From Allpar; This platform has been forked, with the Dodge Nitro taking an on-road path and the Liberty staying off-road. Liberty sales are surprisingly high, with the Liberty beating the Ford Escape to be the best-selling compact SUV in America for 2005. We expect a new Liberty around 2008. The Nitro is scheduled to be built starting August 2006; the redesigned Jeep Liberty, on August 2007. Toledo North, a four year old plant, is expected to produce 300,000 vehicles per year (225,250 Libertys were sold last year). Diesel Libertys will skip 2007 and perhaps 2008; despite its high sales, the Liberty itself may not last past 2008.

Makes me glad I traded in my 2002 3.7L for a 2006 CRD. I will be keeping this one for a while. There is really no other vehicle available in the US quite like the Liberty CRD 4x4.

The Hummer3 (3.5L Vortec-4700+#s) and ToyotaFJ(4.0L V6-4290#s-and needs premium) are different looking also but I am tired of heavy 4x4's with V6's that are underpowered and have terrible gas mileage (H3 220hp/225ft#s...FJ 239hp/278ft#'s). I would get the new (and they are different than the old ones) Xterra(4.0L-4400+#'s) before the other two. The new one has 265hp/285ft#s and does 0-60 in 7-8 seconds but the mileage is just too low (16/21) with fuel conditions.

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Founder of L.O.S.T.
2006 CRD Sport
Mods: GDE Hot Tune w/ 364#@2000rpm/Air Box /3" Str8 Exhaust/ASFIR Alum Skids/245-75R-16 Cooper STT PRO/OME LIFT w/Clevis & 4 Spring Isos/AirTabs/Rigid 10" S2 LED/4xGuard Ctr Matrix Bumper
Drag Strip:Reac=.1078_60ft=2.224_1/8=10.39@64.8mph_1/4+16.46@80.8mph

If they sold the six-speed version of theCRD in this country, I'd have one right now too. It's a shame, because they've been selling the manual trans version of the CRD in Europe for years. Maybe when/if they come back out with the diesel Liberty in 2009 they will include the stick version. If so, I may be in the market for an upgrade

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2002 Jeep Liberty Renegade
3.7L V6 4x4, 5-speed manual
*Draw-tite class IV hitch
*Mopar rock rails
*Clear turn signals
*Mopar mud flaps
*Husky cargo liner
*'Trial Rated' and 'Renegade' emblems
*Bazooka 200 watt subwoofer