2011 Jeep® Liberty remains true to its legendary 4x4 heritage

•New steering wheel and standard steering wheel controls

•New colors: Bronze Star, Blackberry Pearl Coat, Bright White Clear Coat and Deep Cherry Red Crystal Pearl Coat

•New radio and infotainment systems

The Jeep® Liberty has remained a leader in the mid-size sport-utility vehicle (SUV) segment since its introduction in 2002. The capable and popular mid-size SUV gives off-road enthusiasts and owners their own sense of personal freedom and capability that defines the Jeep brand.

For 2011, the Jeep Liberty is available in three models - Sport, Renegade and Limited. Renegade was introduced mid-way through the 2010 model year, and is equipped with features that position it between Sport and Limited with an emphasis on off-road equipment. Renegade boasts a premium, rugged appearance with standard class-leading capability features, including skid plates, tire pressure monitoring (TPM), Hill-start Assist (HSA) and Hill-decent Control (HDC), unique color fenders, fascia and headlamps. Inside, the Renegade includes a premium instrument panel with an electronic vehicle information center (EVIC) and a leather steering wheel with controls.

All Jeep Liberty models are now available with new color offerings: Bronze Star, Blackberry Pearl, Bright White Clear and Deep Cherry Red Crystal Pearl.

Also new for 2011, all Liberty models feature a new steering wheel with standard controls for radio, EVIC, cruise control and Uconnect® phone. Three new Media Centers are available in the Jeep Liberty, including:

•AM/FM/CD/DVD/MP3 and auxiliary jack with 6.5-in. touch screen and 30 GB hard drive

•AM/FM/CD/DVD/MP3 and auxiliary jack with 6.5-in. touch screen, 30 GB hard drive and Garmin navigation

•AM/FM/CD/DVD/MP3 and auxiliary jack with 6.5-in. touch screen, 30 GB hard drive, Uconnect navigation, SIRIUS Traffic and SIRIUS Travel Link

The Jeep Liberty remains true to its legendary 4x4 heritage by offering two Jeep Trail Rated® four-wheel-drive systems – Command-Trac® II and the all-new Selec-Trac® II. The Liberty features independent front suspension with rack-and-pinion steering and a five-link rear suspension.

The Liberty's exterior takes on a rugged, classic Jeep look that captivates and broadens its consumer appeal. Inside the Jeep Liberty offers cargo and storage space, and seat comfort. Jeep's Sky Slider™ full-length open-canvas roof is an industry exclusive and gives the Liberty that 'have fun out there' open-air Jeep brand experience. Remote start, memory seats, mirror and express up/down windows are part of the available features and options.

The Jeep Liberty is designed to appeal to customers who are looking for Jeep 4x4 capability as well as comfort and convenience. It is targeted to young couples and new families, as well as professional, young singles between 30 and 40 years of age, balanced male to female. Jeep Liberty owners balance day-to-day responsibilities with their passion for adventure as well as the outdoors. They are athletic, and pursue activities that combine their various interests with their active lifestyle.

by Jeep

•For 2011, the Jeep Liberty is available in three models - Sport, Renegade and Limited

•Choice of two 4x4 systems

•Selec-Trac II® four-wheel-drive system – Full-time, shift-on-the-fly, active four-wheel-drive system offers customers the benefit of a fully electronic two-speed active transfer case and brake traction control system. It instantly anticipates wheel slip and redirects torque accordingly, which is ideal for off-road or when driving in inclement weather

•Command-Trac® II four-wheel-drive system – Part-time, shift-on-the-fly, fully electronic system provides four-wheel-drive capability delivered through a two-speed transfer case for use on slippery or loose surfaces (snow, mud or sand)

•Hill-descent Control (HDC) – Allows a smooth and controlled hill descent on rough or slippery terrain without the driver needing to touch the brake pedal

•Hill-start Assist (HSA) – Assists drivers when starting a vehicle from a stop on a hill by maintaining the level of brake pressure applied for a short period of time after the driver's foot is removed from the brake pedal

•Neutral position permits flat towing a Liberty behind a motor home. A push-pin button is provided to shift the transfer case into Neutral (4WD only)

