The Jeep Liberty offers a pleasant driving experience. The ride is generally firm, but the Liberty smoothes over most bumps and is never punishing, even with the available 18-inch wheels.

When it comes to handling, the Liberty is relatively tall and heavy, so it is not as nimble as most of its compact SUV competitors. It leans more than most in turns and struggles to regain composure in quick changes of direction. Its solid axle rear suspension is designed for towing capability and off-road capability.

For 2009, Jeep has stiffened the Liberty's rear axle shafts and retuned the springs, shocks, anti-roll bars and steering gear valve, for a more precise, linear feel on the road. We don't doubt that these changes improve the Liberty's handling somewhat, but it is unlikely that they provide any fundamental change in its dynamics. Additionally, a re-tuned brake booster, low rollback calipers, and a revised brake pedal ratio promise better feedback through the brake pedal.

In off-road conditions, however, the Liberty is quite capable. With generous approach and departure angles and low-range gearing for 4x4 models, it can crawl over large rocks and logs. Four-wheel-drive models have Hill Descent Control, which pulses the brakes through the ABS to limit the vehicle's speed when driving down steep grades. Hill Start Assist is also standard. It holds the brakes on hills when the driver releases the pedal to prevent the vehicle from sliding backward. We drove the Liberty on a technically challenging off-road trail where it performed well.

With the available towing package, the Liberty is capable of pulling a load up to 5000 pounds. This towing capability combined with the Liberty's off-road prowess make it a good choice for families that like to camp, ski, or vacation at locations off the beaten path.

The 3.7-liter V6 is only adequate in this vehicle. It has decent pickup from a stop, but doesn't provide the willing punch to make passing easy. The four-speed automatic transmission kicks down readily to provide what passing power there is. Last year's standard six-speed manual transmission let the driver keep the engine in its power band more often; unfortunately, it is no longer available.

With EPA fuel economy rating of 16 mpg City and 22 Highway with 2WD (and 15/21 for 4x4 models), the Liberty is harder on fuel than most of its competitors.