2006 Jeep Liberty GSX

Inspired by styling from the Dakar and Jeepster concept cars, the Liberty was intended as a replacement for the discontinued Jeep Cherokee. Three trim levels were initially offered; the top end Limited, a more rugged looking Renegade and the base Sport. All were made available with either 2WD or 4WD. In 2007, the Renegade trim level was replaced with the Latitude that appeared to focus more on an urban appearance., , The Liberty was the first Jeep to use two new PowerTech engines; the 150 hp 2.4 L straight-4, dropped in 2006, and the 210 hp 3.7 L V6. The VM Motori 2.8 L straight-4 common rail turbodiesel, became available in CRD branded 2005–2006 Sport and Limited models. The overbuilt nature of the diesel powerplant added nearly 200 pounds to the CRD's curb weight versus the gasoline model. DaimlerChrysler introduced the CRD to gauge the marketability of diesel engines in North America; diesels are already common in Europe. The Liberty was also the first Jeep vehicle to use rack and pinion steering., , The Liberty was not the first Jeep vehicle to use an independent front suspension, as the Jeep Wagoneer first used it in the 1960s. However, the Wagoneer with the independent front suspension was never put into production, due to how quickly the bushings would wear out. Jeep exceeded their expectations by selling 10,000 Liberty CRD models in its first calendar year of production. In addition, the Liberty was nominated for the North American Truck of the Year award for 2002.