•Jeep Trail Rated® capability

On-road ride, handling, performance and fuel economy

•Independent front suspension, five-link rear suspension and rack-and-pinion steering for improved on-road ride and handling

•3.7-liter SOHC V-6 engine delivers 210 horsepower (157 kW) @ 5,200 rpm and 235 lb.-ft. (319 N•m) of torque @ 4,000 rpm and improved fuel economy

•Interactive Decel Fuel Shut Off (iDFSO)

•Fuel Saver with 'ECO' lamp indicator in cluster

•With optional trailer-tow package, Trailer-sway Control (TSC) helps reduce trailer sway and improves handling in adverse towing conditions caused by crosswinds and traffic

•Unsurpassed 5,000-lb. trailer-towing capability (when properly equipped with Trailer-tow package)

•Standard safety and security features include supplemental side-curtain air bags, electronic stability control (ESC), electronic roll mitigation (ERM) and Brake Assist, anti-lock brake system (ABS), brake traction control system and tire pressure monitoring (TPM)

Classic Jeep exterior styling with functional interior space

•Rugged appearance, flatter hood, taller seven-slot grille with encased round headlamps

•Functional interior space – standard fold-flat front-passenger seat, fold-flat second-row passenger seats and a reversible cargo floor

•Limited model features bright-side roof rails, bright front grille, fog lamps and interior details

•Sport model features standard body color fascias and wheel flares

•Renegade boasts a new premium, rugged appearance with standard class-leading capability features

Innovative premium amenities (optional)

•Industry-exclusive Sky Slider™ full-open roof available on Sport and Limited models is four times larger than a conventional sunroof

•Eight premium audio speakers and 368-watt amplifier

•Other options include power sun roof, 18-in. chrome clad aluminum wheels, automatic temperature control, Parksense® rear park assist system and remote start

•FLO TV™, SIRIUS Satellite Radio™, SIRIUS Backseat TV™, Bluetooth® handsfree phone with streaming audio feature and Uconnect Web

•Bluetooth handsfree phone (Uconnect®) – optional – Renegade, standard – Limited

by Jeep

In 2002 the first generation of the Jeep Liberty was unveiled to the public as a compact sports utility vehicle produced by the Jeep marque of Chrysler. The Liberty was a four-door car that was available in two different models, the Sport and the Limited. The sport was powered with a 150 horsepower engine with four cylinders, while the Limited featured a 210 horsepower 3.7-liter V6 engine. The Liberty was nicely appointed with 16-inch tires, heated front seats and a split rear seats could be folded down for more space. The Liberty was priced between the Wrangler and the Grand Cherokee.

The Liberty was the smallest of the 4-door Jeep SUVs until the car based 4-door Compass and Patriot arrived in 2007. The Liberty featured a uni-body-on-ladder-frame construction that added stiffness to its ride and handling, and enhanced its off-road capabilities. The Liberty was constructed at the Toledo North Assembly Plant in the U.S., and also in Egypt and Venezuela.

The Liberty wasn't the first Jeep to use an independent front suspension, it was actually the Jeep Wagoneer to first use it in the 1960s. The Wagoner was never actually put into production, due to how fast the bushings would wear out. During its first calendar year of production, Jeep exceeded their expectations by selling 10,000 Liberty CRD models. For 2002, the Jeep Liberty was nominated for the North American Truck of the year award.

The Liberty was intended as a replacement for the discontinued Jeep Cherokee and it was inspired by styling from the Dakar and Jeepster concept cars. At first three trim levels were offered, the top end Limited, a more rugged looking Renegade, and the base Sport and were available with either 2WD or 4WD.

A Renegade model of the Liberty was introduced in 2003. While the Limited model received 17-inch tires the Renegade featured a V6 engine with 210 horsepower. A system that monitored tire pressure was installed in 2004, along with a hands free cell phone. The Sport model received a CD player this year. A diesel-turbocharged engine was added to the lineup in 2005. All of the models received a fresh new look this year, and added to the list of options were satellite radio and navigation systems. The Renegade trim level was replaced with the Latitude in 2007.

