By the way, steering is rack and pinion. As far as safety is concerned front airbags are standard, as side curtain air bags will be optional. More on this later.

One of the fundamental questions asked about the Liberty is its difference with the Cherokee. Our first indications tell us that the Liberty is a little bit longer than the older Cherokee (4437 mm including spare tire compared to 4255 mm for the Cherokee) and higher (1796 vs 1697 mm). Even the width is more important (1819 vs 1763 mm). Weight is approximately the same but the Liberty could be heavier (base 4 x 4 would be approximately 1676 kg compared to 1503 for the Cherokee). But what's most important is that the newer Liberty is now being built at a new plant at the legendary Jeep headquarter of Toledo, Ohio.

Interior is also a very important factor with the Liberty. Its higher roofline allows better headroom. The 65/35-split rear seat maximises cargo flexibility. By the way, the cargo area has tie-downs and grocery bag hooks, like those we find in a Caravan. The interior is a little traditional but instruments have round dials that are easy to read. As the standards go, the HVAC and the radio are well centred in the console. Rear cargo area can be easily reached by a left-opening door.

Not much can be said about road handling and performance until we really try the Liberty. For off-road enthusiasts, let's specify that approach angle, ramp brakeover angle and departure angle are slightly better with the Liberty in its 4 x 4 mode. The moment we can set our hands on the new Liberty, we will transmit you all our observations. Until then, all we can do is...admire its great looks on picture!