Jeep Liberty (KJ)

Jeep Liberty (KJ)
Jeep Liberty (KJ)
Overview
Manufacturer	DaimlerChrysler (2002–2007)
Also called	Jeep Cherokee (outside of North America)
Production	April 2001–June 2007
Model years	2002–2007
Designer	Bob Boniface (1998)
Body and chassis
Layout	Front-engine, rear-wheel drive / four-wheel drive
Related	Jeep Grand Cherokee ; Jeep Wrangler
Powertrain
Engine	2.4 L PowerTech I4 (gasoline); 2.5 L VM Motori R 425 I4 (turbo diesel); 2.8 L VM Motori R 428 I4 (turbo diesel); 3.7 L PowerTech V6 (gasoline);
Transmission	4-speed Ultradrive 42RLE automatic; 4-speed Chrysler 45RFE automatic; 5-speed Chrysler 545RFE automatic; 5-speed New Venture Gear NV1500 manual; 5-speed New Venture Gear NV3550 manual; 6-speed Chrysler NSG370 manual;
Dimensions
Wheelbase	104.3 in (2,649 mm)
Length	2001–2004: 174.2 in (4,425 mm) ; 2005–2007: 174.7 in (4,437 mm)
Width	2001–2004: 71.1 in (1,806 mm) ; 2005–2007: 71.8 in (1,824 mm)
Height	2001–204: 73.2 in (1,859 mm) ; 2005–2007: 69.8 in (1,773 mm)
Curb weight	3,508–4,312 lb (1,591–1,956 kg)
Chronology
Predecessor	Jeep Cherokee (XJ)
Successor	Jeep Liberty (KK)

Last updated December 10, 2024

The Jeep Liberty (KJ), or Jeep Cherokee (KJ) outside North America, is a compact SUV that was produced by Jeep from 2002 to 2007. Introduced in May 2001 as a replacement for the Cherokee (XJ), the unibody Liberty was priced between the Wrangler and Grand Cherokee. It was the smallest of the 4-door Jeep SUVs up until the car platform based 4-door Compass and Patriot arrived for 2007.

Description

Inspired by styling from the Dakar^[1] and Jeepster^[2] concept vehicles, the Liberty was designed by Bob Boniface in 1998.^[3] Intended as a replacement for the discontinued Jeep Cherokee (XJ), the Liberty was the first Jeep vehicle to use rack and pinion steering^[4] and the two then-new PowerTech engines: the 150 horsepower (110 kW) 2.4 L straight-4, which was discontinued in 2006, and the 210 horsepower (160 kW) 3.7 L V6. However, the Liberty was not the first Jeep vehicle to use an independent front suspension, as the Jeep Wagoneer first used it in the 1963 model. But, that independent front suspension was limited to four wheel drive versions and, even then, was a short lived option.^[5] The Liberty was nominated for the North American Truck of the Year award for 2002.

Three trim levels were initially offered; the top end Limited, a more rugged looking Renegade and the base Sport. All were made available with either 2WD or 4WD. In July 2004 for the 2005 model year, the Liberty received a mid-cycle facelift. The 2005, 2006 Renegade and 2005 Rocky Mountain Edition Liberties received an exclusive flat hood and taller grille. In 2007, the Renegade trim level was replaced with the Latitude which appeared to focus more on an urban appearance and lost the Renegade trim's unique hood and grille.

Trim Levels and Equipment

The Liberty KJ was offered in three basic trim levels, each offering their own level of standard and optional equipment:

Sport: The Sport served as the "base" model. It offered the following standard equipment: a 2.4L "Power-Tech" Inline Four-Cylinder (I4) engine, a five-speed manual transmission, sixteen-inch (16") steel wheels, an AM/FM stereo with cassette player (later, a single-disc CD player), a six-speaker audio system, cloth seating surfaces, dual manually-adjustable front bucket seats, a split-folding rear bench seat, full instrumentation, manual windows and door locks (power windows and door locks became standard equipment starting in 2005), gray front and rear bumpers and body side cladding panels, and a rear-mounted spare tire and wheel.

