Competition
The 2008 Jeep Liberty North Edition costs $28,645, and this test truck includes the Class-III tow group ($600) and the Sky Slider ($1,525), for a total of $30,770.

There are a lot of compact SUVs out there, but if we try to limit ourselves to models that offer true off-road capabilities (read: transfer case with low range), here's what we'll find:

Dodge Nitro SXT 4x4, $28,495
Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara, $28,995
Nissan Xterra S, $34,598
Suzuki Grand Vitara JX, $27,145
Toyota FJ Cruiser, $29,725

Off the beaten path, the Liberty shines brightly.

Conclusion
The Liberty is better than the previous-generation model, but it's still a little rough around the edges. Unlike the CR-V, the RAV4 and the Rogue, it's not built on a car platform, so it feels a lot more like a truck. If that's what you like, fine. But for a simple grocery-getter SUV, you'd probably want to check out the Compass and Patriot twins instead.

Off the beaten path, the Liberty shines brightly. However, the folks at Chrysler should have improved this Jeep in several areas for everyday use, notably in regards to interior space and modernizing the aging powertrain.


Photo Credit : Philippe Champoux