Is This The End of Jeep Liberty?
Chrysler announced that by 2012 production of either the Jeep Liberty or Dodge Nitro will be phased out due to low sales (and probably Chrysler budget issues as well). Why one of those two SUV’s? Both are made on a similar truck frame at the same assembly line, so cutting the low-seller would make sense for belt-tightening – but which vehicle will make the cut?
Not only are both SUV’s built on similar chassis, they both roll off the Toledo, OH assembly line – so a cut in vehicle production falls on worried ears to those working in the plant. But cutting production may no be the case at all. Since Chrysler is trying to merge all its makes under one flag. Their strategy may be to merely combine nameplates in 2012 – it will either give consumers the Dodge-Jeep Nirto or Jeep-Dodge Liberty. So who will go, and who will survive? Hard to say at this point – although the Liberty has an advantage just in recognition alone, having been around longer than Dodge’s Nirto. Also not helping the Nitro’s case is its 44% drop in sales overall. Liberty fans should keep their fingers crossed.
pictured above – 2006 Jeep Liberty, below is the 2008 Liberty
Time to do some homework folks. The Liberty is NOT built on a truck frame, it’s a unibody. It’s also one of only two that come trail rated as off the line models. Wrangler and Liberty enjoy that rating.
You were right on the unibody, and that’s great about the trail rating, but is that honestly doing any of the suburban mothers and fathers buying Liberty’s or the college kids buying Wranglers? Maybe if you have drive through New England winters.
Jeep Cherokee and now Liberty have been Unibody for years.. My 85 Cherokee Larado,, was unibody and lasted for years,, Pulled Horse Trailers,, Boats.. etc..
The Liberty is a fun vehicle, sits up higher, can navigate trails, blast through snow banks, and tow some pounds. The opportunities are: Improve mpg, while keeping performance, e.g. put the Penestar engine in it sooner than later; lengthen the front seats (the front seats of the 2002 – 2007 are just a bit short in length, and my wife prefers her KIA Sorrento seats for trips). The only other issue with my 2002 was that ABS was not on the car. It like to slide in the snow, toward the ditch, or down the boat ramp with an 18′ inboard attached (had to creep along) LOL.