Used 2012 Jeep Liberty Sport for sale 

The Jeep Liberty is offered in three trim levels along with a single engine option, a standard 4-speed automatic transmission, and two drivetrain options: 4x4 and 4x4. The base Sport trim is priced at $23,395 and offers automatic headlights, heated mirrors, keyless entry, full power accessories, air-conditioning, cruise control, cloth upholstery, a fold-flat front passenger seat, 60/40-split-folding and reclining rear seat, a tilt-only steering wheel, a six-speaker sound system, a CD player, satellite radio, and an auxiliary audio jack. The Limited trim includes all the features from the Sport trim and further adds 17-inch alloy wheels, exterior chrome trim, and an eight-speaker Infinity audio system. The top-end Limited Jet trim gets 20-inch polished alloy wheels, rear parking sensors, distinctive exterior & interior trim, and a security alarm. There are some packages to better equip the SUV. Among the choices, the most common one is the Driver's Convenience Group package that adds Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a compass, and an outside temperature display.

We Recommend

We would recommend you the base Sport trim with the Driver’s Convenience Group package for a better experience with the SUV at a sensible price point.

The Jeep Liberty is powered by a naturally aspirated 3.7liter V6 motor. The motor dishes out a maximum of 210 horsepower and 235lb-ft of torque. The motor lacks the refinement levels of almost all other similarly equipped vehicles in the segment and the power figures are just not strong enough even on paper. Out on the roads, the motor struggles to keep up with the fast-paced traffic and the acceleration is sluggish as well.

Depressing the gas pedal doesn’t help much except for burning extra gasoline without any progress. The 4-speed automatic transmission is also quite dated in front of the more modern 5-speed and 6-speed automatic units from its rivals in the segment. The only positive aspect about the powertrain is its commendable towing capacity of 5,000lbs when properly equipped.

The Nissan Xterra has a bigger and more powerful V6 motor than the Jeep Liberty and puts out a substantially more performance as well. The Toyota FJ Cruiser has an almost similar horsepower to the Xterra but a lower torque output.

The fuel economy of the Jeep Liberty is outright disappointing as well, considering the lackluster power and performance it puts out. The city mileage of the SUV is rated at 16mpg while the highway mileage stands at 22mpg. The combined mileage is rated at 18mpg.

The Nissan Xterra has identical mileage ratings to the Jeep Liberty but is quite impressive considering the much better performance it offers against the latter. The Toyota FJ Cruiser has slightly better mileage ratings than the Nissan Xterra making it the most fuel-efficient one among the three on the list.

The interior of the 2012 Jeep Liberty is quite unimpressive too like its performance and mileage. There are ample hard and cheap plastics all around the cabin and the build quality feels sub-par too. There is a good amount of road noise inside the cabin, making it tiresome to drive on long trips.

The front and rear seats offer decent comfort over short trips but longer trips will turn out to be tiring and stressful. The cargo capacity is impressive at 31.5 cu-ft which can be further increased to 64 cu-ft by folding the rear seatbacks.

The Nissan Xterra has a better and much more comfortable cabin than the Liberty and is quite spacious as well. The Toyota FJ Cruiser has the most spacious cabin among the three on the list and boasts a robust build quality too.

Infotainment

The infotainment system, by default, is very basic and includes only a CD player, satellite radio and an auxiliary audio jack. The Driver's Convenience Group package brings Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity. The Limited trim will get you an eight-speaker Infinity audio system. The Media Center 430 package includes a touchscreen interface, DVD audio playback, and 28GB of digital music storage.

Infotainment features:

• AM/FM Stereo
• Auxiliary Audio Input
• CD Player
• MP3 Player
• Satellite Radio
• Hard Disk Drive (Optional)

With some minor design changes over the years, the Jeep Liberty looks almost similar to its launch model. From the front end, it looks like Jeep has tried to stuff in some modern styling elements in an ageing SUV.

The design is simple and straightforward with big and chunky fenders along with the beefy front bumper that makes it look off-road ready always. The rear end gives off a tough look with the visible rear differential and minimal styling.

The Nissan Xterra looks more muscular and modern, having some traits from the Pathfinder SUV, along with big and chunky fenders, oozing toughness. The Toyota FJ Cruiser sure looks a bit different than the lot with an unconventional design approach and an interesting front end design.

The Jeep Liberty earned some decent scores from the IIHS but the NHTSA skipped it. The IIHS rated it with their top “Good” rating but gave it a score of “Marginal” in side-impact tests. The standard safety features of the SUV include antilock disc brakes, stability control, active front head restraints, and side curtain airbags. 

Safety features:

• Brake Assist
• Electronic Stability Control
• Child Safety Locks
• Traction Control
• Driver Air Bag
• Passenger Air Bag
• Front Head Air Bag
• Rear Head Air Bag

In the era of muscular, modern, and power-packed SUVs with impressive fuel economy ratings, the Jeep Liberty stands as a heavily dated offering from the iconic brand. There are very few positive points going for the SUV that includes good off-roading capabilities and excellent towing capacity. Other than that, it just pales in front of its rivals both in terms of mechanicals and overall appeal.