Safety

One thing I really missed in the Liberty was a backup camera; it comes with an optional parking assist system, which includes a sonar-based warning system with audio and visual alerts. For a smaller SUV, the Liberty is still tall. If one of my children were standing behind it, there's no way I could see them because the rear window is too high off the ground.

The Liberty comes with four-wheel-disc antilock brakes, stability control and traction control. It also comes with front-impact and side curtain airbags for both rows, but there are no side-impact airbags for front passengers.

The Liberty received a Good rating in frontal-offset crash tests from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. However, it only scored a Marginal in side-impact testing and a Poor in the rear crash test. Yikes! While the Liberty appears to deliver a solid, tank-like ride, I'd say this little SUV needs to head back to boot camp for additional safety training!

FAMILY LIFESTAGE

In Diapers: There's plenty of room for all types of child-safety seats and baby gear.

In School: Kids will probably get dirty when they climb in, but there's plenty of space in the backseat for them.

Teens: This is a cool-looking car with plenty of fun features - Sky Slider - to play with.

    See also:

    Child-Protection Door Lock System — Rear Doors
    To provide a safer environment for small children riding in the rear seats, the rear doors are equipped with a Child-Protection Door Lock system. To use the system, open each rear door, use a fla ...

    Normal Starting
    Using The ENGINE START/STOP Button NOTE: Normal starting of either a cold or a warm engine is obtained without pumping or pressing the accelerator pedal. To start the engine, the transmission mu ...

    Replacing The Rear Seat — Two-Door Models
    Reverse the steps for removing the seat. WARNING! • To help protect against personal injury, passengers should not be seated in the rear cargo area with the rear seat folded down or removed from ...