Closer look at the new Liberty interior

[CSpec]

I was perusing the interweb and came across this picture:

That's one low-cost interior job, folks. You can tell by the door panel, door handle, console, and dash that it will not be a very pleasant place to be. Why can Chrysler not design a half-decent interior?

[frogger]

Wow thats hurting, the old one looks better.

[Paolino]

Well, don't forget that Chrysler just realized their interiors were $h! and plans to introduce some nice ones in 3-4 years... at least according to that article someone posted.

Oh, yay, another Tundra See-Saw commercial is on my tv. What is that, 5 times in the past hour?

[pow]

The old one was much nicer. Ditto the Grand Cherokee. The '99 Limited GC probably had the best Jeep interior ever... so much for progress.

[Intrepidation]

Chrysler of the 90's has much better interiors...the only progress was with the Pacifica and LX cars. Everything else is worse than teh vehicle they replaced...except the Avenger...anything is better than the interior the Stratus had. Thanks Mercedes for starving Chrysler!

[regfootball]

I was perusing the interweb and came across this picture:

That's one low-cost interior job, folks. You can tell by the door panel, door handle, console, and dash that it will not be a very pleasant place to be. Why can Chrysler not design a half-decent interior?

health care costs. union contracts. beancounters.

maybe its just history repeating itself. It kinda looks like a bloated dodge omni interior.

Edited April 10, 2007 by regfootball

[Cory Wolfe]

Wow... That's more horrible that I even expected. Amazing.

[pow]

I'm not-so-eagerly awaiting for the 300 refresh...

[balthazar]

Well, 'mercedes' has been in control of the purse strings since '98, no? No one besides Dodgefan dare to point a finger over that way??

[BrewSwillis]

Base Model? Same color door handles:

Mid-level? Chrome door handles and two tone steering wheel with controls:

Top-level? All the stuff on the mid-level plus additional bright metal accents on the door panel, and probably other stuff that you can't see in this pic:

Big deal......the base model looks kinda cheap. How much cheaper is it than the competition? I would never buy a base model of any car. You get what you pay for.

The old Liberty was the same way.

Sport:

Limited:

[regfootball]

it's so bizarre because the radio and climate controls look nice. its just that the dash shapes are boxy and bland and the plastic is wanting.

[BrewSwillis]

Let's compare it to one of it's closest rivals in price and off-roadedness.....the Nissan Xterra:

Check out the crap-fest that is the Nissan Xterra interior.

[CSpec]

Let's compare it to one of it's closest rivals in price and off-roadedness.....the Nissan Xterra:

Check out the crap-fest that is the Nissan Xterra interior.

So you admit then that the Liberty is a pile?

[Intrepidation]

So you admit then that the Liberty is a pile?

Erm, no...the Xterra's interior is a pile..compared wih it the Liberty's looks luxurious. That was the (obvious) point he was making.

Edited April 10, 2007 by Dodgefan

[CSpec]

Erm, no...the Xterra's interior is a pile..compared wih it the Liberty's looks luxurious. That was the (obvious) point he was making.

I disagree. It seems to me that it was an attempt to justify the Liberty's interior by saying that certain competitors also have crappy interiors.

[Flybrian]

Both the XTerra and Liberty have garbage interiors.

And, no, I don't blame Mercedes for designing these interiors.

[enzl]

Both the XTerra and Liberty have garbage interiors.

And, no, I don't blame Mercedes for designing these interiors.

But I would blame them for approving these interiors...

The whole CJD lineup has a 'crappiness' factor that hurts their perceived value immensely, IMO.

Edited April 10, 2007 by enzl

[Northstar]

Check out the crap-fest that is the Nissan Xterra interior.

Both of them looks equally crappy to me. Comparing a bad interior to another bad interior does not make one of them any worse. The Xterra looks way better in this picture (not that nasty brown):

Is it good? No, but it's not the color of crap.

Erm, no...the Xterra's interior is a pile..compared wih it the Liberty's looks luxurious. That was the (obvious) point he was making.

What CSpec said. He compared a crappy interior to another crappy interior. Doing so does not make one of them any less crappy.

[Cory Wolfe]

Outside of the Xterra and the FJ, the closest thing to a Liberty is the Grand Vitara. It's almost in a smaller size class, but it's as close to a Liberty, off-road wise, as you'll get without spending around $30k and more. Atleast it has a pretty nice interior....

Edited April 10, 2007 by blackviper8891

[The O.C.]

Let's compare it to one of it's closest rivals in price and off-roadedness.....the Nissan Xterra:

Check out the crap-fest that is the Nissan Xterra interior.