Optional equipment:
- Included an AM/FM stereo with single-disc CD player (this later became standard equipment), power windows and door locks with keyless entry and automatic front windows, (also later became standard equipment), an Infinity premium amplified audio system, aluminum-alloy wheels, a full-size spare tire and wheel (this later became standard equipment), air conditioning (also later became standard equipment), a four-speed automatic transmission, a 3.7L "Power-Tech" V6 engine, a 2.8L Common-Rail Diesel (CRD) engine, a five-speed automatic transmission, and front-mounted fog lamps. "Special-Edition" models of the Liberty KJ, such as the 2003 Freedom Edition, the 2004 Columbia Edition, the 2005 and 2007 Rocky Mountain Edition, and the 2006 65th Anniversary Edition, were all based on the base Sport trim level.

Renegade: The Renegade served as the "off-road-ready" model of the Jeep Liberty between midyear 2002 and 2007. Based on the base Sport' model, it added the following equipment: a 3.7L "Power-Tech" V6 engine, power windows and door locks with keyless entry, cloth-and-vinyl-trimmed seating surfaces, air conditioning, sixteen-inch (16") color-keyed aluminum-alloy wheels (in Cactus Green, Mineral Gray, or Light Khaki), gray front and rear decorative wheel flares, Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS), front-mounted fog lamps, and an AM/FM stereo with single-disc CD player.

Optional equipment:
- Included seventeen-inch (17") chrome-clad aluminum-alloy wheels, roof-mounted "Off-Road" lamps, an Infinity premium audio system, leather-trimmed seating surfaces, low-back front bucket seats, a power tilt-and-sliding sunroof, and a four-speed automatic transmission.

Limited Edition: The Limited Edition was the top-of-the-line model. It added the following equipment to the Renegade trim level: a 3.7L "Power-Tech" V6 engine, a four-speed automatic transmission, sixteen-inch (16") aluminum-alloy wheels (later seventeen-inch (17")), color-keyed front and rear bumpers, chrome body side cladding panels, an AM/FM stereo with single-disc CD player, security system, power-adjustable front driver's bucket seat, air conditioning, front-mounted fog lamps, an overhead Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC), and premium cloth seating surfaces with low-back front bucket seats.

Optional equipment:
- Included an AM/FM stereo with Radio Data System (RDS) and cassette and single-disc CD players (later, a six-disc, in-dash CD changer), an Infinity premium amplified audio system, luxury leather-trimmed seating surfaces, dual heated front bucket seats, a power-adjustable front passenger's bucket seat, seventeen-inch (17") chrome-clad aluminum-alloy wheels, Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS), a 2.8L Common-Rail Diesel (CRD) engine, a five-speed automatic transmission, and a power tilt-and-sliding sunroof.

CRD in North America

In 2005, DaimlerChrysler began offering a diesel engine to the North American market to gauge the marketability of diesel engines in North America. The last North American market Jeep product that was offered with a diesel engine was the 1987 Jeep Cherokee and Comanche. Only available for the 2005 and 2006 model years in Sport and Limited trims and only with an automatic transmission, the 2.8L VM Motori R 428 I4 common rail turbo diesel or CRD exceeded expectations by selling 10,000 vehicles in its first calendar year of production. The diesel utilized a variable geometry turbocharger and generated 160 horsepower (120 kW) and 295 lb⋅ft (400 N⋅m) of torque. The diesel offered 60 more foot-lbs of torque than the comparable V6 gasoline engine and offered higher fuel efficiency^[6] but it added nearly 200 pounds (91 kg) to the curb weight, a price increase, and offered less peak output power. The CRD was prohibited from being sold in Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, New York, and California due to their higher emission standards and was discontinued for the 2007 model year due to stricter federal emission standards in the United States. The next year Jeep offered the Jeep Grand Cherokee with a diesel engine option, which was legal for emissions in all fifty US states.

