Car & Driver Spy Shot of 2014 Jeep Liberty Mule

Cobalt-60 · **Posted:** Wed Mar 21, 2012 12:53 am

Full Article:

http://www.caranddriver.com/news/2014-jeep-liberty-spy-photos-news

Now remember that the "sheet metal" is pretty much guaranteed NOT to look like this as this is just a test of the chassis (as that is what a "mule" is in the car industry).

That being said, there is little if any doubt of what the "Liberty" is going to become when they use terms like:

"cross-over"
"front-drive-based set-up"
"all-wheel drive"
"independent rear suspension"
"3.2L V-6 engine"
"9-speed automatic transmission"
"mpg that will knock your socks off"

[and they are fooling themselves if they think ANYONE is going to cross-shop what they have described against an Xterra or 4Runner!!!]

Say goodbye of the Jeep "compact SUV" and hello to the another CUV (to compete against the Ford Escape, Kia Sportage, Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV-4, Hyundai Santa Fe and a half-dozen other "soft-roaders").

Too bad that the 4-door JK has a 116-in wheelbase (compared to 104-in for the KJ and 106-in for the KK) causing it to have a 41-ft turning radius (compared to the 36-ft radius for the KJ). So much for something that emulates the LWB Land Rover being built by an American manufacturer anymore... :cry:

2006 KJ · **Posted:** Wed Mar 21, 2012 12:07 pm

what they need to do is make the new liberty a retro-modern styled XJ, the SIZE and wheelbase of a KJ, with a solid front and rear axle. make it cheap. it would sell like CRAZY and appeal to the offroad market jeep should be marketed towards.

if they did that. my KJ would be traded in or sold within the first month of their release.

fratichelli · **Posted:** Wed Mar 21, 2012 12:53 pm

Wait, they have a Patriot, Compass, and the Dodge counterparts, plus they are going to downgrade the Liberty?
I don't think the author knows what he is talking about, who would choose a downgraded liberty over an xterra?

Cobalt-60 · **Posted:** Wed Mar 21, 2012 1:27 pm

fratichelli wrote:

Wait, they have a Patriot, Compass, and the Dodge counterparts, plus they are going to downgrade the Liberty?
I don't think the author knows what he is talking about, who would choose a downgraded liberty over an xterra?

The Compass and its Dodge counterparts are going away.

The replacement for the Patriot will be the bottom-line model (coming in 2013), followed by the "new Liberty" (2014), the JK was just redone (2012), and the Grand Cherokee (WK2 was released in 2010). The Commander (XK) is already history (2010 last year).

The fact that the replacement vehicle is going to get a 3.2L Pentastar V-6 (in contrast to the 3.6L one that coming in the 2012 JK) does not endear me to the vehicle either. From other sources apparently our [sarcasm mode] "much loved" [/sarcasm mode] PowerTech EKG 3.7L V-6 will stop manufacturer in July 2012, the plant in Detroit disassembled, and the tooling sent to NJ to expand the plant that the current 3.6L Pentastar is made in (potentially for the 3.2L Pentastar). The Liberty and the Ram 1500 are the last vehicles to still be using this engine. Rumor also has it (according to Allpar) that the 4.7L "Semi-Hemi" V-8 will cease production in July 2013, but it is unclear whether its tooling will also go to NJ (the 3.7L and 4.7L were built in the same factory.)

Nobody who is interested in an Xterra or 4Runner would cross-shop to this new vehicle, but that is not the point really. The point is that the "new competition" for the "Liberty replacement" are the likes of the Ford Escape and the like. Not real off-road vehicles.

What 2006KJ says would be nice, but that is a pipe-dream. The days of non-Wrangler Jeeps with stock SFAs is over.

surfRenegade · **Posted:** Wed Mar 21, 2012 1:38 pm

Uggh, another cross-over vehicle. looks like ill be moving to a 4 door wrangler when the time comes

Cobalt-60 · **Posted:** Wed Mar 21, 2012 6:25 pm

Follow-on article centering around the 9-speed AT:

http://www.toledoblade.com/Automotive/2012/03/21/9-speed-transmission-likely-for-Liberty-heir.html

And a little more info on the 3.2L Pentastar (also somebody who finally acknowledges that the changes from the KJ to KK body-style actually hurt the sales of the vehicle!!!):

http://www.torquenews.com/106/jeep-liberty-replacement-pack-new-32l-pentastar-v6

If the 3.2L Pentastar actually makes 250HP AND at least 235 ft-lbs of torque (at less than 6000 RPMs mind you...) AND gets 25+ combined MPG (in a vehicle weighing at least 2500 lbs), I will be SERIOUSLY surprised.

99_XC600 · **Posted:** Wed Mar 21, 2012 9:09 pm

Ugggh. Obviously, they learned nothing from the failed KK refresh.

9 Speed
Front Wheel Drive. (AWD is available - OH, Thank You....WTF?)
30 MPG?

This is obviously the permanent replacement for the other failed FWD products (Patriot and the Compass). Why would they have 3 car based FWD drive vehicles.

