The Jeep Liberty for 2007 represents the best of both worlds; the off road
ability that Jeep is known for, and the on road behavior that comes in handy
when using the Liberty as a daily driver. With steep approach and departure
angles and plenty of suspension travel with a solid rear axle, the Liberty is at
ease when climbing over boulders or stirring up gravel. The Jeep Liberty is
very similar to its more rounded modern looking Jeep Compass cousin, but the
main difference between the two is that the Liberty is trail rated. The 2007 is
a carry over from the previous year. The only changes are that the Jeep
Liberty's Renegade trim has been discontinued for 2007. Also, the 2.8-liter
diesel engine is no longer available.
Full Review 2007
Driving
the Liberty
The Liberty's long suspension travel does a good job of smoothing out bumps and preventing it from bouncing around too much. Although some road capability has been sacrificed for off road capability, the Liberty is tolerable cruising down the highway or through town. It doesn't get the best mileage, and compared to other compact sized SUVs it's steering is heavy. Also the Liberty exhibits considerable body roll around corners. The V6 provides good acceleration and overall the Liberty is a sensational off-roader.
2007 Jeep Power
The Jeep Liberty has a standard 3.7-liter V6 and an optional automatic transmission. Two-wheel or part-time four-wheel drive are available for both trim levels, as is a full-time "Selec-Trac" 4WD system. For the Sport trim level, a six-speed manual transmission is standard and a four-speed automatic is optional. Properly equipped, the Jeep Liberty can tow up to 5,000 pounds. For fuel consumption the 2007 Liberty gets 18 mpg through the city and 22 for the highway. The optional turbocharger is an advanced design with variable-geometry vanes that deliver significant induction improvements at both low rpm and high rpm, and at high altitudes.
2007 Lineup
The 2007 Jeep Liberty comes in two trim levels: Sport and Limited. The Sport
features 16-inch steel wheels, air-conditioning, full power accessories,
stability control and a six-speaker stereo with CD player. The more up level
Limited trim gets you amenities such as 17-inch alloy wheels, cruise control, a
six-way power adjustable driver seat and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.
Liberty Design
The Liberty is one hundred percent Jeep, it is more brawny and square than the
Compass, yet it has the shape and design of a modern SUV. The height of the
Liberty is rather tall and this actually provides the driver with a commanding
view of the terrain ahead. In its exterior dimensions, the Liberty fits between
the Jeep Wrangler and Grand Cherokee. With an overall length of 174.4 inches,
the Jeep Liberty is slightly longer than the Ford Escape. It's longer than the
Wrangler, but significantly shorter and lighter than the Grand Cherokee.
Liberty Cabin Features
The 2007 Jeep Liberty gets a decent interior space with room for five. The
Limited cabin is much improved over the Sport's and the front seats are more
comfortable. Getting in and out of the Liberty is not the easiest, as the door
openings are relatively narrow, the step-up height is a little higher, the seats
have side bolsters to get past, and your feet must clear relatively high side
sills. The Liberty's rear seats are comfortable and there is reasonable leg room
and head room for an adult. The Liberty offers a generous amount of cargo space
behind the rear seats. The theme of the Liberty cabin seems to be satin aluminum
accents and chrome-ringed, black-on-white gauges. A full-size spare is hung on
the nifty rear cargo door, which features a single-action
swing-gate/flipper-glass system. There are a total of 31 cubic feet of cargo
space available behind the Liberty's split-folding rear seat and 69 cubic feet
when that seat is folded down.
Safety for 2007
One of the 2007 Liberty's highlights is its excellent safety standards. For
2007, all Liberty models come with Jeep's Electronic Stability Program (ESP),
anti-lock brakes (ABS), Electronic Roll Mitigation, and all-speed traction
control. Side curtain airbags are available as an option. In NHTSA crash tests,
the 2007 Jeep Liberty earned a perfect five stars for driver protection in a
frontal impact and four stars for front-passenger protection. Side-impact
testing resulted in a five-star rating for both front and rear passengers.
Summary
When you find a vehicle like the Liberty that works as both a daily driver and a
weekend fun ride, you know you are getting an excellent value.
Caranddriver.com loves the roomy and comfortable interior. "This is
exactly the kind of vehicle that will appeal to the target demographic. Plus,
now that the cutesy design has been swapped out for a muscular box-on-wheels
look, there's a better chance that guys will actually buy the thing." adds
Autobytel Though it is not
at the top of its class in on road performance, the Liberty is a true Jeep at
heart and is loved by many. With its two trim option, standard or manual
transmission and two or four wheel drive possibilities, the 2007 Jeep Liberty
spans across a large market of consumers.
Introduction