Four wheel drive systems

The Liberty is available with either a part-time Command-Trac or full-time Selec-Trac transfer case.

The Command-Trac transfer case has four positions: 2-HI, 4-HI, Neutral, and 4-LO. The lever is placed in 2WD HI for regular driving. This allows the two rear tires to receive power. The second position, 4WD HI, is used for driving on slippery or loose surfaces. This position locks both the front and rear drive shafts together allowing the vehicle to maintain drive as long as at least one axle has traction. The third position, Neutral, disengages both drive shafts from the transfer case allowing the car to roll freely; this is used for towing behind another vehicle, for example. The last position, 4WD LO is used for situations requiring higher torque or slow speed when traversing rough terrain. A common misconception is that 4WD LO provides more traction. It only changes the gear ratio and does not add any more friction between the tires and the driving surface. This position, like 4WD HI locks both the front and rear drive shafts together, and by using a lower gear ratio, allows for 2.72 times more torque (however, the speed is limited to around 25 MPH max). Turning while in 4WD HI or LO on dry pavement is hazardous to vehicle components, through driveline binding and wheel-hop.

The Selec-Trac transfer case has five positions: 2-HI, 4-HI Part-Time, 4-HI Full-Time, Neutral, and 4-LO. The transfer case is different from the Command-Trac transfer only in the extra 4WD HI Full-Time position. The 4WD HI Full-Time position adds the same traction benefits that the part-time 4WD setting offers, but features an open differential between the front and rear axles to allow the two axles to spin at independent speeds and eliminate drive line binding and wheel-hop. The down side of 4WD Hi Full-Time is that, due to the open differential between front and rear drive lines, at times the drive train will only deliver power to the front or the rear e.g. when the front of the vehicle has reached a high traction surface such as dry pavement and the rear is in sand, the rear tires will spin with 100% of engine power, the front receiving no traction. Under equal traction conditions (front-rear) this position gives the rear wheels 52% of the engine's power and the front wheels 48% of the engine's power. The division of power and open center differential allows the Selec-Trac transfer case to be operated at all times in an "All Wheel Drive" mode with no adverse effects.

Government/Fleet use

Even though no special Jeep Liberty was introduced in 2002 for police use, police and rental agencies continue to purchase it for fleet use. Most are equipped with the 3.7L "Power-Tech" V6 Engine that produces 210 horsepower mated to a 4-Speed Automatic Transmission, however, some fleet Liberties used a 2.4L I4 Engine that produced about 150 horsepower with a 4-Speed Automatic Transmission. In 2008, when the Jeep Liberty was fully redesigned, the I4 engine was dropped, and the V6 engine was the only engine choice, as was the 4-Speed Automatic Transmission. Most fleet and government Liberties also use either the Selec-Trac or Selec-Trac II 4WD Systems, but some Liberties used 2WD.

Since it was introduced in April 2001 as a 2002 Model Year vehicle to the time it was discontinued in 2007, the Liberty KJ also found its way into rental car fleets. Most rental Liberty KJ's were the V6-powered Sport models with automatic transmissions and 4WD.

International versions

Numerous versions were available in markets outside the U.S. and Canada.

Early-2002 through mid-2003 model year CRDs were equipped with a 2.5lt VM Motori Diesel producing 105 kW (143 PS; 141 hp) and 343 N⋅m (253 lb⋅ft). An external wastegated turbo was standard and the engine was available only with a manual transmission.

A commercial Cherokee version with 2.5 CRD engine and five-speed transmission rated at 34.4 miles per imperial gallon (8.2 L/100 km; 28.6 mpg_‑US) has a completely flat cargo area (the rear seat area has a carpeted full-length galvanized metal floor) and the rear quarter glass and rear door glass is replaced with fixed body colored aluminum panels (the front doors have power windows). For additional cargo security a removable floor to ceiling metal and mesh bulkhead is optional. In European markets, VAT registered buyers can claim back the tax paid as this qualifies as a Commercial Vehicle.

