2005 Jeep Liberty

The 2005 Jeep Liberty is an excellent SUV for consumers who want a vehicle with excellent off-roading capability. The Liberty struggles to match other SUVs when it comes to on-road performance, but it’s capable of going places that other SUVs can’t. With a new diesel engine, the Liberty gets decent fuel economy and tow a good amount of cargo.

A compact SUV, the 2005 Jeep Liberty seats five people and is offered in three trims: Sport, Renegade and Limited Edition. Three engines are available. There are two four-cylinder options, and a V6 is available. A manual transmission is standard, and an automatic transmission is optional. Rear-wheel drive is the standard layout, and four-wheel drive is available.

The 2005 Liberty benefits from the addition of all-new diesel engine and a refreshed exterior and interior.

Exterior

There’s no mistaking the Liberty for anything other than a Jeep. With circular headlights, Jeep’s iconic seven-slot grille and chunky fenders on all four corners, the Liberty clearly is a rugged SUV. A boxy design helps give the SUV its go-anywhere-and-do anything attitude. At the back, the spare tire is prominently housed on the liftgate that swings out instead of up.

Standard features on the Liberty Sport include manual side-view mirrors, 16-inch wheels, variably intermittent windshield wipers, all-season tires and a full-size spare. Available features include heated side-view mirrors, a sunroof, 17-inch wheels, a roof rack and fog lights.

Interior

The 2005 Liberty’s interior puts ruggedness first, just like its sheet metal. Materials can’t match what other competitors offer, but they’re durable and easy to clean, which is important when traversing rough terrain. The cabin features plenty of circular touches, such as the air vents, controls for the climate control system and gauges in the instrument cluster. All of the Liberty’s seats are comfortable and, thanks to the SUV’s boxy design, offer occupants with a lot of headroom. Cargo space in the Liberty is competitive with the compact segment. The SUV has 29 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats. With the rear seats folded down, the Liberty has a total of 69 cubic feet.

Fabric upholstery, an electric rear window, manual windows and a 65/35-split rear bench seat are standard. Available features include air conditioning, leather upholstery, heated front seats, power windows and an auto-dimming rearview mirror.

Performance

There are three available engines for the Liberty. The base engine is a 2.4-liter four-cylinder that makes 150 horsepower and 165 pound-feet of torque. A larger 3.7-liter V6 produces 210 horsepower and 235 pound-feet of torque. A five-speed manual transmission is standard for both engines, and a four-speed automatic is offered. A new turbocharged 2.7-liter diesel engine is new to the lineup for 2005. The engine is rated at 160 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. The diesel is available only with the automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive is standard, and four-wheel drive is optional.

Fuel economy is best for a Liberty with the diesel engine. With that engine, the SUV can get up to 19/24 mpg city/highway, according to the EPA. Without the diesel, the Liberty is rated to get up to 18/24 mpg.

Technology

Technology is not one of the Liberty’s strong suits, as the SUV lacks the same safety features found on some rivals, such as the Toyota RAV4. The SUV comes with a six-speaker sound system, power outlet and a CD player as standard. Available features include cruise control, remote keyless entry, Bluetooth, a six-disc CD changer, tire pressure monitors, an Infinity audio system, a 12-volt power outlet and a universal garage door opener.