LOL

MUCH better than the new Liberty (or Nitro) interior......

[BrewSwillis]

Well, if you didn't get the obvious point: The BASE Liberty is as good or better then the Xterra in my opinion. All of the plastic on the Xterra is the same color and grain. It looks horrible.....but hey....it's got chrome door handles!!

Second. That is the BASE Liberty that you showed an amateur picture of. I don't know what Xterra interior I found the picture of, but there are more higher end Liberty's to chose from.....with the top end one's interior looking quite nice with chrome and bright metal accents.

[Northstar]

Second. That is the BASE Liberty that you showed an amateur picture of. I don't know what Xterra interior I found the picture of, but there are more higher end Liberty's to chose from.....with the top end one's interior looking quite nice with chrome and bright metal accents.

The upper level one looks like it's worth maybe $75 more than the base one. It looks better, but changing trim pieces such as the door handle to metal, adding painted silver plastic inserts on the door, upgrading the steering wheel's material and adding steering wheel controls does not make the interior go from crap to "quite nice." It makes it go from crap to "crap +"

It still has the same crappy plastics all over the place, same ugly design, but at a much higher price for something you could add to the base model (other than the steering wheel controls) for $50 from the aftermarket.

[BrewSwillis]

The upper level one looks like it's worth maybe $75 more than the base one. It looks better, but changing trim pieces such as the door handle to metal, adding painted silver plastic inserts on the door, upgrading the steering wheel's material and adding steering wheel controls does not make the interior go from crap to "quite nice." It makes it go from crap to "crap +"

It still has the same crappy plastics all over the place, same ugly design, but at a much higher price for something you could add to the base model (other than the steering wheel controls) for $50 from the aftermarket.

But this was the original quote:

You can tell by the door panel, door handle, console, and dash that it will not be a very pleasant place to be.

Those are the things that are upgraded on the higher trim levels. I didn't start the tread under those premises.....I just chose to show that those were things that were being complained about on a BASE trimmed vehicle.....and that higher trim level vehicles have those areas upgraded.

[Intrepidation]

LOL

MUCH better than the new Liberty (or Nitro) interior......

Say what?

I won't argue that teh Nitro or Liberty have great interior materials...but they present themselves way nicer I think than the monotone, bland, and shiny plastics of the Xterra.

[Intrepidation]

Guys... scary observation...with the exception the the rounded guage cluster...this looks alot like the Shadow's interior...

Look it even has storage at the top like teh shadow and the upper dashes are both "stepped". Retro baby!

[Northstar]

Those are the things that are upgraded on the higher trim levels. I didn't start the tread under those premises.....I just chose to show that those were things that were being complained about on a BASE trimmed vehicle.....and that higher trim level vehicles have those areas upgraded.

Not really. The only upgraded that is worth note is the door handles. The door panels are not upgraded by adding different colors of plastic or painted plastic because it's still the same crappy plastic (the only upgrade would be if it looks better, which i does, but it still does nothing to make it feel better), and the console and dash were not upgraded at all.

Say what?

I won't argue that teh Nitro or Liberty have great interior materials...but they present themselves way nicer I think than the monotone, bland, and shiny plastics of the Xterra.

This looks much better than the other photo posted before. It still is nothing to gawk at, but it looks much better. I don't believe I've ever sat in an Xterra, so I can''t compare the materials to that in the Nitro/Liberty.

[BrewSwillis]

Not really. The only upgraded that is worth note is the door handles. The door panels are not upgraded by adding different colors of plastic or painted plastic because it's still the same crappy plastic (the only upgrade would be if it looks better, which i does, but it still does nothing to make it feel better), and the console and dash were not upgraded at all.

The center console around the gear shifter on the base model is all one color plastic.....the upper trim models have a metal colored insert around the gear shifter area. The dash includes the vents and passenger dash grab handle.....both of which have additional metal (look?) pieces to brighten up the dash. Open your eyes. Each thing mentioned in the original post is visually upgraded on the higher trim models. I never said the plastic materials are upgraded......why would they be???.....it's the same vehicle. How do you know what the materials feel like from a picture?? Things can be visually upgraded without having their material make up changed.....and still be considered upgraded.

Arguing with you, is like arguing with a woman.....are you a chick??

[big blue]

Guys... scary observation...with the exception the the rounded guage cluster...this looks alot like the Shadow's interior...

Look it even has storage at the top like teh shadow and the upper dashes are both "stepped". Retro baby!

That's just...so wrong. lol.

[Intrepidation]

That's just...so wrong. lol.

Sad part is the Shadow had way more soft touch surfaces.

