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By Tim Loehrke, USA TODAY

A workout in a rugged part of central Virginia shows the 2008 Jeep Liberty is a credible off-roader.

Go ahead, hop that curb: Liberty's got off-road cred

ARRINGTON, Va. — Be sure the four-wheel-drive transfer case is firmly in low range. Good. Now exploit that low gear ratio to get over the tree trunk blocking the short rock path leading down the hill. Ease forward. Slowly, slowly. Drop the front wheels over gently, then the rears. Aim dead-center for the small tree. Play chicken until the last moment, when the trail guide signals to steer hard right to slip past the tree onto the trail proper. A gully not far beyond makes the point that wet clay is nearly as challenging as ice. Still, with the proper throttle and momentum, the 2008 Jeep Liberty surmounts the slippery hillock. Nor were there hitches fording streams running through Oak Ridge Estate, 4,800 acres of woods and pasture in central Virginia that hosts many off-road events. For safety, crossings were at spots scouted by experienced off-roaders. Don't cross unless you can check the depth and have a buddy with a Jeep and a winch to pull you out or keep you from floating away.

The outing shows what Jeep no doubt hoped it would: Liberty is a credible off-roader.
Always has been, though you wouldn't know it from hard-core off-roaders' gripes about the original, on sale in 2001 as an '02 model. In their view, off-road machines need solid front axles, not Liberty's smoother-riding, better-handling independent front suspension. Solid axles lift the whole vehicle when one tire mounts an obstacle, providing good ground clearance.
But solid axles typically ride, handle and steer worse on the road, where most owners do the most driving.

Ignore the gripes. Liberty is just fine as a dual-duty machine if you're not an extremist in either direction. On pavement, the new Liberty benefits from a longer wheelbase that smoothes the previous version's choppy highway gait. It adds a bit more rear legroom, too, though it still seems too tight in back.

Liberty's redesigned five-link rear suspension — the rear axle is secured by five components — minimizes stutter-stepping over railroad tracks and the like.

Its starting prices are lower than on the old model, but you still can deck one out well north of $30,000.
Among changes to the new Liberty:
•Spare tire's now slung under the Jeep instead of on the tailgate. As a result, the back gate now lifts up, providing shelter when loading and unloading in crummy weather.
•Power window switches moved to the door panels from the center console. The center site never became second nature, even to longtime users.
Interiors of the test vehicles spoke with two tongues. The climate-control knobs rotated with premium smoothness, for example, while the center console moved and wiggled when the hand brake was yanked, suggesting a worrisome cheapness.

Liberty's unusual for its type because it's built on what Jeep's parent Chrysler calls a "uniframe" chassis, much like a car's unibody construction. But you'd never mistake it for a car-based, crossover SUV. Liberty has a stout, stiff, not to say harsh, feel that implies the ruggedness you want if you tackle those rocks, limbs and streams after the pavement ends.
Some changes, however, seem wrongheaded:
•Door handles require two movements — push the big button, pull the big handle. The previous Liberty had a single-motion yank handle that's much more convenient, especially if your hands are full.
•The faux chrome grille on the Limited is one of the uglier uses of shiny plastic on the road. The Sport model has a painted grille that's much better-looking.
•Steering in the test Jeeps, while not sloppy, didn't have laserlike on-center tuning. It made straight-ahead driving a medley of small steering movements.
Testers' reaction to the steering feel has varied, suggesting some wheel/tire setups might be better.
•The seats were comfortable, but it was difficult to find a proper driving position, especially in models lacking the full range of power-seat adjustments.
•The optional Sky Slider fabric top powers open and closed, bunching the fabric carefully and leaving a huge hole in the roof for enjoying the outdoors. Because it's fabric, it doesn't keep out noise and temperature when closed as a steel or glass sunroof would. And it's more vulnerable to knife-wielding thugs.

If you're leaning toward a Honda CR-V or Toyota RAV4, don't bother with a Liberty. It won't seem genteel and refined enough.But if you want a true off-roader, not just a foul-weather four-wheeler, Liberty might be just so.

ABOUT THE 2008 JEEP LIBERTY
•What is it? Small, four-door SUV. Rear-wheel drive (RWD) or four-wheel drive (4x4).
•How soon? On sale since September.
•How much? Starts at $20,990 including $660 destination fee. All-in Limited 4x4 lists at $33,190.
•Who'll buy? Jeepers who dislike privations.
•What's the drivetrain? Same 3.7-liter V-6 as before, rated 210 hp at 5,200 rpm, 235 lbs.-ft. of torque at 4,000 rpm. Six-speed manual transmission. Traction control. Four-speed automatic is optional. Rear-drive, Command-Trac part-time 4x4 or Select-Trac with full- and part-time 4x4.
•How big? About 1 inch shorter, 1 inch wider, 4 inches taller, 600 pounds heavier than No. 1-seller Honda CR-V. Liberty is 176.9 inches long, 72.4 in. wide, 70.6 in. tall on a 106.1-in. wheelbase. Weighs 4,030 lbs. (RWD) or 4,222 lbs. (4x4).
Tows up to 5,000 lbs. Carries 950 lbs. (16-inch tires) or 1,150 lbs. (17- and 18-inch tires). Turning-circle diameter is 35.5 feet.
•How thirsty? Depending on drivetrain, rated 15-16 mpg in town, 21-22 highway, 17-19 combined. Automatic transmission, 4x4 test vehicle showed 18.9 mpg highway, 15.3 mixed.
•Overall: Charming, satisfying for those who really go off-road. Generally pleasant for those who don't, and who don't expect a car in Jeep's clothing.