Arab American Vehicles Company (a joint venture) assembles the Jeep Cherokee (Liberty) for the Egyptian market.
Carabobo Assembly Plant (DaimlerChrysler de Venezuela) assembles the Jeep Cherokee (Liberty) in Valencia, Carabobo for the Venezuelan market.

Assembly

The Liberty was assembled at the Toledo North Assembly Plant in the United States, as well as in other countries including Egypt and Venezuela.

U.S. sales

Calendar Year	Sales
2001	88,485
2002	171,212
2003	162,987
2004	167,376
2005	166,883
2006	133,557

Related Research Articles

The Jeep Grand Cherokee is a range of mid-size SUVs produced by the American manufacturer Jeep. At its introduction, while most SUVs were still manufactured with body-on-frame construction, the Grand Cherokee has used a unibody chassis from the start.

The Jeep Liberty is a four door unibody compact SUV manufactured and marketed by Jeep for model years 2002–2012 over two generations, internally designated the KJ (2002–2007) and KK (2008–2012), respectively. Both generations were marketed globally, including as the Jeep Cherokee outside North America.

The Jeep Comanche is a pickup truck variant of the Cherokee compact SUV (1984–1992) manufactured and marketed by Jeep for model years 1986-1992 in rear wheel (RWD) and four-wheel drive (4WD) models as well as two cargo bed lengths: six-foot and seven-foot.

The Jeep Wagoneer is a luxury 4x4 produced and marketed under the Jeep brand from the 1963 to 1991 model years. Introduced as the replacement for the Jeep Station Wagon, the Wagoneer was the first Jeep model line completely distinct from the Jeep CJ. Designed as a truck-based station wagon, the model line became a progenitor of the modern sport-utility vehicle (SUV).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeep Commander (XK)</span> American mid-size SUV

The Jeep Commander is a mid-size SUV that was manufactured from 2005 to 2010 by the Jeep division of the American manufacturer Chrysler.

The Jeep Compass is a compact crossover SUV introduced for the 2007 model year, and is currently in its second generation. The first generation Compass and Patriot, its rebadged variant, were among Jeep's first crossover SUVs. The second-generation Compass debuted in September 2016 in Brazil and at the Los Angeles International Auto Show in November 2016, sharing a modified platform with the Renegade. It is positioned between the smaller Renegade and the larger Cherokee globally or the Commander in South America.

The Jeep Patriot (MK74) is a front-engine five-door compact crossover SUV manufactured and marketed by Jeep, having debuted with the Jeep Compass in April 2006 at the New York Auto Show for the 2007 model year. Both cars, as well as the Dodge Caliber, shared the GS platform, differentiated by their styling and marketing, with the Patriot exclusively offering a four-wheel drive system, marketed as Freedom Drive II.

Jeep uses a variety of four-wheel drive systems on their vehicles. These range from basic part-time systems that require the driver to move a control lever to send power to four wheels, to permanent four-wheel systems that monitor and sense traction needs at all four wheels automatically under all conditions.

The Jeep Cherokee (XJ) is a sport utility vehicle manufactured and marketed across a single generation by Jeep in the United States from 1983 through 2001 — and globally through 2014. It was available in two- or four-door, five-passenger, front-engine, rear- or four-wheel drive configurations.

The Jeep Cherokee(KL) is a compact crossover SUV that was manufactured and marketed by the Jeep marque of Stellantis North America. Introduced for model year 2014 at the 2013 New York International Auto Show, sales began in November 2013. It occupied a position between the smaller Compass and the larger Grand Cherokee in Jeep's global lineup.

