Crash Test Rating
Source   NHTSA
MPG (up to)
15 City / 21 HWY
Horsepower
210
Seats
5
Front passenger 3/4 w/ wheels turned.

Positive Owner Reviews

accountCircle Dina L
It is solid and dependable.
I enjoy driving this vehicle. It handles nicely and I feel secure in it. The gas mileage is not the best, but it does go into Eco mode were it preserves gas.
accountCircle Debbie C
Jeep liberty pros and cons.
I really like our jeep, I just wish that it was roomier inside. Could use a little more leg room. I also would prefer it had a v8 engine instead of a v6, it struggles a little on hills. Seats are somewhat comfortable, could be a little a little more, they are fine for everyday use, but on long trips could use a little more comfort.
accountCircle Johnathan B
I'm not sure an interesting fact about my car
Not sure whaT problems,performance, reliability, comfort, and features my car has. I'm getting use to it.
accountCircle Kly S
Jeeps are a blast to drive and I like the unusual dashboard.
This is my fourth jeep. The only problem I complain about is there are a lot of electrical problems. Has not been too expensive to have fixed. But I love the look of the jeep and the way it rides. I love that jeeps retain their resale value and the reputation of the jeep name.
accountCircle Jason H
Great work or recreation car!!
Performance wise is a little sluggish but what you would expect from a Jeep. It is very comfortable with a decent amount of room. The four wheel drive is great in the snow and mud. The only complaint I have is the gas mileage. But if you are just using it as a work or recreation vehicle it is not all bad
accountCircle Jennifer C
Love the size it's not to big and it's not to small
Have only had my jeep a short time. Haven't had any problems with it at all. Love that it has lots of space. About to put seats down in the back to have lots more room to put big stuff in.
accountCircle Citlali M
Jeep liberty limited a very economical car.
The jeep liberty limited it's a very reliable car. It does not waste that much gas compare to other big cars. You can drive from la to tijuana Mexico back and forth when you have a full gas tank and at the end of the drive you will still have a little bit left. It is very spacious and comfortable. It is a car that is very comfortable to drive great distances or just to cruise around your neighborhood. The outside and the inside of the car are very stylish, I feel that it looks very sophisticated. The trunk is very spacious which I like it alot because it is great when you go grocery shopping, when you go for a picnic to the park, and also when you decide to go camping with a group of 5. It has been very long years that I had this car and for the past 8 years this car has never giving me any issues. The only problems that I always have with this car are just low tires and that's because of objects that I encounter when driving around but I am sure I am not the only one. Other than that I do recommend this car a lot.
accountCircle Kristen C
Four door jeep liberty sport.
I love my jeep. It is very roomy. I have two young children and both car seats fit in it perfectly. My husband is a bigger guy and he fits in with plenty of room to feel comfortable. We keep up with the jeep meaning oil changes, car washes, under maintenance. This is a very nice vehicle for families or even just yourself. Great choice, highly recommend.

