Jeep has a real conundrum on its hands. Diehard off-roading loyalists want every Jeep to be capable of conquering mule paths and mud bogs. But the RAV4, CR-V, and Santa Fe buyers that Jeep would like to entice don't care about rock-crawling prowess. They care about modern amenities such as hitting 70 mph highway speeds with low noise and vibration and little harshness; carlike handling; and reliability. All-wheel drive is fine if it gets you out of the driveway on a snowy morning, but that's as much Trail Rating as they need.
We think that means Chrysler is going to push back against those sensitive Jeep fans, hard. That translates to a Liberty that is a Jeep in name but carries the same chassis that undergirds the new Dodge Dart. Expect a fully independent suspension and 4WD but no low range, even if hill-descent control is an option. There's also rumor of an all-new V-6 (the outgoing 3.7-liter V-6 was anemic, unrefined, and thirsty), and a ZF-sourced nine-speed automatic. That would mean a whopping five more forward gears than the outdated four-speed auto in the old Liberty (pictured above). The base Liberty could have the same 1.4-liter turbo deployed in the new Dart, and, though it is sacrilege to some Jeep fans, front-wheel drive
We think that means Chrysler is going to push back against those sensitive Jeep fans, hard. That translates to a Liberty that is a Jeep in name but carries the same chassis that undergirds the new Dodge Dart. Expect a fully independent suspension and 4WD but no low range, even if hill-descent control is an option. There's also rumor of an all-new V-6 (the outgoing 3.7-liter V-6 was anemic, unrefined, and thirsty), and a ZF-sourced nine-speed automatic. That would mean a whopping five more forward gears than the outdated four-speed auto in the old Liberty (pictured above). The base Liberty could have the same 1.4-liter turbo deployed in the new Dart, and, though it is sacrilege to some Jeep fans, front-wheel drive
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