Overview & Reviews

Sold from 2002-'12, the Jeep Liberty was the successor to one of America's original compact SUVs, the Cherokee (which returned in 2014). True to its tough, capable Jeep lineage, the Liberty has considerable off-road capability, thanks to steep approach and departure angles and exceptional suspension travel and articulation. The Liberty was also rated to tow up to 5,000 pounds, a robust figure for its class. These are qualities not found in most other small utility vehicles from this time period, which saw the rise of crossover SUVs optimized for the suburban lifestyle.

Demerits for the Jeep Liberty include a weak engine lineup, with sluggish acceleration and dismal fuel economy from both the four-cylinder and V6 engines offered over the years (the first generation's briefly optional diesel engine is impressively fuel-efficient, however). Interior quality and comfort are also lacking, and by today's standards, the Liberty's general lack of refinement leaves much to be desired.

User Reviews:

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  Brakes - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By Tari Dec - March 2 - 3:40 am

  I have had concerns with the rear brakes so took it to Codiroli Service department. They checked it out and said they couldnt find anything wrong. Continued to feel something wrong with the way my car was acting when I used the brakes. Also, had a noise coming from the rear of the car. Sounded like something was moaning. This noise is loud when I first start driving and than gets less loud after I have driven it a few miles. Took car in for first service (3,000 mile) and was told there is a recall for the brakes but cant fix them until the recall notices have been sent out. I find this very upsetting.. This problem should be fixed immediately. Why do I have to wait? Other than this I like my car.

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  Cute Piece of Junk - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By sporty_a - March 1 - 2:00 am

  The vehicle is very cute and fun to drive. However, Ive had my vehicle for over a year and have had the heater break twice, the cd player replaced, the hinges on my tailgate window replaced, the transmission is beginning to fail (32k on the car) and 8 trips to the dealership still cannot pinpoint a grinding noise in my right front wheel. Oh, and the remote keyless entry comes with some random code where sometimes you press once to unlock and sometimes it takes 5 pushes of the button.. or 6 or 7..depending on its mood I guess.

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  Great smaller SUV - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By mountain man - February 28 - 10:00 am

  Ive had my Jeep for over 3 months now, already put over 10,000 miles and absolutely no problems. Everyone comments how great it looks, and it performs awesome off-road. Already taken it out in off the trails in the desert washes outside of Joshua Tree, and up several mountains around the desert. Worked well in all terrains offroad, and drives like a sportscar on the road with very tight handling and suspension.

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  I bought this used with 110000 miles on it in 2010 - 2007 Jeep Liberty
  By Kim Gilliland - February 26 - 11:37 am

  I just traded this in with 165000 miles on it. Aside from normal wear and tear the only problems I had with this car was the a/c never worked and my mechanic didnt want to mess with it, the electric windows in the backseat both quit working. It also made a banging noise while driving past 50mph sometimes but it wouldnt make the noise when my mechanic was in the car and I never broke down because of it. I am upset that Jeep quit making these because everyone that I know who have/had them love em and I would definitely buy another one. I upgraded to a brand new Cherokee and well see how this goes.

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  Bad Windows - 2007 Jeep Liberty
  By Janet G - February 23 - 6:46 am

  I love our Liberty. We take it just about everywhere, yet the windows on the driver side no longer work. The window lost its ability to go up and down and will be expensive to have it fixed. I tried searching for recalls but to no avail. I am glad that I am not the only one with this problem. The problem with the windows is a vehicle problem and not the owners fault.

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  Jeep Liberty is fun - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By Jay Reilly - February 20 - 11:20 am

  This is the best vehicle I have ever owned and I am 64. It has unique convenient controls like the radio buttons on the steering wheel. It is a ball to drive and was pleasantly surprised at the riding comfort for a smaller SUV. I would strongly recommend it to anyone on a budget.

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  My favorite - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By destiny - February 19 - 10:00 am

  I have found that my Jeep Liberty sport is both fun and has the best fuel economy I have ever had in a vehicle. I just plain enjoy driving it. My husband even loves to drive it more than his full size truck.

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  Great Jeep - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By good Jeep - February 19 - 10:00 am

  We were lookin for a Reliable Jeep for family and friends.My husband is 6 feet tall so we needed enough space for his legs and hight as well room for passagers. I drive 110 kilomitors as day to work.We have had the Jeep since May we love it.We also rented it in Maui so we new it was a great car. It is also very comfotuable for short people as well as Im only 5 feet. We love the new gagits and room in the back for lots of heavy loads. We have picked up all our furniture orders instead of delivery.

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  Great SUV, but... - 2003 Jeep Liberty
  By pepper4 - February 14 - 10:00 am

  We intended to buy an older 4runner, but found that for the same money, could get the Liberty. Had 4K on it when we bought it. Loved it. It is a hoot to buzz around town and short trips. Not a long trip vehicle. It was set up as tow car when we bought it...it would be superb for that purpose. Has tow package, and tows our boat easily. Seats, even for for a short person like me, are a little short, but leather is broken in now, so more comfy. Kids in back seat can see out, a plus. Wish we could keep it, but must sell, mainly because need better mileage.

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  My 2005 Jeep Liberty - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By crandreww - February 14 - 8:03 am

  We love our Jeep Liberty. It is sporty and fun to drive. Only drawbacks are interior noise when driving, especially on the highway. The major drawback for me is the gas mileage. I do mostly in town driving and it averages about 15-17 miles per gallon. On the highway it averages about 23 miles per gallon. It is a V6, so I guess thats not too terrible, but with gas prices hovering anywhere from 2-3 dollars per gallon, it hurts to have to fill it so frequently. Another drawback is the glove compartment is so small the owners manual doesnt even fit in it. Not much for extra storage space either.