Jeep Liberty test drive since 2007 SUV

Test Jeep for Sisadmin

One computer, in our Mail.ru decided to buy a small crossover on credit. And well, he would take some Japanese for himself - there would be no questions. So no. He stated that it was precisely the classic American SUV that wanted! Moreover, the gaze fell on Dodge Caliber. Why in the head of this genius the word SUV and Dodge Caliber stood opposite each other, it is difficult to say. Sisadmin what to take from him? With great difficulty, he managed to dissuade Dodge. But when everyone seems to have relaxed, another news came instead of Dodge to buy some jeep. In general, I had to take the Jeep Liberty test and find out what this model, which recently began to enter the Russian market.
Explain in a nutshell what Jeep Liberty is how difficult is. And our UAZ is to blame for this. The fact is that all over the world a new compact Jeep model is called Patriot. In our country, this name is booked behind a new UAZ. Therefore, representatives of Jeep had to go fiction. As a result, Jeep Patriot in Russia will be sold precisely as Liberty. And in no case should it be confused with Liberty from the United States, because we have American Liberty - this is Cherokee (there is no car in the American market name now).
Now about what lies at the basis of Liberty (we will call it that way). This car is built on the platform of a well -known Dodge Caliber and Jeep Compass. And if you dig deeper, it turns out that Liberty has more distant relatives. It turns out that our popular Mitsubishi Outlander and Lancer are also made on this platform! Yes, do not be surprised, because more recently, Daimlerchrysler and Mitsubishi were friends (then joint projects were rolled up, and now Chrysler, which owns the Jeep brand, was completely separated from Daimler). But to the fact that several different cars can be made on the same platform, we have long been used to it. But why did Jeep need to produce two almost identical in size of the car is incomprehensible. After all, Jeep Compass is only half a centimeter shorter than Patriot. Something becomes clear when these cars are nearby. It becomes obvious that Compass is some kind of misunderstanding. Compass with its absurd forms looks very strange and somehow does not correspond to the legendary name of Jeep. Although we will not argue for someone compass, there were always enough originals.
Liberty is a completely different matter. It already looks like a real jeep. It contains a brutal appearance and chopped forms necessary for cars of this brand. And in the beauty contest, Liberty is unambiguously ahead of the strange Compass. Therefore, it can be assumed that the already low demand for Compass after the appearance of Liberty will generally strive for zero.
But if the appearance of Liberty deserves praise, then the insides of the car do not cause a storm of enthusiasm. Especially when compared with Japanese crossovers. Liberty meets us with a chair without developed lateral support (although, as it turned out, the seats are not annoyed), the front panel made of cheap plastic, and the overall design is also not a fountain. But now we will strike at your psyche, and you will forgive Jeep Liberty is not his best salon. In the USA, this car can now be bought for only $ 15,780! Got!?
Yes, it will be a car only with front-wheel drive and a mechanical gearbox, but with a 2.4-liter gasoline engine (170 hp), airbags, music, 16-inch discs and a condee. For comparison, our Chevrolet Niva with air conditioning costs from $ 15,600 at the current rate (without cast discs, without pillows, without music, on steel 15-inch discs). Therefore, on the one hand, it is stupid to demand from Liberty the perfect salon. But on the other hand, this jeep is not for $ 15,780 at all! In Russia, the car costs at least $ 33800 (though already with all -wheel drive and with better equipment). And $ 33,800 is already a decent amount (not to mention $ 39,200, just as much as they ask for a car with a leather salon and sophisticated music with the speakers leaning in the trunk). And for such i somehow do not want to forgive the cracks between the details of the cabin. But they are! Nevertheless, the Jeep Liberty salon is not annoying, especially if it is trimmed with skin. In addition, cheap plastic has its own plus it is easy to wash with a wet rag, you can even with washing powder! The advantage is strange, but let's not forget about it either.
A few words about power plants. Cars supplied to Russia are equipped with only two engines: a 4-cylinder diesel with a volume of 2.0 liters, which produces 140 hp. Both 310 Nm and a 2.4-liter gasoline unit (there is also a 2.0-liter gasoline engine, 156 hp, which is not imported to us).
