Summary:
IMO, still the best compact 4x4 value on the market
Faults:
Nothing. Extremely reliable as all my Jeeps have been.
General Comments:
This is the 3rd Liberty Limited I have owned; the first being a new 2004, and the second being a used 2005.
I have also owned 3 Wranglers, and my wife owned a 1998 Cherokee.
I intentionally looked for a 2007 model, as I prefer the original design & body style over the Nitro based 2008 and up models.
This one is "midnight blue" with gray leather interior, and is equipped with the navigation system radio and 6 disc changer in the rear (the navigation system is easy to use, and easy to read).
Also has Selec-Trac 4WD, which can be left engaged on dry surfaces.
Plenty of power from the 3.7 liter V6 - so-so fuel mileage as with all Liberties (not great, not terrible); 16-17 around town, 18 or so in mixed driving, low 20's on the highway. Typical of SUVs of it's size & weight. Thankfully it only requires regular gasoline.
The Selec-trac 4WD system is a fantastic system, and is great for New England's winters.
The Liberty is made to go where other "cute-utes" can only wish to go, with typical Jeep ruggedness and a feeling of solidity you just don't get in many other compact SUVs. Well designed interior, plenty of room for 5, good cargo room behind the rear seats, nice touches such as the grocery bag hooks in the cargo compartment, and has an amazing Infinity sound system. Great heat/ice cold air conditioner. The Limited comes well-equipped, and is attractive inside & out. In my opinion, for the original MSR, you just can't beat the value.
When I had my 2004 Liberty, I took a stone through the windshield, and in the process of replacing the windshield, an inexperienced employee of the glass company (a major well-known company) damaged the windshield frame, and it required repainting & repair. While in the body shop, the rental company gave me a Honda CR-V to use. Compared to the Liberty, the CR-V felt like an underpowered tin can, and I couldn't wait to get out of that vehicle and back into my Liberty. Since that time, I've owned either Wranglers or Liberties. Having a family the Liberty is the perfect SUV for me. Again, I prefer the 2002-2007 body styles over the Dodge Nitro based 2008 & up models.
As far as reliability goes, I've never had a problem with my Libertys, or any of my Jeeps (other than normal wear & tear) for that matter. I've owned my 2007 for nearly 8 months now, and will update from time to time.
As for off-road ability - if you can't get there in a Liberty or a Wrangler, chances are you can't get there.
I've been very satisfied with my Libertys as well as my Wranglers, as well as my wife's old Cherokee, and despite the bad rap that some give Chrysler, I also own a Sebring Convertible that has been a delight to own & drive.
As for SUV's over the years (besides the Jeeps) we have owned an '87 Pathfinder (not bad, but not engineered like a Jeep), a '99 Lexus RX300 (very nice design, gorgeous interior, way too wide turning radius, and very unreliable over 100k), and a '06 Saab 9-7x (which my wife currently owns). Personally I prefer driving the Liberty; although the 9-7x is a very nice SUV, it's not made for serious off-road use, but is great at handling New England winters (albeit very thirsty).
In summary - All-in-all, I prefer a Jeep, and the Liberty fits my needs perfectly.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 30th March, 2012
29th Sep 2012, 10:25
I've owned the Liberty for over a year now, and to date the only unplanned trip to the service department was when the emergency brake on the left (rear) wheel froze up and would not disengage. I called AAA (Auto Club) and had it flatbedded to the Chrysler - Jeep dealership where I have both my Liberty & my Sebring Convertible serviced, which is about 8 miles from where I live in Massachusetts (I should mention that it was brought in about 8pm). The next morning I drove to the dealership to get an inspection sticker on my Sebring, and to my surprise my Liberty was already in the shop and had been diagnosed; the e-brake shoes on the driver's side froze up and needed to be replaced, and both sides were cleaned & lubricated.
The Liberty was all set shortly thereafter, and the cost for the repair was minimal. In fact the tech also purged and refilled my A/C while it was there, as he found and fixed a slight leak in the system.
I picked up the Liberty that afternoon, and was happily on my way.
I cannot say enough good things about this fun little (yet luxurious) SUV and about the fine Chrysler - Jeep - Dodge dealership where I have my vehicles serviced.
Having had worked in the field from 1974 to 2007, I can say that finding and having your vehicles serviced at an honest dealership that employs well-trained technicians, makes all the difference in the world, and can make the difference between having a pleasant ownership experience or a negative one.
Even though my parking brake was stuck, the entire experience was a pleasant one, from the very nice flatbed driver, to the very competent service department and reasonable cost of the repair.
Overall, I absolutely prefer the Jeep Liberty Limited to any other SUV on the road (although I loved every Wrangler that I've owned as well). The Liberty is a thoughtfully designed SUV with very thoughtfully laid out controls, and nice touches such as the grocery bag holder/hooks in the rear cargo compartment. The Infinity stereo is superb, as is the integrated navigation system. The leather seats are comfortable, much more so than the 2004 Liberty Limited I purchased new back in 2004, (thanks to redesigned seats for the 2005 model year), the ride is much better than you would expect in such an off-road capable vehicle, and the overall ambiance of the interior is superb.
Of all the 4WD SUV's I've owned, I much prefer the Jeep Selec-Trac system, which all 3 of my Liberty Limiteds have been equipped with, as they handle even the worst snowstorms and unplowed roads with ease. Having the option to leave the transfer case in full-time 4WD is a good thing, especially in those circumstances where you are traveling over roads, that in places are ice or snow-covered, and dry in others. Selec-Trac saves you from having to shift in and out of 4WD in such conditions. Living 25 miles northwest of Boston, heavy snow, ice storms and the conditions I described above are very common every winter.
As mentioned in my review, I'm not a big fan of the boxier styling of the 2008-2012 Dodge Nitro based Libertys, and hope that my 2007 serves me well for many, many years to come. Styling preference is completely subjective, but I really like the styling of the 2002-2007 model Libertys, as in some ways they remind me of the old Willys Jeep wagons of my youth.
In any event, count me as a very satisfied Chrysler (Sebring Convertible) and Jeep (Liberty) owner.
I would certainly buy both models again, and I would highly recommend the dealership that services my vehicles as well.