Jeep Liberty vs Jeep Wrangler

The Jeep Liberty is an off-road-ready compact SUV with the heart and soul of the brand’s much heartier vehicles. It’s able to climb, crawl, and wade through much stiffer terrain than its tiny size would suggest, and it makes use of four-wheel drive (4WD) and a solid rear axle to get through the tough stuff.

The Liberty is targeted at new-car buyers who want a rugged and capable SUV to take them where more pedestrian vehicles just can’t go. It competes with the Toyota RAV4, the Honda CR-V, and the Subaru Forester. Jeep offers the Liberty in just two trim levels: Jeep Liberty Sport and Jeep Liberty Limited Edition. Though it slots below models like the Grand Cherokee, the Liberty carries much of the same styling and off-roading attitude as those pricier models.

A single engine is available for the 2007 model year: A 3.7-litre V6 engine that produces 210 horsepower and 235 pound-feet of torque. Power hits all four wheels through a six-speed manual transmission by default, but a four-speed automatic transmission is available on Sport and standard on the Limited Edition.

The Jeep Wrangler is a unique beast in the automotive world. It’s not quite a “normal” SUV; instead, it's focused on all-out off-road capability over almost everything else. It was redesigned for the 2007 model year with a new four-door model, a new engine, and a host of new tech features.

With the Wrangler, Jeep targets new-car buyers who want the ultimate in off-road capability while retaining some degree of on-road manners. Without a Ford Bronco or a Chevrolet Blazer on the market, the Wrangler is left without any direct competition. Instead, buyers may cross-shop vehicles like the Toyota 4Runner, the Hummer H3, the Nissan Xterra, the Toyota FJ Cruiser, and even trucks like the Toyota Tacoma.

The 2008 Wrangler is offered in three trim levels: X, Sahara, and Rubicon. All trims are available in the new Jeep Wrangler Unlimited four-door configuration, and Jeep offers right-hand drive models as well (the latter are aimed at mail carriers). All Wrangler models use a 3.8-litre V6 engine for the 2008 model year. It produces power specs of 202 horsepower in two-door models and 205 horsepower in Unlimited models. A six-speed manual gearbox is standard, while a four-speed automatic is also available.