2002 Jeep Liberty

The Liberty accommodates four full-size people comfortably or five if at least one person is smaller than average. One safety option is side-curtain airbags.

Inside, passengers enjoy comfortable seating, plenty of headroom, and lots of storage nooks and crannies thanks to sculpted seatbacks and door panels, convenient cubbies, tethers for child seats and even holders for shopping bags. Safety hasn't been overlooked: U.S. versions have multi-stage front airbags and optional curtain-type side airbags for increased occupant protection.


In order to ensure great off-roadability, the Liberty's body had to be the stiffest Jeep structure ever. To achieve this, Jeep improved on its "uniframe" construction used in the current Grand Cherokee. Key body points are directly aligned with the vehicle's longitudinal rail structure. NVH is impressively low. Torsion and bending stiffness represent improvements of 43% and 58% versus the Grand Cherokee. The Liberty is built like a tank: a one-piece D-ring forms the rear opening. High-strength steel is used in more than 70% of the underbody as well as in front- and rear-body crossmembers, which double as bumper beams.

New Liberty gets new power: The 3.7L PowerTech V-6 is the smaller sibling to the vaunted Jeep 4.7L V-8. Rated at 210 hp, the 3.7 exceeds the 200-hp line that seems to divide the compact SUV class.

A choice of powerplants includes a 16-valve, 2.4-liter PowerTech I-4 in the Liberty Sport developing 150 bhp at 5,200 rpm and 165 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,000 rpm. Transmission is a 5-speed manual. (No I-4s were available for testing, but if past Jeep prowess is an indicator, this would be a torquey, rugged, affordable workhorse.)


An all-new 3.7-liter, 90-degree, DOHC 12-valve PowerTech V-6 (basically the Grand Cherokee's optional 4.7L V-8 with two cylinders lopped off) matched with a 5-speed manual is standard on the Limited Edition and optional on the Sport. V-6 ratings are a lusty 210 bhp at 5,200 rpm and an impressive 235 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,000 rpm. Engine response is very good at low speeds and in mid-range. While induction noise on the early production vehicles we drove was a bit high, the peppy powerplant never sounded labored. The block is cast-iron with a compacted-graphite bedplate for added rigidity, topped by aluminum heads with a cam on each bank. Features include a lightweight composite intake manifold with tuned runners, an active knock-sensor system that adjust for a range of fuels and a gear-driven balance shaft to minimize vibration.


Overseas, a 2.25-liter SOHC Common Rail Direct Injection (CRD) turbocharged I-4 diesel develops 140-bhp (104kW) at 4,000 rpm and 253 lb.-ft. (343 Nm) of torque at 2,500 rpm. (The diesel wasn't available for testing at press time.)