2002 Jeep Liberty Limited review from North America
"Rugged, reliable with highly variable fuel mileage depending on driving habits"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Needed a new radiator at 75000 miles.
Needed new ball joints at 95,000 miles.
Driver's side seat back broke a bracket at 105,000.
General comments?
This has been a very reliable car for us. Most of our mileage has been on the road, but we've also taken it on some pretty rugged trails in places like Durango, Colorado - pulling a trailer to boot. This thing really does go just about anywhere.
I've read comments about some Liberty's pulling to the right and sucking gas.
Our Liberty pulled to the right slightly when we got it. Never could get this fixed. We finally gave up and got used to living with it. Then when we replaced the original tires, the problem went away and has never returned. I suspect the original Goodyear tires might have had something to do with the pulling problem.
As to the gas mileage...When my wife drives the Liberty, she averages 12-14 mpg. Absolutely terrible. When I drive the Liberty, I average between 19-21 mpg. About what the Liberty is rated for. Our conclusion is that the Liberty's mileage is heavily influenced by driving style. Neither my wife nor I can recall seeing such wide mileage variations on any other car we've ever shared.
Perhaps we've been lucky, but we've not had any of the reliability problems with our Liberty that many other people report. In fact, the thing has been so darn good that we'll probably turn it over to our son when he graduates from high school.
The Liberty has been a good vehicle for us, but I don't think we'll buy another one. Times have changed and I don't think I will ever want another vehicle that isn't rated for at least 30 mpg hiway mileage. Probably end up with some hybrid next.
Recommended reviews
| 2002 - Liberty Limited 4WD 3.7 V6 Not a bad car, but the Japanese competition is better |
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| 2002 - Liberty Limited 3.7L V6 A decent package, but there are better options |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 2002 |
| Year of manufacture | 2002 |
| First year of ownership | 2002 |
| Engine and transmission | 3.7L Automatic |
| Performance marks | 7 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 9 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 7 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 10 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 5 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 0 miles |
| Most recent distance | 110000 miles |
| Previous car | Suzuki Sidekick |
| Date of Entry | 4th October, 2006 |