The beguiling Jeep Liberty had a tough assignment when it first hit the road in early 2001: fill the shoes of the legendary Cherokee, which had been serving families and outdoor enthusiasts for nearly 2 decades and was one of the first compact SUVs on American road-and trails. Well, fill them it did, with more power, more room and true bright-eyed Jeep styling, not to mention a bevy of luxury options that are hard to come by in this class, such as heated front seats, leather upholstery and a moonroof.

Power for the Liberty is provided by either a rather unenthusiastic four-cylinder (150-HP) in the base model or a more lively V6 (210-HP) in the Limited. The ride quality is somewhat harsh, revealing the Liberty's true intentions: to be a good off-roader first and foremost (after all, it is a Jeep). It's not so uncomfortable as to be annoying…it's just no Cadillac, that's all. Then again, when the going gets tough, you don't want to be in a DeVille.

Other things we love include the separate rear glass window, cool-looking metal accents throughout the interior, and the ability to order a V-6 with a manual transmission.