[Intrepidation]

The center console around the gear shifter on the base model is all one color plastic.....the upper trim models have a metal colored insert around the gear shifter area. The dash includes the vents and passenger dash grab handle.....both of which have additional metal (look?) pieces to brighten up the dash. Open your eyes. Each thing mentioned in the original post is visually upgraded on the higher trim models. I never said the plastic materials are upgraded......why would they be???.....it's the same vehicle. How do you know what the materials feel like from a picture?? Things can be visually upgraded without having their material make up changed.....and still be considered upgraded.

Arguing with you, is like arguing with a woman.....are you a chick??

Well if they're anything like the Nitro's...than they suck pretty hard. Build quality is pretty good but materials aren't...the poor bastards in back don't even get soft-ish armrests (the front do).

[!!!TED!!!]

Guys... scary observation...with the exception the the rounded guage cluster...this looks alot like the Shadow's interior...

Look it even has storage at the top like teh shadow and the upper dashes are both "stepped". Retro baby!

This post right here, basicaly sums up why this "new" Liberty interior is (flame suit on) crap.

Try harder DCX.

[The O.C.]

Not really. The only upgraded that is worth note is the door handles. The door panels are not upgraded by adding different colors of plastic or painted plastic because it's still the same crappy plastic (the only upgrade would be if it looks better, which i does, but it still does nothing to make it feel better), and the console and dash were not upgraded at all.

This looks much better than the other photo posted before. It still is nothing to gawk at, but it looks much better. I don't believe I've ever sat in an Xterra, so I can''t compare the materials to that in the Nitro/Liberty.

The plastics are hard too.....but with a much nicer grain, feel, and look than what DCX has been putting in all of their recent cars/SUVs/trucks (with exception of LX cars.)

[FAPTurbo]

Guys... scary observation...with the exception the the rounded guage cluster...this looks alot like the Shadow's interior...

Look it even has storage at the top like teh shadow and the upper dashes are both "stepped". Retro baby!

[Bimmer325]

That's some cheap looking leather.

[Paolino]

Base Model? Same color door handles:

I find it interesting that the interior could look SO craptacular, same colored door handles, non-leather steering wheel, BLAND interior overall, yet it has auto climate control? God, I'd trade that for some color in my interior.

[Eric77TA]

Sad part is the Shadow had way more soft touch surfaces.

Very true. I had a 1989 Plymouth Sundance with an interior identical to the Shadow shown (though mine was a manual) and it actually had higher material quality than most cars on the market now.

[CARBIZ]

I've sat in the Liberty, and I suppose compared to a Bentley it is a little cheap. Guys, this is not the worst interior I've seen, not by a long shot. I will agree Chrysler has slipped - 6 0r 7 years ago I would have argued they had the BEST interiors of any of the mainstream makes, but they are still pretty decent. The trouble with a vehicle like the Liberty is the broad price spectrum it is expected to traverse. Perhaps there should only have been a luxury Liberty and a cheaper variant under the Dodge banner. Everything is decently laid out. The leather is plain, but then it isn't really leather, is it? Like stationwagons and hatchbacks, vinyl got a bad name 20 years ago and now is called leather.

I think that is my beef with so-called "car critics:" they bitch and whine about the cheap interiors in a Liberty or Xterra or Cobalt, then drive home in their $75,000 BMW - well, I would guess so! Everything in proportion and everything in balance, I say.

[aaaantoine]

This design isn't so bad. The textures are what make it look/feel worse than it should.

[Robert Hall]

Looks like they have moved the pwr window controls to the doors..good move, I never liked the Benz-style console location of the pwr window switches before..

[A Horse With No Name]

Not impressed.

Chris

[BrewSwillis]

Looks like they have moved the pwr window controls to the doors..good move, I never liked the Benz-style console location of the pwr window switches before..

It's actually better to have them located on the console for all vehicles, and especially off-road vehicles, because on the center console the switches have much less chance of being corroded by the elements.

[ocnblu]

But more of a chance of being fouled by spilled drink.

[Intrepidation]

But more of a chance of being fouled by spilled drink.

Or less of a chance of the drink being spilt on them if it's being handed to you via pickup-window. :AH-HA_wink:

[Bimmer325]

I never understood the appeal of console-mounted window switches until I lived with them for an extended period of time in my mom's E46. It took time getting used to "standard" switches after using her car for so long.

I still think it makes more sense to have them on the center console, especially for cars available with a manual transmission.

[BrewSwillis]

But more of a chance of being fouled by spilled drink.

I guess the actual "best" place to put them (for corrosion resistance) would be where the new Wrangler and the PT Cruiser has them......on the center stack:

Wrangler switches:

Edited May 15, 2007 by BrewSwillis