Jeep

Review: 2010 Jeep Liberty Limited Four-Wheel Drive

For off-road enthusiasts, the Jeep name is legendary. Originally born from the military transport made famous in World War II, the Jeep line expanded over the years to include different models with more family-friendly features, such as roofs and windows. Today, Jeep is still popular among outdoorsy families, and at first blush the 2010 Jeep Liberty sounds like it might be a good pick for them, with room for five, rugged off-road gear and cool options like a wide-opening canvas roof. But after a week of living with this SUV, it became clear that families considering the 2010 Jeep Liberty might want to think twice before signing on the dotted line.

Quick Specs

Family Friendliness: 7.5

Review: 2010 Jeep Patriot Limited 4x4

The Jeep Patriot was one of a pair of crossovers introduced by the rugged off-road brand for the 2007 model year, the first ever car-based vehicles the company had ever offered. Based on the same basic structure as the Dodge Caliber compact hatchback, the Patriot and its sibling the Compass angered Jeep's longtime fans because it wasn't a clearly dedicated off-roader, despite a "Trail Rated" all-wheel drive system. Even non-Jeep fans found plenty to dislike about the Patriot, which was roundly panned in the press for its laughably cheap interior and noisy engine. However, an update for the 2009 model year promised to fix many of the Patriot's shortcomings, and I decided it was time to take this little Jeep for a spin and see just how Family Friendly it was.

Quick Specs

Family Friendliness: 8.0