The 2.4-liter engine also has 4 cylinders, its power is 170 hp, and the maximum torque is 220 nm. We managed to ride in cars with both the engine. Surprisingly, I liked the diesel much more! Despite the fact that it has less power, thanks to a high torque (310 nm are available, by the way, in the range from 1750 to 2500 rpm) the car rides very briskly. Formally less powerful Liberty diesel from the very beginning seemed a more dynamic machine than a 2.4-liter SUV! And later, our sensations were confirmed by technical characteristics - theoretically, Liberty 2.0 CRD can accelerate to 189 km/h, but Liberty 2.4 will not go faster than 183 km/h. True, if we actively accelerate on a diesel engine, the motor is already pressing on the ears, but we forgave it to Diesel (by the way, the German company Volkswagen supplies it to the Jeep conveyor).
In many ways, the difference in dynamics is explained by various gearboxes. The fact is that diesel is only paired with modern 6-speed mechanics. It works perfectly, only with active acceleration you have to constantly switch speeds, but this is the minus of all the manual transmission with a large number of steps. But the gasoline Liberti in the vast majority of cases has no, not an automatic. Liberty is equipped with a unavailable CVT variator. If desired, you can order 5-speed mechanics, but there are very big doubts that customers of the Jeep brand will take a pen.
And this very variator caused a lot of controversy. On the one hand, if you go calmly around the city, then the duet is a 2.4-liter engine-option is very convenient. The motor works quietly, the car is going confidently. But if there is a desire to drive, then the variator immediately begins to lose points earned in city traffic jams. When accelerating, the engine quickly gains momentum, and then hangs on one note and begins to buzz monotonously. I did not like the fact that there is a noticeable delay between pressing the gas pedal and the beginning of active acceleration. As a result, sitting at the wheel of Liberty 2.4, you somehow do not feel that 170 horses are hidden under the hood. Only the manual regime saves the situation in this case, the dynamics becomes more interesting, and the speeds themselves are turned on quickly and clearly. Therefore, if you need to overtake the truck on the jeep liberty drill, then do not be lazy and be sure to turn on the manual mode.
Management is so -so, at an average level. With a leisurely driving, the car calmly holds the asphalt, but on the winding highway driving Liberty is no longer enough feedback, the body begins to lean sideways in the turns. It is only pleasing that in the basic configuration, Jeep Liberty is equipped with a stabilization system, which, unlike many similar systems on European machines, is triggered immediately, as soon as the threat of skidding occurs. And this is good given the settings of the suspension of the game in Schumacher on Liberty can end poorly.
And that with the smoothness of the course, cars from the USA have always differed in that they can be safely driving on pardon. The European Liberty options turned out to be a little tougher than the American ones. But the cars sold in Russia can still calmly drive in our directions with a large number of small irregularities. Yes, and Liberty is also good on the country track! He calmly withstands very decent blows and allows you to blame without problems at a speed of 60-100 km/h on a country track with constant bumps. Of course, the driver in the cabin in this case will decently throw up, but the suspension does not break through! Perhaps, in the smoothness of the course, it is Liberty that is the best car among all compact crossovers.
In theory and cross -country ability should also be the best, because we have the legendary Jeep. But no! The car does not have a serious transmission, and electronic locks and variator do not allow you to feel off -road confidently. Still, Liberty is precisely a crossover for the city, even despite the possibility of forced inclusion of all-wheel drive (if this is not done, the rear axle is automatically included in the operation during slipping). We managed to travel along the mud only on a diesel liberty with a manual box. And this experience showed that such a machine with decent winter rubber on off -road feels no worse than many other city crossovers. Talking about the cross -country ability of a gasoline machine with a variator box we will not even be a classic summer rubber on the tested machine. It is possible to move out of asphalt to the snow -covered (!) Path on such Liberty, but nothing more.
What are the conclusions? Immediately you can say such cars as Toyota Rav4, Honda CR-V or Nissan X-Trail better than Jeep Liberty. Moreover, in almost all indicators. But Jeep has chances in the market, albeit small. This model has its own name, its own charisma. And some buyers who do not want to ride standard Japanese will be enough. Someone will be seduced by the lower price of Jeep Liberty compared to Japanese crossovers-an American is cheaper than $ 3000-5000. And we understand what we understood. If you want to buy yourself Dodge Caliber or Jeep Compass, then do not do it. Liberty turned out to be better and, very important, it already looks like a real SUV.
 
D. Smolyanov
 
 

Source: Auto.mail.ru