Say Goodbye to a Real "Trail-Rated" Liberty by ~2013

Cobalt-60 · **Posted:** Mon Nov 14, 2011 7:21 pm

http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2011/11/jeep-liberty-replacement-may-become-car-based-crossover.html

http://www.leftlanenews.com/jeep-to-detail-liberty-replacement-next-week.html

http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20111114/OEM01/311149946/1252

http://www.allpar.com/model/upcoming.html

Sounds like we are gonna get a soft-roader crossover replacement. Let's see what they say on Wednesday (16th) from Toledo. Doesn't look good though.

STINGN · **Posted:** Mon Nov 14, 2011 9:15 pm

at the same time im excited to see it...but im really upset

JL Rockies · **Posted:** Tue Nov 15, 2011 12:26 pm

The whole Jeep line-up will get softer. I've been sayin'

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Tue Nov 15, 2011 11:57 pm

I wish Jeep made a bigger SUV, something similar to the Commander, but even bigger. I also wouldn’t mind a Jeep pickup. The new Liberty doesn’t impress me, nor does the new Grand Cherokee, Compass, or Patriot. Looks like the JK will be an easy decision in a few years. :rockon:

Albert · **Posted:** Wed Nov 16, 2011 9:31 am

Looks like my next jeep will be a JK.

:JEEPIN:

liquidxit2 · **Posted:** Wed Nov 16, 2011 10:22 am

If the powers that be (fiat) get their way the wrangler will have independent suspension and will lack much of what made it a great jeep. It already has lost alot of its trademark jeep spartan features to make it a more friendly vehicle to those who wouldnt touch a wrangler before. Just waititng for them to make the next move towards making the wrangler into an actual car...

Oh and this is why I dont think Ill be buying any new jeeps at least in the foreseable future.

JL Rockies · **Posted:** Wed Nov 16, 2011 3:24 pm

The Wrangler will have IFS too. I've been sayin' that too.

Cobalt-60 · **Posted:** Wed Nov 16, 2011 5:14 pm

I don't personally agree with this assessment of the Liberty, but I understand that the market may:

"The problem with the Jeep [Liberty] is, in a lot of cases, they have more capability than the customer is ever going to use"

http://www.macon.com/2011/11/16/1788414/chrysler-to-invest-17-billion.html

Interesting sales figures too. Not much else new news here though.

Digging around online for in some other articles based on today's Toledo, OH speech by Marchionne seems to confirm the 2013 model year start for the new Liberty/Cherokee, and that Dodge Nitro production will stop by the end of the year... This seems to be the best overview:

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20111116/CARNEWS/111119897

Condor1970 · **Joined:** Fri Sep 23, 2011 1:33 am **Posts:** 8

Here's also some links to Truck Blog, Truck Trend, and the local news channel with some video footage of the Marchionne interview.

http://www.trucktrend.com/features/news ... _liberty_p lans/index.html

http://www.truckblog.com/7075-jeep-refi ... ep-liberty

They are also adding a second shift at the plant to get ready.

http://www.wtol.com/story/16054455/tole ... ld-new-suv

Jeepin'WNC · **Joined:** Mon Nov 15, 2010 1:48 am **Posts:** 191

"The problem with the Jeep [Liberty] is, in a lot of cases, they have more capability than the customer is ever going to use"
Yeah, right now my Liberty is a daily driver, that sees pavement 99% of the time, but, since I've owned it it's capability has been upgraded above and beyond what it left the factory with. I'm pretty sure that's it is more capable off-road than I am..
If I would have wanted something that was capable of negotiating paved roads, in good weather conditions, I would have bought a ......Fiat!!!

LibertyCRD · **Posted:** Sun Nov 20, 2011 10:57 pm

From what I've read, it sounds like the Liberty (and it's name) is gone forever now. After only 10 years, and only 2 generations, one of the best selling SUVs Jeep has ever produced is getting the axe.

Personally, I file this away with one of the most stupid ideas to ever come from Detroit.. right alongside Ford killing the Ranger (no R&D costs, yet selling them like hotcakes after 20 years with the same body panels. It's almost like free money, and they go and kill it.)

:roll:

It's going to get to the point 5 years from now where used 4x4 prices are going to skyrocket, because you'll no longer be able to buy a new 4x4 with a two speed transfer case and real axles and room for 31+" tires. Honestly.. that's where we are headed.

blackwidowkj06 · **Posted:** Mon Nov 21, 2011 3:16 pm

Just a matter of time before the Wrangler is IFS. :roll:

This is the EXACT reason I'm keeping my Liberty. I don't want to be rolling around in some death trap.

Boomerang · **Joined:** Tue Jul 26, 2011 7:46 pm **Posts:** 184

The newest Liberties to me already look far more like a fancy overpriced road SUV anyways and although they may be very offroad capable, they look like they would rather hang out in a Nordstroms parking lot. I have trouble seeing them offroad, they are made for pretty boys.

