Going & Stopping

The Liberty may have gotten all-new sheet metal and a different interior, but its engine is exactly the same. The 210-horsepower V-6 is completely adequate, especially at highway cruising speeds. It takes time to charge off the line, but you expect that in a 4,220-pound four-wheel-drive SUV. On inclines, you can take your foot off the brake without rolling backward or forward, which is helpful on road and off. Highway passing, which is one of the more important performance aspects, was adequate.

Braking was responsive — not grippy in the least and very intuitive. Brakes aren't normally a Jeep strong suit, but here they are definitely above-average.

    See also:

    Cargo
    The Compass boasts a hard-floor cargo area as a plus. Personally I prefer carpet back there, mainly because my dog — a boxer — hates standing on the slick plastic when the back seats are flipp ...

    Traction Downhill
    Shift the transmission into a low gear, and the transfer case into 4WD LOW range. Let the vehicle go slowly down the hill with all four wheels turning against engine compression drag. This will ...

    Front And Side Impact Sensors
    In front and side impacts, front and side impact sensors can aid the ORC in determining the appropriate response to certain impact events. ...