount of cargo space behind the rear seats. The theme
of the Liberty cabin seems to be satin aluminum accents and
chrome-ringed, black-on-white gauges. A full-size spare is hung on the
nifty rear cargo door, which features a single-action
swing-gate/flipper-glass system. There are a total of 31 cubic feet of
cargo space available behind the Liberty's split-folding rear seat and
69 cubic feet when that seat is folded down.
Safety
for 2007
One of the 2007 Liberty's highlights is its
excellent safety standards. For 2007, all Liberty models come
with Jeep's Electronic Stability Program (ESP), anti-lock brakes (ABS),
Electronic Roll Mitigation, and all-speed traction control.
Side curtain airbags are available as an option. In NHTSA crash tests,
the 2007 Jeep Liberty earned a perfect five stars for driver protection
in a frontal impact and four stars for front-passenger protection.
Side-impact testing resulted in a five-star rating for both front and
rear passengers.
Summary
When you find a
vehicle like the Liberty that works as both a daily driver and a weekend
fun ride, you know you are getting an excellent value.
Caranddriver.com loves the roomy and comfortable interior.
"This is exactly the kind of vehicle that will appeal to the target
demographic. Plus, now that the cutesy design has been swapped out for a
muscular box-on-wheels look, there's a better chance that guys will
actually buy the thing." adds
Autobytel Though it is not at the top of its class in on road
performance, the Liberty is a true Jeep at heart and is loved by many.
With its two trim option, standard or manual transmission and two or
four wheel drive possibilities, the 2007 Jeep Liberty spans across a
large market of consumers.
Introduction