Advantages and Disadvantages of 2011 Jeep Liberty Review

Vehicle overview

Patrick Henry once declared that "Give me liberty or give me death!" While we wouldn't advocate for death, the 2011 Jeep Liberty is simply not worth it either. Every single competing SUV - whether you're looking for a commuter vehicle or an off-roader - will offer superior performance and more well rounded options than this model. So if you're in search of freedom from mediocrity, look no further than its rivals!

When you pop the hood of a Liberty, its underwhelming 210-horsepower V6 will scarcely move it out of park. While slower speeds are generally foreseeable in small SUVs, even those with four-cylinder engines like the GMC Terrain manage to provide decent fuel efficiency as an exchangeoff. Nonetheless,a 4x4 Liberty's combined mpg rate is no better than that of a much larger Chevy Tahoe which relies on a powerful 8 cylinder engine - 17mpg!

When it comes to the interior of this vehicle, there's no sugarcoating that it falls short. Hard materials and visually dull design elements make for a drab look and feel; seats are flat rather than contoured, and even basic features such as wheel telescoping go missing. To put its qualities up to par with competitors' models -- notably Jeep Grand Cherokee - an upgrade is desperately needed.

Performance & mpg

Boasting a 3.7-liter V6 engine that supplies 210 horses and 235 pound-feet of torque, the 2011 Jeep Liberty is an impressive ride. The Sport and Limited models come with either rear-wheel drive or two 4WD systems: part-time Command-Trac II or full-time Selec TracII, whereas the Renegade can only be equipped with Selec-Trac II - all connected to a dependable four speed automatic transmission for seamless shifting capabilities.

Edmunds tests revealed that the 4x4 Liberty Limited trudged along from zero to 60 mph in a disappointing 10.2 seconds, far below what is expected of most four-cylinder compact SUVs. Fuel efficiency estimates for 2WD models are 16/22/18 mpg city/highway/combined and 15/21//17 for the 4WD version; with the optional towing package, it can manage up to 5,000 pounds in tow.

Safety

As a standard, the Liberty possesses anti-lock disc brakes, stability control, active front head restraints and side curtain airbags. When tested by Edmunds brake testing professionals, the Liberty stopped from 60 mph in 134 feet - a longer time than expected.

The Jeep Liberty has yet to be tested using the stricter guidelines of the 2011 government crash testing protocols. However, its 2010 ratings can still be taken into consideration: it earned a five-star rating in all frontal and side categories from that year. Furthermore, The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety noted that the Liberty managed to acquire their highest mark - "Good" - in terms of both frontal-offset and roof strength tests; however, when subjected to side crash tests, it only achieved a second lowest score of "Marginal."

Driving

While the Jeep Liberty gives a smooth ride, its on-road handling abilities are far less impressive. Its 3.7-liter V6 engine is drained of power and unable to match competitive compact SUVs in terms of acceleration. However, it still lives up to Jeep's high standards off-road with excellent mobility and control over rough terrain.

Interior

The Liberty's cabin has a bland and boxy appearance, with material quality that could easily be mistaken for a storage shed. In comparison to other non-Jeep SUVs, the insides of the Limited are more comfortable due to additional padding and leather features. Nonetheless, it is still far from welcoming or luxurious. On the upside though - one can easily find their way around its basic controls as they have been thoughtfully placed throughout the cabin...except when utilizing an optional touchscreen interface which tends to be counterintuitive at times!