The Jeep Wrangler (JK) is the third generation of the Jeep Wrangler off-road vehicle. The Wrangler was unveiled at the 2006 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the JK series 2007 Wrangler Unlimited at the 2006 New York Auto Show.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee (ZJ) is the first generation of the Jeep Grand Cherokee sport utility vehicle. Introduced in 1992 for the 1993 model year, development of the ZJ Grand Cherokee started under American Motors Corporation (AMC) as a mid-sized successor to the compact Jeep Cherokee (XJ) intended to replace both it and the aging Jeep Wagoneer (SJ) and was continued after the company was acquired by Chrysler in 1987.

The Jeep Liberty (KK), or Jeep Cherokee (KK) outside North America, is a compact SUV that was manufactured by Jeep and Introduced in 2008 as a successor to the first generation Liberty (KJ). The Liberty features unibody-construction and was assembled at the Toledo North Assembly Plant in the United States and other countries including Egypt and Venezuela. In 2010 Jeep estimated that 70% of Liberty buyers were first time Jeep owners.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee (WJ) is the second generation of the Jeep Grand Cherokee sport utility vehicle. Unveiled in Detroit, Michigan, on June 16, 1998, production lasted until 2004 in the US, continuing in foreign markets until 2005. The WJ was completely overhauled from its ZJ predecessor, and was renowned for its off-road capability. Jeep marketed the (WJ) as "the most capable SUV ever."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeep Grand Cherokee (WK)</span> Motor vehicle

The third-generation Jeep Grand Cherokee (WK) is a mid-size SUV that was manufactured and marketed by Jeep from the 2005 to the 2010 model years. It was unveiled at the 2004 New York International Auto Show and subsequently in Europe at Euro Camp Jeep in Ardèche, France.

The Jeep Renegade is a subcompact crossover SUV produced by Stellantis under their Jeep marque. It was first shown to the public in March 2014 at the Geneva Motor Show and production started in late August of that year. The Renegade was the smallest vehicle currently marketed by Jeep, until the arrival of the Avenger. It slots between the Avenger and the Compass. It is based on the FCA Small Wide 4×4 platform which is also shared with other FCA models, including from Fiat and Alfa Romeo brands.

The fourth-generation Jeep Grand Cherokee (WK2) is a mid-size SUV produced by the American marque Jeep from mid-2010 to 2022. It was introduced in 2010 for the 2011 model year by Jeep. The unveiling took place at the 2009 New York Auto Show, where it received 30 awards.

The Jeep Wrangler (JL) is the fourth generation of the Wrangler off-road vehicle, available in two- and four-door bodies. Unveiled at the 2017 Los Angeles Auto Show on November 29, 2017, production of the vehicle began in November 2017.

The Jeep Gladiator is a mid-size pickup truck manufactured by the Jeep division of Stellantis North America. It was introduced at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show on November 28, 2018, and went on sale in the spring of 2019 as a 2020 model. Based on the same platform as the Wrangler JL, the Gladiator is Jeep's first pickup truck since the Comanche was discontinued in 1992, although the very similar dual-cab AEV Brute was custom made using the Wrangler platform from 2013 until 2017 by American Expedition Vehicles under license.

References

↑ "Jeep Dakar Concept". Mojeepin.com. Archived from the original on 2006-05-08. Retrieved 2010-09-29.
↑ "Jeep Jeepster Concept". MoJeepin.com. Archived from the original on 2006-05-08. Retrieved 2010-09-29.
↑ "Liberty designers aimed to establish a niche".
↑ "Jeep Liberty Steering". Allpar.com. 2005-05-15. Retrieved 2010-09-29.
↑ "Bruce Rice's 1963 IFS Wagoneer 4x4". wagoneers.com. 2007-12-24. Archived from the original on 2008-07-24. Retrieved 2010-12-17.
↑ "Compare Side-by-Side". United States Environmental Protection Agency . Retrieved March 1, 2013.