2008 Jeep Liberty Limited Edition

Back when the Dodge Nitro had yet to hit the showroom floors, I went to a "sneak preview" of it in Toronto. The Chrysler spokesperson talked about the Nitro's "masculine" styling – part of the company's plan to prevent it from becoming a "chick car" like the Liberty.

There were gasps at his un-PC-edness, of course, but it did unveil something the marketing folks seldom let slip: women will buy a "masculine" car long before men will buy a "feminine" one, and an automaker would far rather sell to both sexes than to one.

To that end then, the redesigned-for-2008 Liberty is now a sister vehicle to the more aggressively styled Nitro, a model that didn't exist when the original Liberty debuted for 2002.

Its 3.7 L engine was used in the last Liberty and is shared with the Nitro, although the Dodge's optional 4.0 L V6 isn't available in the Jeep. It's a nice, solid engine that always provided enough power whenever I asked, although it's fond of fuel, and in a week of very cold weather it guzzled 16.0 L/100 km.

The Sport and North Edition trim lines use a six-speed manual transmission and can be optioned to the four-speed automatic that's the only choice in my tester, the top-of-the-line Limited.

All Liberty models are Trail-Rated 4x4s that run in rear-wheel-drive until they're switch into four-wheel. The base Command-Trac II system should only be switched into 4x4 on loose surfaces, such as gravel roads. Selec-Trac II, a $475 option, is a full-time system that can be switched into four-wheel on any surface.

I used it a couple of times to get through some very rough spots when I took it on the trail out back, but the truck worked surprisingly well when left in two-wheel during one of the season's worst snowstorms.

Liberty's new wheelbase is only 5 cm longer than before, and the ride can still be choppy on rougher roads. It feels more stable than the old model, but its high centre of gravity is still very evident on sharp corners.

As with the Nitro, the Liberty's cockpit is very narrow given the vehicle's size, especially with the wide and tall centre console eating up a good portion of it.

Three people in the back seat will become very good friends in a hurry, and the front footwells are very confining; for all its attributes, I'd pass on putting the Liberty in my driveway, since there's so little space for feet that my claustrophobia actually kicked in.

The interior is a considerable improvement over the old model. It's all plastic, but it looks pretty good, and everything lines up quite well. Controls are big and simple and everything is backlit. My Limited came only with leather seats, while the two lower trim lines have cloth seats. I would have expected that if any model's going to use Chrysler's YES Essentials stain-resistant fabric, it would be the rough-and-ready Jeep, but it's not on the option list.

What is available is the new "Sky Slider" roof, an almost full-length sunroof that uses a canvas panel instead of glass. Hit a button, and it folds and slides back electrically to any position, either from the front or the back (but not both at the same time), to open the cabin almost entirely to the elements.

Perhaps I'd like it better in summertime than in the bitterly cold week I had the vehicle, but it's very pricey at $1,525, and there's a great deal of wind noise on the highway even when it's closed. To my surprise, though, it didn't leak a drop of water in a high-pressure automatic car wash. A conventional glass sunroof is optional on all trim lines.

The cargo area is 79 cm long, and pulling up the floor panel reveals a hidden plastic well. Flip the panel and you'll find a plastic backing, with a lip to keep items in place. It's handy, but I still prefer the Nitro's Load 'N Go floor, which slides out and makes loading much easier on one's back.

The rear seats fold flat, to a length of 140 cm; fold the front passenger seat as well (standard on all but the Sport trim line) and you've got 244 cm of cargo room length.

All of that is wrapped up in a body that's now more square than curvy, more beefy than cute, and that still, despite the hexagonal bezels, has the signature round Jeep headlamps. Manly, yes, but the chicks should like it too.

Driving in heavy snowfalls is only cause for celebration if you're driving the "right" vehicle. Well, I enjoy it anyway and while there are several new SUVs that would fit the bill, the new 2008 Jeep Liberty is certainly one of them.

That's what I was thinking as I pushed through some 10 cm of the white stuff during that first storm in December – I was thinking that the "right" truck has to inspire confidence in the driver while offering enough road surface feedback to keep his/her driving on the safe side of caution. And that's what I was getting from this new Liberty – a generational leap from the original which bowed in 2002.

Supporting the new frame (which it shares with the Dodge Nitro) is an independent front suspension (upper and lower "A" arms, coil springs, low-pressure gas shocks, stabilizer bar) and a new five-link rear suspension (upper and lower trailing arms, track bar, coil springs, stabilizer bar, low-pressure gas shocks); and contributing to feedback is a new power rack-and-pinion steering system as well as wheelbase that has grown by 5 cm and is slightly wider.