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Mon Nov 21, 2011 4:46 pm

Boomerang wrote:

The newest Liberties to me already look far more like a fancy overpriced road SUV anyways and although they may be very offroad capable, they look like they would rather hang out in a Nordstroms parking lot. I have trouble seeing them offroad, they are made for pretty boys.

I will have to agree if you’re taking about the KK. In my opinion, the KJ looked more like a Jeep and felt more like a Jeep than the KK. I’d buy another XJ before I’d buy a KK. The 2013 Liberty will be a major disappointment. I read somewhere that the 2013 Liberty will be so different, that even Mopar was struggling whether or not to keep the Liberty name or change it.

tonycrd · **Posted:** Wed Nov 23, 2011 12:51 pm

Let's wait and see.

They cut exporting the KK Liberty end of May this year. So for us, the KK is already dead...

So now you can chose from a Compass (yuk) or a GC, or the JK. Which has been 'upgraded' with a nicer interior, electric everything etc.

'To fill the void the Liberty left'

Which stands in contradiction with: 'Most Liberty owners do not use their vehicle offroad'.

So why would they want to buy a JK?

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Wed Nov 23, 2011 5:11 pm

tonycrd wrote:

Let's wait and see.

They cut exporting the KK Liberty end of May this year. So for us, the KK is already dead...

So now you can chose from a Compass (yuk) or a GC, or the JK. Which has been 'upgraded' with a nicer interior, electric everything etc.

'To fill the void the Liberty left'

Which stands in contradiction with: 'Most Liberty owners do not use their vehicle offroad'.

So why would they want to buy a JK?

Most people want a 4 door Jeep. The JK unlimited is a 4 door Jeep that has more curb appeal than the Liberty and has just as much cargo space for nearly the same price.

Cobalt-60 · **Posted:** Wed Nov 23, 2011 10:48 pm

dieselenthusiast wrote:

Most people want a 4 door Jeep. The JK unlimited is a 4 door Jeep that has more curb appeal than the Liberty and has just as much cargo space for nearly the same price.

And a wheel-base that is WAY too long to navigate many many of the interesting trails in NC, GA, TN, and KY without having to learn to be an expert at 5-point turns... :wink:

The KJ/KK is about the size of the old SWB LR and is the perfect size for an OR-vehicle, IMHO... :JEEPIN:

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Wed Nov 23, 2011 11:27 pm

Cobolt-60 wrote:

dieselenthusiast wrote:

Most people want a 4 door Jeep. The JK unlimited is a 4 door Jeep that has more curb appeal than the Liberty and has just as much cargo space for nearly the same price.

And a wheel-base that is WAY too long to navigate many many of the interesting trails in NC, GA, TN, and KY without having to learn to be an expert at 5-point turns... :wink:

The KJ/KK is about the size of the old SWB LR and is the perfect size for an OR-vehicle, IMHO... :JEEPIN:

The JK’s superior approach and articulation makes the longer wheel base a mute point. :mrgreen:

And like mentioned above, the large majority of Liberty buyers didn’t purchase their KJ/KK because of it’s off-road capability.

Cobalt-60 · **Posted:** Wed Nov 23, 2011 11:44 pm

dieselenthusiast wrote:

The JK’s superior approach and articulation makes the longer wheel base a mute point. :mrgreen:

And like mentioned above, the large majority of Liberty buyers didn’t purchase their KJ/KK because of it’s off-road capability.

Yeah, it was amazing the number of JK Unlimiteds that I saw side-swipe trees and do fender damage at Tellico in 2007 on switch-backs that CJs, TJs, YJs, XJs, WJs, and KJs had absolutely NO problems with... :twisted:

Superior breakover angle sure helped them there, huh?

But the point is that WE are not the majority of KJ/KK owners and if the JK is the only vehicle left in Jeeps line-up by 2013 that can actually GO off-road THAT is a serious problem. I know that I will NEVER buy a JK Unlimited. Good think that I plan on running Bunny forever...

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Wed Nov 23, 2011 11:53 pm

Cobolt-60 wrote:

dieselenthusiast wrote:

The JK’s superior approach and articulation makes the longer wheel base a mute point. :mrgreen:

And like mentioned above, the large majority of Liberty buyers didn’t purchase their KJ/KK because of it’s off-road capability.

Yeah, it was amazing the number of JK Unlimiteds that I saw side-swipe trees and do fender damage at Tellico in 2007 on switch-backs that CJs, TJs, YJs, XJs, WJs, and KJs had absolutely NO problems with... :twisted:

Superior breakover angle sure helped them there, huh?

That's the driver's problem, not the JK's fault. Plus, a JK isn't much longer than a XJ, WJ, KJ, and KK, if any.

Cobolt-60 wrote:

But the point is that WE are not the majority of KJ/KK owners and if the JK is the only vehicle left in Jeeps line-up by 2013 that can actually GO off-road THAT is a serious problem. I know that I will NEVER buy a JK Unlimited. Good think that I plan on running Bunny forever...

Yeah, I love my KJ too............ That's the problem, the Liberty is being transformed.

Say Goodbye to a Real "Trail-Rated" Liberty by ~2013

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