The Jeep Liberty Is Dead, But A Replacement Arrives In 2013

The last Jeep Liberty will roll off of the assembly line in Toledo, Ohio tomorrow, marking the end of production for the sport-utility vehicle. The Jeep Liberty offered mid-size buyers the chance the sample classic Jeep styling while also providing a reasonable amount of off-road capability thanks to its short wheelbase and optional four-wheel drive. Unfortunately, the vehicle - and its Dodge twin, the Nitro - never really managed to find an audience amongst SUV fans, and the Liberty was frequently criticized for its lack of features and thirsty six-cylinder engine that guzzled down fuel at a much quicker rate than most of its competitors.

What comes next for the Jeep Liberty? A replacement is on the way, but it won't get here until the second quarter of 2013, when it will most likely share its platform with the Dodge Dart compact sedan and offer Chrysler's upcoming nine-speed automatic transmission as its only available gearbox. A smaller displacement version of the Pentastar V6 will also find its way under the hood of the new Liberty.

It's uncertain as to how much - if any - off-road capability will be offered by the next-generation Liberty, but Chrysler has invested a considerable sum to update the assembly plant where the vehicle will be built, which means that the SUV's design won't be nearly as much of an afterthought as it was the first time around. The company has stated that it wants to preserve the Liberty's rough-and-tumble trail rating as much as possible, but the limitations of the Dart platform could make that difficult. Fiat intends to market the Jeep Liberty in Europe and other global markets, meaning that fuel efficiency and overall size will be critical for the redesigned vehicle.