Negative Owner Reviews

accountCircle Patricia Cates
Do not buy
Purchased my 2012 jeep liberty in march 2020. Driver side window quit working at 68,000 miles. AC has a huge leak in it now at 72,000 miles. Was told $1000 to repair it and will take 2 days. Driver side windshield washer jet quit working and now the passenger jet is barely working. Temp gauge light is now out. I purchased this vehicle because I didn’t have the money to put into my 1995 cherokee. Now I don’t have money to put into this one and make the payments on it so I’m not sure what to do. Maybe let the bank repo it.
accountCircle Kathy B
Jeep liberty never purchase.
Battery has to be replaced yearly. Service vehicle at Ferman and still does not start correctly. Multiple blind spots worries of roll over this has been the worst vehicle I have ever owned. Still think it is a good looking vehicle but would not recommend a jeep to anyone.
accountCircle Scott Barnes
Truth from Jeep stop the lies
Horrible too many defects, too many recalls lousy vehicle cheaply made. It has been back for service more than 23 times in 3 years, 4 recalls and today it still does not work, it was serviced twice in one day and they still could not repair it so it does not work. NO MORE JEEPS for ME
accountCircle Char brown
Junker alert
Worst vehicle ever had had to replace entire brake system. Had the engine throw a rod at 58000 miles 3 radiators in 3 years. All this while making payments on a certified used piece of junk
accountCircle Mona Freeman
2012 Jeep liberty
I have a 2012 Jeep liberty love it but on Friday I took it to have the oil changed and evidently I have the rack and pinion leaking needs replaced plus the $60,000 mile overhaul plus needs rear rotors and brakes plus 7 leaked on my tranny plus it front left axle is leaking seems like an awful lot wrong plus money for such a new vehicle with 60,000 miles on it very disappointed of course I don't have no warranty left on it so like $1,500 worth of work if not more so I won't be buying in another jeep ever
accountCircle Vanessa T
Pay too much for way too little.
Terrible gas mileage, bought used but disappointed in its tow capabilities, but have not checked with professionals to make sure it is ready for it. Love the look and the 4 wheel drive, but have had issues with cylinders misfiring. Also there is a lot of wind noise on the highway like the windshield is not attached right or something.
accountCircle Laura M
Buyer beware this car is not for someone with a newborn and is cheaply made.
I bought this car with 60,000 miles on it. Come to find out after during a through inspection, the complete undercarriage is all rusted and falling apart. Everywhere that could possibly leak fluid is. I needs a whole new suspension and arm bars. It was not like this when I drove it off the lot. The ac has not worked since day 1. I didn’t think that was much of an issue as I was in a hurry to buy a car do you having a baby. Well looking at all the issues now that I see, this car is not safe for a child. I may have been sold a lemon and I cannot say that every jeep liberty sport is like this. After reading similar reviews online I feel like this car falls apart after some time. Will I ever buy one again definitely not as the space inside is very deceiving. It is hard to get in and out especially with a baby at the rear of the car. It is the shape of the vehicle that causes the awkward getting in and out part!
accountCircle Tenley B
It is black with black interior. Reminds me of a little barbie car.
My car frequently does not start, but it wrecks well. I like the interior and the way the car itself looks. The way the car drives it kind of bad though. It feels like you are driving a go cart. It is really nice other than that though. It has held up for a while. I have had this car since I was 16.

Jeep Liberty Models

Models also known as Trim Levels, are used to identify a vehicle's level of equipment or special features.

car
Arctic
210 HP 17 MPG 5 Seats
car
Sport
210 HP 17 MPG 5 Seats
car
Sport Latitude
210 HP 17 MPG 5 Seats
car
Limited
210 HP 17 MPG 5 Seats
car
Limited Jet
210 HP 17 MPG 5 Seats
Photos may not match model

2012 Jeep Liberty Owner Reviews

4.10
447 Reviews
close Write Review
5 stars 42%
4 stars 35%
3 stars 16%
2 stars 4%
1 star 3%
accountCircle Madison H on June 25, 2021
Spacious jeep liberty! Lots of room. Very reliable.
I love my vehicle. I do not have any problems. I have owned 2 jeeps and they have been the best most reliable cars I have ever had! They are comfortable and spacious. The only problems I have ever had have been related to ac/heat. Other than that I have been very pleased with my vehicle.
accountCircle Emily O on June 24, 2021
Jeep liberty 2012 4/5 stars.
My brake light comes on occasionally and it is very loud but overall a great car. It is sort of “tight” especially for my taller friends, but being five feet tall I feel comfy. I have had the car for almost 4 years and I have never had to get any major work done, and I have never broken down. The air conditioner is sort of slow to turn on but that is really my only complaint.

Pros from Owners

likeFilled Kaitlin W.

The Jeep Liberty is great on winter roads. The vehicle came equipped with 4-wheel drive that allows ease when drive on icy and snowy roads. The vehicle is also a great stylish and family friendly vehicle. The backseat provides a comfortable ride with plenty of legroom. The trunk has ample room for carrying anything from furniture to groceries.

likeFilled Arabella M.

Pros: it drives very smooth. It has four wheel drive. The steering wheel is super light. Very spacious vehicle. Good speakers. Comfortable seats. Can drive over hilly & rocky plane. Cons: none.

likeFilled Mark S.

I find the jeep liberty to be a good vehicle overall. It has 4wd and good ground clearance I like the way you can see everything around you no blind spots the headlights are really great at night love the appearance.

likeFilled Andrew P.

Spacious and leather interior. The power is sufficient to propel you down the highway swiftly, but not so much that you guzzle all of your gas within a day. Overall, the vehicle brings confidence to the driver due to the size of its frame and ability to handle significant safety hazards.

likeFilled Maria H.

