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Trucks & SUVs

2008 Jeep Liberty: Freedom of the Road


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Jeep unveiled its 2008 Liberty mid-size SUV on April 4 at the New York Auto Show, and although the Liberty is all-new from the ground up (the first redesign of the vehicle since its introduction in 2002), there’s a lot about it that has a familiar look. In fact, Jeep pulled design cues from its iconic past to give the Liberty a somewhat retro though still contemporary look.

It all starts with that grille, which evokes the Jeeps of the World War II and Korean War eras, with its seven slots framed by round headlights. There’s almost a militaristic look to it. The flared trapezoidal wheel openings, however, are distinctively modern, giving the Liberty a rugged appearance. One of the new Liberty’s coolest features, though, is something you can’t quite see unless you’re looking down on it from above. It’s an optional canvas canopy roof, which Jeep calls the Sky Slider. The roof retracts to a huge 30-by-60-inch opening, which Jeep says is the largest opening in its class and an industry first. The idea is to give occupants an open-top driving experience similar to what you might have enjoyed tooling around decades ago in an open-air Jeep, while still maintaining the safety features of a rigid cabin.

Another nice feature: The new Liberty is available with a choice of four-wheel-drive systems, including Jeep’s Command Trac part-time four-wheel drive system, which has been around for awhile, or the next-generation Select Trac II on-demand four-wheel-drive system. The Liberty is also available with two-wheel drive.

The Liberty comes in both Sport and Limited packages. The standard engine is a 220-horsepower, 3.7-liter V6 with a six-speed manual transmission or an optional four-speed automatic. Other options include a high-tech towing package with Trailer Sway Control.

Inside features include power windows, door locks, and mirrors, as well as a fold-flat rear seat, remote keyless entry, and an MP3 audio jack in the stereo system. A wide range of interior options is also available, including automatic temperature control, memory seats, remote start, and a 6-disc CD/DVD audio system. The 2008 Jeep Liberty is expected to be in showrooms this summer.

Short but Swede: Meet the XC60, Volvo’s Concept Cute-Ute


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Break out the cigars. The enormously successful Volvo XC90, the Swedish maker’s first true SUV, is going to be a big brother. This blessed event – the arrival of the XC60 mini-ute – is expected by 2009 at the latest.

The world has been watching this dragged-out gestation period for some time now, as various incarnations of the XC60 concept have appeared at the world’s auto shows. It’s even gone through a name change, having grown up a notch from the original XC50 moniker.

It will compete with an impressive list of premium compact utes, including the BMW X3, the Acura RDX, and the forthcoming Mercedes-Benz GLK. The XC60 will get its drivetrain and platform from the Land Rover LR2, which awaits its U.S. launch in May.

Although it greatly resembles its XC90 idol, the new Swedish SUV is also based significantly on Volvo’s C30 sports coupe – look at the roofline, for instance. To be sure, its developers have consciously aimed for a beautiful blend of coupe and utility vehicle.

At the moment the XC60 concept has an innovative split tailgate, which features radical, form-following taillights along its angled edges and is heavy on the glass for better rear visibility. Its design also allows it to be opened in tight situations, for instance if another car is parked close to its bumper. Up front, the traditional Volvo iron-symbol grille is beefy, and it accents a new V-shaped “face” with ultra-modern rearward-reaching headlamps that may find its way across the product line.

The most notable feature on the inside is a very modern, slim-line center console that “floats” to save space and calls to mind a chrome-framed iPod. But this is a Volvo, so the big story will be the abundance of integrated safety features. Expect it all, from reinforced construction to whiplash-protection head restraints and every kind of airbag to electronic stability control.

Look for a 3.2-liter DOHC inline six (similar to the one in the S80 sedan and the Land Rover LR2) to provide the power, in the range of 230 horses. There’s no word yet on what the XC60’s towing capacity or offroad capability may be, but the concept model has been outfitted with front and rear skid plates that may or may not make the cut.