Jeep Liberty. Second parallel.

Jeep Liberty. Second Parallel

Just a few years ago, it would have been impossible to imagine that such a model would appear in the lineup of the legendary Jeep. However, times change, and so do the demands of buyers, which Chrysler is forced to take into account: the company is not in a position to lose customers right now. After the split with Daimler, the concern had to win back the European market on its own, and releasing a "crossover" SUV in this situation looks like a quite reasonable step.

True, the marketers resorted to a trick and presented two light crossovers at once. The first is Compass, which our readers already know well. The second is Liberty, which is just beginning to get used to the domestic expanses. Formally, the model launched last summer, a year after Compass, but it did not get such a loud advertising campaign. The car quietly took its place in showrooms and price lists, waiting for its hour. And it seems that hour has come: the Russian representative office of the brand announced an unprecedented discount campaign that will last until the end of March 2008. On some cars, the price may drop by more than 200,000 rubles.

At first glance, releasing two models that look similar and target the same audience seems strange. But Jeep assures that there is no competition between them, because their purpose is different. Compass is aimed at young people and women: according to the designers' idea, they should like its elegant modern lines, only vaguely reminiscent of the classic proportions of the brand. Liberty, on the contrary, is maximally brutal — its exterior features the traits of more famous siblings like Cherokee or Commander. It is designed for conservative customers who value traditional Jeep styling. So, while mastering a new segment, the Americans went for a risky compromise. But after the divorce from Daimler, the Chrysler group has to fight for the European buyer with maximum effort.

If you look at Liberty more closely, you can see that it has retained all the brand's signature features: a chopped militaristic profile, a radiator grille with seven vertical slots, recognizable round headlights, trapezoidal wheel arches and windows resembling embrasures. All this gives the buyer confidence that they have purchased a real Jeep, not something Asian under a European brand. At the same time, the car is quite original, especially against the background of the saccharine-glamorous competitors that currently dominate this segment.

Liberty also stands out with its interior, although much depends on personal taste. But I'll say right away: inside it is very reminiscent of Compass. The cockpit, the central console with the gear selector platform tilted at 45 degrees, the seats, headrests, instrument panel — all of this is already familiar. The cars are built on a common platform, so there is nothing to be surprised about, especially since the Compass interior is far from the worst example to follow.

Firstly, despite the off-road orientation, a completely car-like seating position is offered here, or rather, a choice between the comfort of a city car and a typical "off-roader". The range of adjustments is sufficient to comfortably accommodate a person of any build behind the wheel, and overall the crossover is spacious and convenient. True, this is only true if there are no more than four people in the cabin: three in the back is a bit cramped, and changing the backrest angle does not help much. But there is plenty of legroom and headroom, which for modern "crossover" vehicles, oddly enough, is a rarity.

Secondly, the car has good cargo capabilities. Although the maximum trunk volume does not reach 1300 liters, with the rear seats folded down, a perfectly flat area is formed. The front passenger seat backrest also lowers — it is convenient to use as a table, for work or dining. In this transformation variant, the car can accommodate cargo up to 245 cm long. The Americans also did not forget about the signature features of the Caliber-Compass-Liberty family: a lamp with an automatically rechargeable battery that can be used as a portable light or flashlight, and speakers built into the tailgate that turn into external speakers for a picnic.

Nevertheless, I would not call the Liberty's interior flawless. No, you won't find unevenly fitted panels here, and "crickets" are unlikely to appear, but the "real American plastic", even if diluted with a moderate amount of metal, looks a bit pale. The car also does not shine with ideal ergonomics: you have to reach for some handles and buttons, distracting from the road and bending your joints into unnatural positions. The seats have a comfortable shape, but on a long trip you realize they are quite firm. Otherwise, the Americans have no serious miscalculations.

By the way, they also did a good job on the chassis. On asphalt, the SUV behaves like a proper front-wheel-drive hatchback — composed, confident, and easy to get going. True, it has a tendency toward understeer and body roll, although not critical. However, this is more likely explained by the settings of the proprietary Freedom Drive all-wheel-drive system with a multi-disc electronic clutch. It distributes torque between the front and rear wheels in a ratio of 80/20 or 90/10 depending on conditions. By the way, this does not mean that the car will be weak off-road: a forced locking of the center differential is provided. To do this, just pull the chrome T-shaped handle on the central console, and up to 60% of the torque will go to the rear wheels. In short, the chances of a successful outcome increase noticeably.

Both the handling and suspension settings pleasantly surprised. The unusually sharp steering wheel initially seemed light and completely "empty", which was especially felt on a soggy clay rut. But on more reliable surfaces, with increasing speed, both weight and feedback appeared. The suspension is somewhat stiff: on asphalt it is quite comfortable, but serious bumps on a dirt road are already too much for it. As for the powertrains, the 2.4-liter inline "four" of the World Engine series is the only gasoline engine offered for the "Russified" Liberty. It can be paired with either a five-speed manual or a continuously variable transmission. This unit needs no introduction: 170 hp, VVT mechanism, and 220 Nm of torque, which is quite enough for decent off-road capability and acceptable dynamics on the highway. Moreover, the type of transmission here is absolutely not important — it all depends on financial and driver preferences. The lineup also includes a two-liter turbodiesel, which works in tandem with a six-speed manual transmission.

The base price of the SUV today is 828,100 rubles, and the minimum cost of the version with a diesel engine is 85,000 rubles more expensive.

Technical specifications:

Magazine "Autoguide" March 14, 2008 No. 57

Source – AUTOMANIA.RU