liberty vs rav4

[flatfoot]

Hello to all

I hate to bring another vehicle into this jeep forum, but I wanted to ask a pertinent question.
As I posted on another query on this forum, my new home, is sort of on top of an unpaved dirt road, up a fairly steep hill, that can get muddy, icy, and dusty. (its about a half mile long or so)
Thus I have the need of having a vehicle capable of bringing me up and down to my home, no matter the weather from the main road.
I went out to look at the liberty, and I also looked at a rav 4.
Now the rav4, also has four wheel drive that engages when the vehicle senses it needs it, but also has a lock mechanism on it, to keep it in 50-50 four wheel drive, if you are in snow or sand.
Would the jeep as a vehicle, be any more capable of transversing the road to my home, then a rav4 would be. ?
The prices are similar, and my wife likes the rav4 better, but the utility feature is the primary import.
Any feedback on this?

Much thanks

 

[jimheem]

Just look underneath rav4 and the Liberty, and you'll know which one is a stronger vehicle.

Sure Liberty is in the same size class as Rav4, CRV, and others - but to compare a Jeep vehicle to any of these "car based" vehicles is almost not even fair to the competition.

The Liberty is all Jeep. The toyota is all...CAR.

Would the 4x4 climb your muddy hill? Most likely, yes, it will - but if you are going to drive that hill every day, I'd be willing to bet the toyota wouldn't take the abuse for long. I'd have complete trust in the Jeep's ability to do it every day, over and over again, without failure.

 

[FrenchCamp49er]

And boy that RAV4 is sure UGLY.

 

[2003KJ]

I'd put a Jeep up against a Rav4 any day.....and i'm not just saying that cause I own a Jeep and this is a Jeep place. Like mentioned above, take a good look underneath both of them, and you'll see which is stronger and will hold up longer.

 

[SnowgodCCR]

It's not even a comparison. The jeep has 4lo, the RAV4 doesn't. The Liberty has a solid rear axle, the toyota doesn't. The Liberty was built from the ground up (well...not the tires...) to be an offroad vehicle, the RAV4 was built from the ground up to be a Camry (Car based SUV-it's true.)...It seriously isn't a fair comparison at all. Sure they have similar spec sheets, until you look at approach and departure angles, low range 4wd, RTI ratings, durability, and general badassness (copyright).

 

[hyde]

I would most likely never drive anything that doesn't have 4LO.
Plus I can always see the rear axle of Toyota and Hondas, it looks like one long pen-thick shaft, I cannot believe it supports those wheels in 4x4 mode..

On the other hand, If you are in mostly dry areas and want to get a great deal on an almost 4x4 it is an OK vehicle.

 

[KJ02Ltd]

Not trying to be mean, but I almost spit my drink on the screen when I realized that you actually compared a Liberty to a Rav4.... [-X (Aeh)

Seriously, as has been said, the Liberty and Rav4 are totally different vehicles.

 

[Dave]

It's like when you have 2 bags of groceries and they look similar but when you open them up, one has meat and potatoes and the other is full of fruit loops and twinkies.

Dave

 

[desertkj]

If I were you, I would seriously be looking at the new Wrangler Unlimited as well as the Liberty.

 

[tjkobs7926]

Rav4 vs. Liberty

Not to beat a dead horse, but I would also say no comparison. A liberty is much better. But to help you better understand, I will tell you this...the rav4 is not a bad car. We have one where I work and I have to drive it about once a week. It does have a 4x4 badge on it cause it has a 4wheel-drive locking mechanism. However, the dash light, and I am sure the unit as well, shuts off at about 15 miles an hour, which leaves the driver back in front 2 hi. I was able to take it through about five inches of snow the other day, but it was not up a hill, it was down. The Rav4 has some nice options and rides very well, but it really has no guts. I am thankful I have a Jeep cause it goes anywhere. If you want to be safe and know you'll get home every night, buy the Jeep. But if you want to save on gas, and cross your fingers when the weather is bad, go with the rav4.

 

[JeepJeepster]

I think I lost some pride by just posting in this thread.

Jeeps should NOT be compared to the rav4. ](*,) =; [-X :-s

 

[MoladoGuy]

Yea, the RAV4 is a capable vehicle. However, to use your vehicle in the conditions you describe day in and day out you may not want to go the RAV4 route. Like many said here take a look under each one. The build of the Liberty is much more solid and would fair much better to any abuse you give it, even day in and day out.

In regards to room, they are both comparable. Also, the power train is not that much different until you get to the 4x4 offerings. The Liberty will give you 4-LO which is a huge option to have when driving a 4x4. You mention the RAV4 gives sensor 4x4 engagement which is not an option for Liberty. However, you do get ESP with the Lib's as an option along with 4Hi-Full Time drive.

You will also have this huge forum capable of answering any questions you have as you own the Liberty!! BONUS!!!!!!!!

