2003 Jeep Liberty Review
2003 Jeep Liberty Review
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Edmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
Pros
- Extremely capable off-road, creative interior design, still a Jeep at heart.
Cons
- Thirsty at the gas pump, not as "carlike" as most of its competitors.
What’s new
For the 2003 Jeep Liberty, a new overhead console, based on that of the Grand Cherokee, includes a unique interface that allows passengers to program the operation of nine convenience and safety items to their own preference. Liberty owners can now personalize several features, including which doors unlock with the first press of the remote keyless entry unlock button, the miles driven between service intervals and the amount of time the headlamps remain on when exiting the vehicle. Finally, an available six-disc in-dash CD player replaces the cargo area mounted unit. Standard four-wheel disc brakes endow the Jeep with improved brake feel on-road, decreased stopping distances and reduced brake fade. Available electrochromic interior and driver-side rearview mirrors help reduce headlight glare from traffic at night, and standard sliding sun visors have been added, which serve to keep the sun out of your eyes by providing added windshield and side glass coverage.
Edmunds says
Though a little pudgy (at nearly 4,000 pounds) and truckish, the 2003 Jeep Liberty is athletic off-road and capable on pavement.
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2003 Jeep Liberty Sport Rwd 4dr SUV (2.4L 4cyl 5M) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.50 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.
Monthly estimates based on costs in Ohio
$227/mo for Liberty Sport
Liberty Sport
vs
$184/mo
Avg. Compact SUV
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the Used 2003 Jeep Liberty.
5 star(65%)
4 star(25%)
3 star(8%)
2 star(2%)
1 star(0%)
329 reviews
Trending topics in reviews
Most helpful consumer reviews
4 out of 5 stars
Straight Review
jeepman18, 12/06/2012
2003 Jeep Liberty Sport 4WD 4dr SUV (2.4L 4cyl 5M)
Jeep liberty 2003 V6 3.7L 4x4
This is an AMAZING vehicle! Ive read so many bad reviews on this and I have never had any problems with ine AT ALL! I have driven a wide variety of vehicles From Hyndaui accent to a Dodge Ram and this has to be my favortie!
All these people ho say they have to replace their brakes every 4000 miles are full of crap! How many times do they slam on their brakes … bc they werent paying attention to the car infront of them? Alot Im willing to bet on that.
4.5 out of 5 stars
My Experience
bdarnell, 07/12/2012
2003 Jeep Liberty Renegade 4WD 4dr SUV (3.7L 6cyl 5M)
I have owned my Jeep since 2008 with no major issues.
I did have the ball joints replaced on the recall. I also had an issue with the locking mechanism on the back hatch.
In my opinion this Jeep runs great and is comfortable.
I take this vehicle to work daily for a short commute and have also taken it on long trips.
I LOVE my jeep!!
4.13 out of 5 stars
Suprising
colleen, 02/04/2010
2003 Jeep Liberty Limited 4WD 4dr SUV (3.7L 6cyl 4A)
I can't believe my jeep has 180K and still runs like new. I have not had one single mechanical issue with it. Oil changes faithfully every 5K, occasional engine tune up and some new brakes 50K back is all I've ever done for maintenance. Am I just lucky or is this actually a decently made US vehicle?
3 out of 5 stars
Good value if well looked after by previous owners
BritInPhilly, 12/06/2016
2003 Jeep Liberty Limited 4WD 4dr SUV (3.7L 6cyl 4A)
I have a 2003 Liberty with around 125k miles. It's been a good car for the last 18 months of ownership. It copes well with poor road conditions and has been really great in the snow. It's comfortable and the trunk space is pretty good too. My only gripes would be that the gas mileage is poor and the build quality is lacking in certain areas. The engine in these really needs regular oil … changes to keep it in good shape and be wary of a Jeep that's been driven hard as it could end up being expensive. I've driven 15k miles over the 18 months and so far had to replace 2 window regulators (more on this later), as well as rotors all round and transmission solenoids. The window regulators are a pain and a common problem on these cars. They are badly designed and manufactured with cheap materials, so you're likely to be replacing at least one a year and finding yourself with a window jammed open at the most inconvenient times. The part is around $65 and it's a fairly simple job taking around 30 minutes to replace. Otherwise, expect to pay a garage $600+ for the replacement. The paintwork on these seems to suffer with peeling clear coat, particularly with darker colored cars and mainly on the roof. Mine's peeling but doesn't bother me so I'll leave it. Overall it's a good car and always feel solid and safe.
*Update at 135,000 miles: Another window regulator at 130k miles, the O2 sensor went around the same time (which halved the average gas mileage down to around 9mpg) and wheel bearings starting to rumble recently. I took the car in for an oil change and tune up and to get an estimate for wheel bearing replacement and a new AC compressor. The repair shop seem to want to dissuade me from pouring money into the car every time, which makes me nervous. The AC compressor was damaged when another car backed into the Jeep in a parking lot, so not a build quality issue. I figured out that I'm spending maybe around $1800 annually in repairs and maintenance over the last 2 years and, assuming I'm into the same over the next 3 years then I'd still say the car hasn't been bad value at all.
2003 Liberty Highlights
Sport
Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee | $17,910 |
---|---|
Engine Type | Gas |
Combined MPG | 19 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $227/month |
Seating | 5 seats |
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place | 29.0 cu.ft. |
Drivetrain | rear wheel drive |
Warranty | 3 years / 36,000 miles |
Safety
NHTSA Overall Rating
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.
- Frontal Barrier Crash RatingOverallNot RatedDriver5 / 5Passenger4 / 5
- Side Crash RatingOverallNot Rated
- Side Barrier RatingOverallNot RatedDriver5 / 5Passenger5 / 5
- Combined Side Barrier & Pole RatingsFront SeatNot RatedBack SeatNot Rated
- RolloverRollover2 / 5Dynamic Test ResultNo TipRisk Of RolloverNot Rated
IIHS Rating
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.
- Small Overlap Front Driver-Side TestNot Tested
- Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side TestNot Tested
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – OriginalMarginal
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – OriginalNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Roof Strength TestNot Tested
- Rear Crash Protection / Head RestraintPoor
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