REVIEWS AND ROAD TESTS

Special status

Here’s a statistic that speaks volumes: half of all Jeep TJ buyers venture off-road, where none of the model’s supposed rivals - the Rav4, Vitara and Tracker - can keep up with it!

Its superiority is also evident when it comes to sales, where the TJ enjoys a comfortable lead, with 37% of the market segment.Fans won’t find it unusual that almost all of the TJ’s accessories appear on the option list. The list is long, so the price for the base version quickly climbs to several thousand more when you set out to dress it up properly before taking it out of the showroom. Examples? Here are two: the rear bench seat, and the mechanism used to tip over the front seat. On the latter subject, we should mention that it can accommodate two passengers over short distances, unless it’s folded down to increase cargo space, which is otherwise ridiculous. In the front, you’ll be comfortable if you can ignore the seat cushion that only provides minimal support, and that practically has you sitting on the edge of your seat as you drive.

Formerly too spread-out, instrumentation is now positioned within a cluster, which is easier to move to the right when the TJ is exported to Asia. The soft top features an efficient design, though it takes a while to get the knack of handling it.Before you get behind the TJ’s wheel, leave your prejudices behind and give even the tiniest bit of credibility to the designers’ claim to have made it more "civilized". If you need convincing, consider that the suspension now has coil springs, significantly more comfortable then the old leaf springs that used to keep the vehicle jacked up. This sport utility has greater stability and, in addition, it’s more comfortable on paved roads even though it can provide plenty of feedback as it negotiates holes and bumps on unbeaten tracks. A good thing, we must say, since braking isn’t a model of efficiency, especially without ABS (yes, that’s another option).

There are two engines available to power this "dual purpose" utility. The 2.5-liter is a big and rough four-cylinder, and with power and torque recently re-energized, it’s well- suited to the job, especially when it’s teamed with a manual transmission. The 4.0-liter in-line six-cylinder is quieter provided you avoid the three-speed automatic transmission, which adds a few decibels to the noise level.

Among other things this engine requires a 70-liter gas tank (another option) if you want reasonable range.

The off-road exploits that you can perform in a TJ leave the competition far behind. But unless you’re a diehard all- terrain fan, can you really turn a blind eye to asphalted roads and practicality, two areas where, despite remarkable improvements, the TJ demands a lot of extra thought? In short, are you sure you can spend 12 happy months behind this model’s wheel? Not me!

PROS
Exceptional off-road capabilities
Smooth six-cylinder
Better stability on paved surfaces

CONS
Skittish suspension
Rough four-cylinder
Long options list

CRASH TEST (five stars indicate the best protection)
Driver: * * * *
Passenger: no data

REVIEWS AND ROAD TESTS

Wild and urban jungles

Between progress and stagnation lies a gap in which the Jeep brand got stuck by keeping the Cherokee alive too long (more than 15 years) while competitors launched new, aggressive models (Escape, Tribute, Xterra, etc.).

The eldest of the category is taking a well-deserved retirement to be replaced by the Liberty, a new utility that not only must cater to true-grit Jeep lovers ’ expectations, but also invite city-sleekers like myself in driving it through the urban jungle.

Probably blinded, and somewhat enchanted, by the round headlights and the painted and striped grille of the Liberty, true-grit and newbies alike might think this is a toy. With attractive and popular looks, the Liberty refreshes a segment where all models end up looking alike.

The Jeep expert will find that in the Liberty, most accessories are optional. The list is so long that the Limited edition, priced at $25,560, quickly gains $6,745 to dress it up at the dealer.Rear seat passengers will benefit from the sunny interior ’ s wide windows. But like the former Cherokee, the rear doors are quite narrow, which makes access more tedious and limits legroom. The front seats are more welcoming. The surprisingly thin dashboard ( like on the TJ ) has a new look. Major controls are handy, with the exception of the power windows, located under the front seats. Finding a comfortable driving position is uneasy; the seat is de-centered and lacks support. On the Limited edition, leather seats are standard, and for $299 more, there are heated.

One word on the trunk, which is no larger than necessary. Fortunately, the rear seat can be partly folded to increase cargo space. The rear hatch is horizontal, which is less than practical in tight spaces. The problem can be partly avoided by lifting the rear glass open.

How does Jeep increase its client base without betraying its own legend among off-road drivers? This has been Jeep ’ s dilemma for many years. The now German-American firm has to find ways to preserve the roughrider qualities of its vehicles while satisfying a clientele merely looking for the look of the vehicle. Coil springs are at the root of this compact utility ’ s suspension, with the clear objective of stabilizing and making the ride more comfortable on asphalt roads. There are other improvement, too: the chassis is longer and more rigid than that of the late Cherokee, the wheelbase is longer, rear and front wheel spans have been increased and larger tires are used.