The new Liberty body also looks bigger. It's stretched 5 cm overall and the cargo space has expanded by 8 cm. These changes have also allowed the spare tire, once on the rear hatch, to now be hung under the body behind the rear axle.

This new spare location makes for much easier use of the rear hatch – one I got to try out numerous times.

Inside the cargo bed, old-school utility reigns with a washable matt, tie-rings, easy flip and fold flat rear seats and a much squarer hatch entry. In fact, even the front passenger seat folds flat for the really long stuff.

That fold-flat passenger seat is just one of the features in the Canada-only North Edition that starts at $28,545. The others are a six-speaker sound system, deep-tint glass, fog lamps, P225/75R16 OWL AS tires, roof rack, 115V AC outlet, floor mats, compass & temperature gauge and cargo cover.

Meanwhile the base Sport starts at $27,695 and my tester, a Limited edition, started at $32,795.

Under the hood of this Jeep is a 210-horsepower, 3.7 L V6 gasoline engine, backed by a standard six-speed manual transmission or an available four-speed automatic.

This engine is a carry-over that moves the Liberty just fine. With 235 lb.-ft. of torque, the V6 is spunky on the highway and with its torque concentrated in the lower end of the powerband it grinds up the off-road too.

What is new is the Selec-Trac II 4WD system. I ran through all its ranges in the snow and was not disappointed. The new transfer case offers active 2WD, an Auto 4WD, active 4WD HI range and LO range. Now it doesn't have front or rear differential lockers, but on the hills I was on it was fine and the on-pavement options offer control.

A small – but important – refinement in the valve train and combustion chamber of the 3.7 this year also makes it slightly more fuel efficient, though it's still a bit thirsty.

Jeep quotes the new fuel consumption as 14 L/100 km in the city and 9.7 L/100 km on the highway.

The powerband I mentioned does offer one more advantage in the '08 – towing ability. Offered as a $500 option is a Class III Trailer Tow Group that includes the hitch receiver, Trailer Sway Control (with auto transmission), seven pin wiring harness, and heavy-duty engine cooling and power steering cooler.

Installed, the Liberty is now rated to tow 2,268 kg.

Liberty offered a diesel engine option 2005 and '06; so you may wonder where that went. Unfortunately the Italian-built 2.8 L, turbocharged diesel (which sold well) couldn't meet the new emissions standards that came in last year.

Hopefully Jeep is working on a new compliant design, but for now gas is the only choice.

As for the looks of the new Liberty, its "Back to the Future" design is pretty much lifted from the iconic Cherokee of a decade ago.

While the first Liberty (2002) was a design exercise in broadening the Jeep customer base (one that did work short term) long term I don't think Jeep grew the brand as a result.

And yes, while I do acknowledge that change in life is constant, in certain automotive lives it's not always necessary. Let icons be icons. Just consider the customer uproar when Jeep switched from round headlights to square in '87 – that should have driven the lesson home.

So, for '08 the Liberty loses all its curves instead reprising its role as a utility-first SUV. The seven-slot grille is back to square, the hood is flat, the glass on the doors is lifted above the beltline and the backend is a chunky square box (with lean rectangular taillights replacing the fat round ones) and just a hint of forward tilt. It's old Cherokee. Don't believe me? Check out a circa '01 Cherokee photo on the net.

But an old look doesn`t mean having to have old components — a lesson that Harley-Davidson is a master of. Take the issue of safety. This Liberty uses multi-stage front airbags, side curtain airbags, energy-absorbing steering wheel and column, and side-guard door beams.

But to try to prevent a collision they also offer these standard devices: anti-lock brakes, electronic stability, hill start assist, all-speed traction control, tire pressure monitoring and electronic roll mitigation.

There is also a neat convertible feature called a Sky Slide. This giant material sunroof opens a space big enough to launch ejection seats through (84 x 104 cm), though those are not currently available.

INDIANAPOLIS–Any self-help guru worth his weight in advice will tell you that the equation for happiness is simple:

Step 1: Adjust your goals;

Step 2: Meet them;

Step 3: Bliss will follow.

In the real world, happiness can be many things to many people. For those who were looking for a cheap Jeep, and needed more room than the tight-fitting, two-door Wrangler, the original Liberty since 2002 certainly met their lofty expectations.