The Liberty was the first Jeep to utilize two new PowerTech engines, the 150 hp 2.4 L I4 which was dropped in 2006 and the 210 hp 3.7 L V6. For the 2005-2006 Sport and Limited models, the VM Motori 2.8 L I4 common rail turbodiesel became available in CRD branded models. Generating 160 horsepower, the diesel used a variable geometry turbocharger and 295 pound-feet of torque. The diesel powerplant's overbuilt nature added nearly 200 lbs to the CRD's curb weight versus the gasoline model. The CRD was introduced by DaimlerChrysler to gauge the marketability of diesel engines in North America. The first Jeep to use rack and pinion steering was the Liberty. Due to stricter 2007 U.S. diesel emission standards, the 2.8L VM Motori CRD which had only been available in 2005 and 2006 for the Sport and Limited models was discontinued.

The Jeep Liberty was available with either a part time Command-Trac or full time Selec-Trac transfer case. The transfer case had four position; 2-HI, 4-HI, Neutral and 4-LO. For regular driving the lever is placed in 2WD HI, which allowed for the two rear tires to receive power. When driving on slippery or loose pavement one used the second position, 4WD HI. This position locked both the front and rear drive shafts together splitting engine power equally between all four tires. Neutral, the third position, disengages both drive shafts from the transfer case which allowed the car to roll freely, and this was also used for towing behind another vehicle. The final position, 4WD LO is also used when there is little traction. This final position much like 4WD HI locks both the front and rear drive shafts together, and when using a lower gear ratio, allows for 2.72 times more torque.

The second generation of the Jeep Liberty was debuted in 2007 and it was similar to the Dodge Nitro in its more ‘boxy' styling. Receiving a complete redesign for this new generation, the Liberty was built on the same platform as the Dodge Nitro. The Liberty was debuted at the 2007 New York International Auto Show. This new version came in two models, the Sport and the Limited, and a 3.7-liter V6 engine with 210 horsepower was the power for both of them.

The Sport had a manual transmission with six gears while an automatic transmission with four gears was optional. Automatic transmission came with the Limited. The Sport version was equipped with 16 inch tires, and a system that can be switched either on or off with the touch of a button, and a stereo system with six speakers and CD player. The Limited model came with 17-inch tires, adjustable driver seats with six different settings and a cruise control system. Both models offered a sunroof, CD player that can store up to six CDs and leather seats as optional. All of the Liberty models were equipped with anti-lock disc brakes and a stability control system.

Since the Patriot and Compass crossover SUVs took its place as Jeep's four-cylinder vehicles, the Liberty dropped its four-cylinder option. The only engine available for 2008 was the iron-block, aluminum-head V6. The '08 Liberty also had a towing capacity of 5,000 lbs. At this time there is no diesel mode for the U.S. Jeep. Because it couldn't meet tougher 2007 emission standards Jeep stopped building the Liberty CRD for the American market. The transmission selections are both carry-overs from previous year, a six-speed manual or a four-speed automatic.

The Jeep Liberty's standard equipment includes electronic stability control with roll mitigation, anti-lock brakes with brake assist and traction control. New features include standard side airbags. Optional features on the Jeep Liberty included the MyGig entertainment system, complete with a 30 GB hard drive, rain-sensing wipers, Sirius Satellite Radio and Bluetooth.

Two models, the Sport and the Limited were offered with wheel choices of 16-, 17- and 18-inches. The Sky Slider is the most innovative feature this year, a power roof constructed of 'reinforced acrylic cloth' that opens over the front and rear seats. With the largest opening in its class, the Sky Slider opens up to 60 inches by 30 inches. Jeep claims the concept behind this innovative design was from trying to maintain the ‘open-air feeling' from previous Jeep models, while still maintaining ‘the rigidity and safety of a sturdy frame'.

Basically the same from the previous year, the 2009 Liberty did featured stiffer rear axle shafts and retuned springs, shocks, anti-roll bars, low rollback brake calipers, steering gear valve and a revised brake pedal ratio. The six-speed manual transmission is no longer available, and the four-speed automatic is now standard.

by Jessican Donaldson