This is not a Liberty, nor is it a true Jeep. Please don't call it as such. Just throw a Dodge Emblem on it and call it the Dodge "Neutered" and let the Liberty go die in peace with the little dignity it has left.

gottorque · **Joined:** Fri Sep 23, 2011 1:03 am **Posts:** 100

i agree. The way its looking now is Jeep would essentially be dead if it wernt for the JK's. Its turning into a hipster eco mantra.
Keep the real Jeeps for Jeep and give all the extra crap to Dodge

Jeeps shouldnt have awesome gas mileage. Heck half the fun of a jeep is bragging about how terrible it is after its fully trail ready :JEEPIN:

67Customs · **Posted:** Thu Mar 22, 2012 11:17 am

99_XC600 wrote:

This is not a Liberty, nor is it a true Jeep. Please don't call it as such. Just throw a Dodge Emblem on it and call it the Dodge "Neutered" and let the Liberty go die in peace with the little dignity it has left.

Funny. That is the same thing Wrangler owners say about the KJ's and the KK's.

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Fri Mar 23, 2012 1:29 am

With new EPA and fuel economy requirements, auto manufactures have to think “eco” friendly. Even though the above pictured “sheet metal” isn’t the final product, the reviewers who have seen the final product were disappointed and said the new 2013 Liberty looked car like. I’d say the above photo isn’t far off, and will probably look similar to the Grand Cherokee styling. Considering higher fuel prices and the condition of our economy, people are trying to be more practical in their buying. The new 2013 Liberty crossover will most certainly attract those who are looking for fuel savings. I’ve even read that the 2013 Liberty is taking on such drastic changes that Jeep is considering renaming it.

cgass · **Posted:** Sat Mar 24, 2012 2:24 pm

I think that Jeep is just trying to stay alive. The vast majority of the country doesn’t want a dual solid axle locked SUV. They're looking for the Ford Escapes. Most hardcore off roaders opt for the Wrangler. I'm not happy too see the Liberty being turned into basically a tall car, but I understand it from a business perspective I guess. I think that if they can get the interior quality up to par with other manufacturers, while still maintaining a more rugged Jeep look, I think they would attract some of the customers away from the other brands because they want the Jeep branding and heritage.

Personally, when it comes time to replace the KK, I'll be getting a Wrangler.

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Wed Mar 28, 2012 11:07 pm

cgass wrote:

Personally, when it comes time to replace the KK, I'll be getting a Wrangler.

I have no desire to replace anything that we have, but I do plan to buy a commuting Jeep for my wife if she takes her new job offer. With her new job, she will be traveling 400 miles per week. As of right now, the only “new” Jeep that she likes is the Wrangler. The only “slightly used” Jeep that she likes is the Commander. So who knows, we might end up in a Wrangler. The main thing we’re looking for is Full Time 4-Wheel or All Wheel Drive. I want her to be able to engage the transfer case and take off without having to worry about dry pavement, etc.

Smetna · **Posted:** Wed Mar 28, 2012 11:39 pm

cgass wrote:

Personally, when it comes time to replace the KK, I'll be getting a Wrangler.

+1

teckman02 · **Posted:** Thu Mar 29, 2012 12:59 am

that thing is a cool car as the Alfa, i would like to see it come to the states at the Alfa not as a jeep

teckman02 · **Posted:** Tue May 01, 2012 10:42 am

http://www.13abc.com/story/17945474/2012/04/30/new-toledo-built-jeep-revealed

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Tue May 01, 2012 11:36 am

teckman02 wrote:

http://www.13abc.com/story/17945474/2012/04/30/new-toledo-built-jeep-revealed

Nice find! Like I've said before, prepare yourselves for the 2013 Jeep Liberty crossover. It will be more car like than Jeep like. They keep talking about how fuel efficient it’s going to be, makes me wonder if they are planning for a diesel, otherwise, how do you get great mileage? When I think of great mileage, I think of 30 mpg.

teckman02 · **Posted:** Tue May 01, 2012 12:32 pm

i don't know what to think, what they need to do is than building that as the new liberty build that as what it is an Alfa Romeo

teckman02 · **Posted:** Tue May 01, 2012 12:39 pm

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Tue May 01, 2012 12:40 pm

At least Jeep is staying with a theme. The Cherokee looks like a cross-over car, the Compass looks like a cross-over car, and the new Liberty replacement looks like a cross-over car. By the time it’s all said and done, the Wrangler will be the only jeep that still looks like a trail worth SUV with traditional Jeep styling.

99_XC600 · **Posted:** Tue May 01, 2012 1:22 pm

teckman02 wrote:

That is the current Alfa Giulietta which will be sold in the US Fiat Dealers in late 2012 and 2013. I'm pretty sure Jeep isn't going to put a Alfa body on a AWD Platform and call it the New Liberty.

Car & Driver Spy Shot of 2014 Jeep Liberty Mule

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