The objective is reached and it is a fact that the Liberty is clearly more pleasant to drive on a daily basis than its famous predecessor, which would faithfully transmit every jolt in the pavement at full strength. While the Liberty is more comfortable, designers are positive that off-road qualities re untouched and that this tough will get going when the going gets tough. A transfer box will help the Liberty get out of trouble, while most competitors may not.

Along with the brand new suspension, a brand new rack and pinion steering replaces Jeep ’ s traditional ball system. More accurate, it is nonetheless heavier at low speeds. Shorter than the Cherokee, the Liberty doesn ’ t seem one bit more nimble. Urban driving, with the huge 12-meter turning radius, is no easy task, especially in narrow places.

Jeep motorists are proving that nothing beats an old recipe with a touch of novelty. The 3.7-litre V6 found in the Limited edition (optional on the Sport trim) is derived from the 4.7-litre V8 found on the Grand Cherokee among others. If it proves reliable, this new power plant will have no trouble making us forget the 4.0-litre Straight 6. It comes with a choice of four-speed automatic, sometimes brisk, or a 5-speed manual. This last choice will be offered this fall, along with the PT Cruiser ’ s 2.4-litre four-cylinder on entry models. According to DaimlerChrysler, three of every ten buyers will trust the four-cylinder engine. But my warning is that considering the weight of the vehicle, the 4 ’ s 150 hp will soon be short of breath.

Let ’ s say a few words on fuel consumption, one of the weak points of this new Liberty. We didn ’ t drive this Jeep for long, but its best performance has been 13.1 L/100 km.

This is high considering the competition ’ s sobriety. Braking is done with a classic disk-drum combo, equipped with optional ABS. In spite of a few flaws, this Jeep Liberty is to be considered in the compact sport utility vehicle segment.

PROS
Visual appeal
Strong monoframe
Beefy components

CONS
Low fuel mileage
V6 needs more HP
Bad rear visibility

REVIEWS AND ROAD TESTS

In-fighting
 
The Grand Cherokee was rejuvenated 3 years ago. Despite a vaguely familiar appearance, only 127 components from the former generation are back on the current one. Curiously, this Jeep is now part of the DaimlerChrysler family, which also includes a serious competitor, the Mercedes-Benz ML.In spite of an entirely redesigned dashboard, the instruments remain typical of most Chrysler products. Although seats are inviting and comfortable, rear doors are too narrow, a flaw carried over from the old models! The spare tire has been removed from the cargo area and is now stored under the vehicle’s floor.The optional engine, which is the more interesting choice, is a 4.7-liter SOHC V8 with a 260-hp output. Featuring a design that is totally different from the 5.2- and 5.9-liter V8s it has replaced, this unit is more efficient from every standpoint; it is more environment-friendly and offers slightly better fuel economy (approximately one mile per gallon better than the 5.2-liter). Of course, the base engine remains the venerable 4.0-liter in-line six-cylinder, also revised. The automatic transmission, also redesigned, includes a fairly unusual feature: a variable second gear ratio, one for upshifting and the other for kickdown. The optional Quadra-Drive transfer box incorporates a progressive, speed-sensing torque transfer differential. Combined with the Vari-Lok system on the front and rear axles, which also react to torque, the Quadra-Drive helps the Grand Cherokee pull itself out of any jam as long as there is traction to at least one wheel.

We found the Grand Cherokee equipped with the V8 to be a very quiet and very comfortable vehicle, not to mention the fact that the engine provides surprisingly good acceleration and pick-up given the vehicle’s weight - very possibly the best in this market niche, as a matter of fact. This model’s quiet and smooth ride will no doubt impress many a luxury car owner. The new steering system keeps the vehicle right on course and you won’t even know the Quadra-Drive transfer box is there, since it works like a regular all-wheel drive system. As for the six-cylinder, we found it to be as responsive and energetic as always. It’s also smoother than before, but the Selec-Trac transfer box is still balky and hard to use. Lastly, on a brief but particularly demanding off-road foray, we saw proof that the Grand Cherokee is very agile even on virtually impassable terrain.

PROS
Pleasant V8 engine
Remarkable handling
Off-road capabilities

CONS
Narrow rear doors
Ancient transfer box (base model)
Sluggish 4.0-liter engine

CRASH TEST (five stars indicate the best protection)
Driver: * * *
Passenger: * * * *