 

[Havoline]

"flatfoot", you're talking apples and oranges. A rav4 is poorly designed and built "wannabe" at best. lol3.gif

 

[Mangate]

I'm not saying I agree with this, but have a look at

http://www.allpar.com/model/jeep/liberty-history.html

Most of you have probably seen it already, here are a few quotes from this page.

Chrysler and the new Daimler/Chrysler minions ignored the Cherokee's success and succumbed to the ravings of the automotive press and tried to clone the RAV4 to replace the Cherokee.

The Liberty is a RAV4 wannabe. For a RAV4 wannabe, it's really quite good. What really baffles me is its weight; it's nearly 1,000 lbs heavier than a similarly equipped Cherokee.

Back to the Liberty. It's got round headlights and a TJ looking grill! But nothing else separates it from the competition. DC succumbed to the Japanese loving automotive press and replaced a very successful old design with a RAV4 wannabe. DC has blown their first challenge to preserve the Jeep heritage. That's my two cents worth.

 

[kjpilot]

Car & Driver did a comparison of "cute-utes" in 2001 or 2002. the Liberty & RAV4 were included. The part I remember best was the "ski hill run" where they just jumped in & started driving up a snow covered ski hill & measured how far up the got before loosing traction. Only the KJ made it to the top, all others only got about 25% of the way up.\/

I'll try to find that article.

 

[SnowgodCCR]

I'm not saying I agree with this, but have a look at

http://www.allpar.com/model/jeep/liberty-history.html

Most of you have probably seen it already, here are a few quotes from this page.

Chrysler and the new Daimler/Chrysler minions ignored the Cherokee's success and succumbed to the ravings of the automotive press and tried to clone the RAV4 to replace the Cherokee.

The Liberty is a RAV4 wannabe. For a RAV4 wannabe, it's really quite good. What really baffles me is its weight; it's nearly 1,000 lbs heavier than a similarly equipped Cherokee.

Back to the Liberty. It's got round headlights and a TJ looking grill! But nothing else separates it from the competition. DC succumbed to the Japanese loving automotive press and replaced a very successful old design with a RAV4 wannabe. DC has blown their first challenge to preserve the Jeep heritage. That's my two cents worth.

I would hardly say that Jeep was trying to recreate the RAV4 when they designed the liberty.
I would say that Jeep saw the success that toyota was having with the RAV4 at the time, read what the auto-rags liked about it, and tried to incorporate those positives of the RAV4 into the Liberty, while at the same time preserving Jeep's offroad heritage. The positives of the RAV4 are the good ride quality, adequate power, good cargo space, comfy seats, etc. Jeep looked at those and figured out how to execute them in a highyl capable vehicle that the general public would embrace as a Cute-Ute, and that (eventually) the Jeep fanbase would embrace as the truley cabable vehicle that it is.

The RAV4 and the Liberty are in the same catergory, but certainly not the same class.

 

[KJ02Ltd]

The RAV4 and the Liberty are in the same catergory, but certainly not the same class.

That says it all.

 

[MadDog]

I have to agree with those above. I own both a Toyota Camry and a Jeep Liberty and am big fans of both manufacturers. I gave the Rav4 a big look when thinking about which SUV to buy and it came down to what others have said: the Rav4, like other Japanese SUV's, are based on a car platform. In my opinion, if I want a vehicle that drives and feels like a car, I already have one. I wanted a truck to ride, perform, and drive...like a truck! This may be my personal preference, but I also rented a Kia Sorrento while upstate and I had the same gripe with it: the vehicle felt like a car when sitting in it and it drove like one. Not to say that those vehicles aren't nice rides, but if you want a truck that's truly built like one and capable of handling the off-road abuse, the libby is the way to go. I've not been at all disappointed with the decision.

I tell people this all the time when they ask "Why the liberty?": I didn't buy it for its reliability, I didn't buy it for its gas mileage; I bought it because it's capable and I am virtually unlimited with what I can do with it...among the things I use a vehicle for.

 

[FoxChung]

I bought my KJ becoz IT'S A JEEP. I won't buy a RAV4 becoz it's NOT a Jeep. That's simple.

 

[tjkobs7926]

RAV4 vs. Liberty

Hey, just thought I'd pass along a little story that happened tonight. I work at the top of a bluff (Large Hill) so I was driving down and before the bottom there is a rather step up turn. Kind of a small valley one could say. Well, "weather" you know this or not, there is a massive area of low pressure scooping up gulf mosture and dumping it all over Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin in the form of snow. In an attempt to ease people's pain while driving home, we all left together. Me in my KJ a few sadans, a Saturn Vue and a TOYOTA RAV4! Oh, and a Silverado with a plow. Anyways, the plow led the way, I was in second. Near the base of the hill I held back and waited for all to pass. Not one (except the plow) made it up the rest of the hill. NOT ONE! including the RAV4. Well I flew by everyone and up I went. Not one problem. The plow made a few more passes, and every one made it up, but there were a lot of spinning wheels. Story in short...RAV4 not so hot in the snow! I had a great time driving home as well.