2005 Jeep® Liberty Solidifies Its Leadership Position in the Mid-Size SUV Market

Contact: Dianna Gutierrez Jodi Tinson 2005 Jeep® Liberty Solidifies its Leadership Position in the Mid-Size SUV Market August 31, 2004, Auburn Hills, Mich. - OVERVIEW Enhancements include exterior updates and interior refinements. Liberty Renegade offers a more rugged look, and classic Jeep® appearance. New turbo diesel engine has best-in-class torque, towing and range. When the Jeep® Liberty was introduced for the 2002 model year, it had a To-Do list that would have sent most SUVs back to the drawing board. Liberty priorities were to: Expand the depth and breadth of the Jeep brand; Captivate traditional Jeep buyers, and also attract a new generation of sport-utility vehicle consumers; Provide the mid-size sport-utility segment the best combination of Jeep 4x4 capability and on-road refinement; and Stay true to the Jeep brand’s heritage of more than 60 years. In a clear indication that the vehicle accomplished its initial goals, Jeep Liberty retail sales of 145,000 units in calendar year 2003 made it number one in the mid-size SUV segment. Not content to be content, the Jeep Liberty approaches the 2005 model year prepared to solidify its leadership position with a freshened exterior and interior design on Sport and Limited models, a new Liberty Renegade design with unique exterior, as well as the addition of the first diesel engine in a mid-size SUV for North American markets. And that’s only the beginning of improvements for the 2005 Jeep Liberty. “Jeep Liberty clearly stands apart from car-based sport-utility vehicles in terms of 4x4 capabilities, and from truck- based offerings in terms of on-road refinement,” said Jeff Bell, Vice President—Jeep. “As a result, Liberty is uniquely positioned to deliver both the refinement required by the expanding mid-size SUV market, while also offering the toughness of the legendary Jeep brand.” Improvements and upgrades on the 2005 model solidify its position.” A coil spring independent front suspension and link-coil rear suspension provide an exceptional on-road ride and legendary off-road capability. JEEP LIBERTY The 2005 Jeep Liberty is given a freshened exterior design with new front fascia, grille, fog lamps, fender flares, bodyside moldings, new standard roof racks and wheels. Two new exterior colors are Dark Khaki Pearl Coat and Deep Beryl Green Pearl Coat. Interior refinements include relocated power window switches that are easier to access and operate. New instrument cluster graphics—white letters on a gray background—provide greater visibility at twilight and dusk and give a more refined look. SIRIUS® Satellite Radio and a DVD-based Navigation Radio are available on all models. On-road refinement gets an assist from new seats that are improved through the use of dual density foam. In addition to being more comfortable, the seats have a more contemporary look with new contours, sew styles and fabrics, including a new “diamond plate-inspired” seat fabric. The same type of foam is used for seats in the 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee, Chrysler 300 and Dodge Magnum. Additionally, the rear seat fold angle of the Liberty is reduced, providing a flatter load floor for increased utility and improved cargo storage. New this year for gasoline versions of the Liberty is a six-speed manual transmission, which replaces the previous five-speed manual transmission. The new NSG 370 six-speed transmission offers improved quality and NVH specifications. It is available on 4x2 models and 4x4 Sport and Renegade models. A Tire Pressure Monitoring system (TPM), first offered on the 2004 Liberty, has been enhanced in 2005, and is more seamless to the customer. The new smart TPM automatically learns tire sensor position for all four rotating tires, to eliminate the need for using magnets and a customer programmable training mode. The system is included in Liberty’s overhead Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC). JEEP RENEGADE The restyled and repackaged Jeep Liberty Renegade becomes the image leader for Liberty, and features a classic Jeep appearance. For 2005, the new Jeep Liberty Renegade will offer a distinct exterior when compared to the Sport and Limited models, and will appeal to a slightly different buyer with its more rugged design. The Jeep Liberty Renegade model will feature a new flatter hood and taller grille, plus off-road fog lamps, taillamp guards, fender flares, wheels and tires. Renegade features functional rock rails, four skid plates, and available P235/70R16 all-terrain tires with wider, more aggressive treads. The Liberty Renegade is also available with an optional overhead light bar. “The Jeep Liberty Renegade joined our lineup in 2002, and it appeals to a new type of buyer,” said Bell. “With the more dramatic design change to the new 2005 Liberty Renegade, we expect to broaden the appeal of the Liberty Renegade to those who have longed for a four-door Wrangler.” JEEP LIBERTY TURBO DIESEL In addition to the design changes, the Jeep Liberty will be offered with a new turbo diesel engine option for the first time in North American markets. The newly revised 2.8-liter common rail diesel engine (CRD) gives buyers state-of- the-art technology to fit their lifestyle. The 2.8-liter CRD is equipped with a five-speed automatic transmission on the 4x4 Jeep Liberty Sport and Jeep Liberty Limited models. Providing class-leading torque and towing (5,000 lbs.), the diesel engine will attract yet another buyer to the Jeep Liberty. The 2.8-liter CRD engine is rated at an estimated 160 horsepower (120 kW) at 3800 rpm and with 295 lb.-ft. (400 N•m) of torque at 1800 rpm for unmatched towing power. Driving range is about 480 miles. Diesel engines reduce CO2 emissions by an average of 20 percent. “Our new diesel engine provides the torque of a V-8, the performance of a V-6 and the fuel economy of a four cylinder. This new technology improves fuel economy an average of 25 percent,” said Craig Love, Vice President—Rear-Wheel Drive Product Team and Core Team Leader. “We always say Jeep is the go-anywhere, do- anything brand, and these features give our owners even more capability to do just that.” Anti-lock brakes are standard with the Liberty diesel. JEEP LIBERTY IS TRAIL RATED® All Jeep Liberty four-wheel-drive models will wear the Jeep Trail Rated® badge. The Jeep Trail Rated badge shows that the vehicle has been designed to perform in a variety of challenging off-road conditions identified by five key consumer-oriented performance categories: Traction, Ground Clearance, Maneuverability, Articulation and Water Fording. Jeep Trail Rated is an industry-leading methodology to objectively measure and predict off-road performance for all Jeep vehicles today and into the future. Through a combination of natural and controlled field tests, as well as computer-simulated environments, Jeep Trail Rated provides a repeatable and consistent measurement of off-road performance for all Jeep vehicles. Only Jeep vehicles are Trail Rated. The Jeep Liberty is manufactured in Ohio at the Toledo North Assembly Plant. -###- Additional information and news from Stellantis are available at: https://media.stellantisnorthamerica.com .

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