But in the five years leading up to the planned remake of the Liberty for 2008, the compact SUV bandwagon has become awfully crowded with now more than 20 vehicles. Today, some of the Liberty's competition even comes from within the same Jeep showroom.

With subcompact-like pricing, the new Patriot and Compass now fill the role as Jeep's entry-level models. And the popular new four-door Wrangler Unlimited is Jeep's mountain goat for those who need more room.

Hey, no worries. Jeep's fleshed-out lineup was all about "adjusting" and "meeting" the brand's goals to make even more customers happy.

Subsequently, for its major redo for 2008, Jeep's been able to redefine and refocus the Liberty.

The plan was simple: don't mess with – in fact, improve on – Liberty's well-known four-wheeling heritage; enhance its on-road ride and handling; give customers more room for themselves and their "weekend warrior" stuff; and be aggressive on the pricing.

At $27,695, the '08 base Liberty Sport is $2,695 cheaper than the '07, yet includes $1,335 worth of side curtain airbags, body colour trim and aluminum wheels. According to Jeep's math, that's $4,000 in added value over an '07 and makes it one of the better values in the mid-size SUV class.

For an additional $850 over the Sport, the North Edition adds convenience features, including cruise control, a fold-flat front passenger sear, tinted glass, cargo cover, compass and external temperature gauge, a six-speaker sound system and fog lamps.

For those looking to bring a little bling to the bog, there's the $32,795 Limited. It comes standard with the $1,120 four-speed slushbox that is optional on lesser Liberties. Plus, there's a plethora of external and internal styling and trim, luxury, convenience and entertainment features that I'm sure your local Jeep salesperson would love to spend the time to detail to you.

Noteworthy stand-alone Liberty options this year are the new cloth, massive Sky Slider Open Roof ($1,525), and MyGIG Multimedia Infotainment ($1,775).

Every '08 Liberty comes standard with a 210 hp 3.7-litre V6, part-time four-wheel-drive, six-speed manual transmission and Jeep's Trail Rated badge. (This means the vehicle can perform in a variety of off-road conditions identified by five key consumer-oriented performance categories: traction, ground clearance, manoeuvrability, articulation and water fording.)

Standard Liberty safety features are generous for this class as well.

Hill-start assist, electronic-stability-program, traction control, antilock brakes, electronic roll mitigation, and brake assist are all no-charge items.

Advertising its graduation from the compact to the mid-size SUV class, externally the Liberty looks like a shrunken version of Jeep's three-row Commander.

One may also recognize the slab-sided styling from the Liberty's platform mate, Dodge's Nitro.

I drove both a Sport and Limited during a rural morning drive to an off-road course at the Redbird State Riding Area, Indiana's first state-owned off-road park.

Jeep's commitment to preventing the Liberty from being called a cute-ute includes two Trail Rated 4WD systems: the standard Command-Trac and the optional, $475 Selec-Trac II.

Until one engages 4WD Lock on the selector beside the console-mounted gear shifter, a Command-Trac-equipped Liberty is running in rear-wheel drive, otherwise called 2WD High. In 4WD Lock – that can be engaged at any speed – front and rear driveshaft lock, providing a 50/50 front/rear torque split on slippery or loose surfaces, such as snow or dirt.

For true off-road conditions, such as we experienced at Redbird, 4WD Low can be engaged at speeds of 4- to 5-km/h. The front and rear driveshafts are locked together, and a second gear set multiplies torque, providing additional crawling capabilities.

The more sophisticated Selec-Trac II offers a full-time, active on-demand system that foresees and averts wheel slip.

Shift from 4WD Auto to 4WD Low and the second speed gear multiplies engine torque 2.72 times and locks the clutch pack for maximum traction, a characteristic appreciated for some of the more adventurous terrain on the preview's off-road drive.

You don't have to be an automotive suspension engineer to know that the new Liberty's off-road expertise can only come at the expense of its on-road prowess.

With its new independent front suspension, new five-link rear suspension and rack-and-pinion steering, yes, the '08 Liberty's ride, handling and steering have been vastly improved. It's quieter, and feels more planted in corners than the wobbly '02-'07 version.

But its long-travel suspension that works so well articulating over tree roots off-road rolls too much in turns and dives excessively under hard braking on-road.

If you keep your expectation for the '08 Jeep Liberty as a roomy, value-priced, mid-sized SUV that likes to get its fenders dirty, ecstasy will ensue.

Otherwise, more urban-bound drivers should expect to find happiness in any of the Jeep's more car-based competition.