The leather seats with heated option and Bluetooth is great. 4 Wheel drive is also and pro as it helps when driving in the snow. Also, the ease of getting to the oil and washer fluid is great and easily achieved.

likeFilled Ken B.

The jeep four wheel drive. Heated seats. Dependable in all weather conditions. Large to make me feel safe. Decent gas mileage. Roomy with lots of cargo space for hauling things, towing, traveling and more.

likeFilled Cassie S.

4 wheel drive, good gas mileage, big cargo area, rugged, easy to drive, sporty, good in snow and rain, inexpensive, gets me to where I need to go, non pretentious, durable, sunroof, cloth seats (easy to keep clean).

likeFilled Camden M.

Very roomy. Comfortable drive for a sports utility. Quality interior and holds up well over time. Needs very little maintenance at this point. Radio features with steering wheel tuning fits my needs as I listen to several stations daily.

Cons from Owners

dislikeFilled Kaitlin W.

The Jeep Liberty has not come without disadvantages, but that is any vehicle you purchase. The liberty has been part of recalls including a seat belt one. There has also been issues with power steering lines needing to be replaced. The other con that I have found is the floor heat. It works but is not as great as the rest of the heat resulting in some very chilly toes in the winter.

dislikeFilled Arabella M.

There are not cons in my opinion. To me, the con is that my car is at almost 200,000 miles which means it is almost over with. Something I would add is definitely Bluetooth into the vehicle. I have purchased a Bluetooth aux cord called TaoTronics which allows me to connect to Bluetooth into my liberty.

dislikeFilled Mark S.

I bought one with the sky slider roof and have had nothing but trouble with it since the day I bought it broke now and they want 4,000 dollars to fix at minimum. Also could have better gas mileage. I think the vehicle needs to be a little wider seems a little topheavy.

dislikeFilled Andrew P.

The engine is a 3.7 Liter engine. That is sufficient to propel you down the highway, but sometimes can feel a little bit underpowered for the size of the vehicle. Additionally, since the car was built in 2012, it tends to have somewhat outdated technology related to the audio, heads up display and other major technology.

dislikeFilled Maria H.

This vehicle does not have a lot of room or a good dash. I will be looking for a touch screen head unit for my next vehicle as mine does not have that now. The dash is small and there is minimal room from driver and passenger to the windshield.

dislikeFilled Ken B.

Brakes have had to be replaced several times. Heater core broke twice and left a mess in the interior passenger side floor. Very expensive repairs to that. Easily scratched body and large bumpers. Leather seats are cracked with just normal use.

dislikeFilled Cassie S.

Do not make them anymore, not fancy, small backseat, have to get out to open back cargo, too small for family, no Bluetooth, big if you have small space to park, have to put into 4wd, boring dashboard, boring interior.

dislikeFilled Camden M.

Cost of replacement parts expensive. Needs lots of washing and some areas are hard to reach. I really love my jeep and so far do not have many cons for this vehicle. The jeep is a good brand with quality reputation.

Ranks #13 Compact SUV by Owners

The 2012 Jeep Liberty has an average owner rating of 4.22 out of 5 which ranks it #13 of 23 other Compact SUVs.

1
car
4.67
2
car
4.52
13
car
4.21

Ranks #11 Compact SUV by Fuel Economy

The 2012 Jeep Liberty has a combined MPG of 28 which ranks it #11 of 23 other Compact SUVs.

1
Tie
car
32 MPG
1
Tie
car
32 MPG
11
car
21 MPG

Is The 2012 Jeep Liberty A Good Car?

Yes it is. It is reliable, spacious and a great family car. Not bad on gas either and as long as the maintenance is kept up to date you should have no issues with it.
Nina C.
Yes I have had it a few years and it still works. The four wheel drive sounds funny though. It still runs well but uses too much gas.
Alex L.
My jeep liberty has been a very good car. It is easy to drive in city traffic and upkeep has been low.
Jeanetta M.
It is awesome, have had no issues with it mechanical wise. . The I now have two kids and it just seems to be on the smaller side.
Carina V.
Yes it is. It is comfortable, great in the snow and easy to drive. I like the inside features on my model as well.
Christina C.
Yes. Low maintenance vehicle. It is excellent in snow, mud etc. Handles gravel and off the road driving great.
Karl A.
Yes it is a good vehicle. It's good if you have children. It's the right height for short people to drive.
Marco M.
Yes, although at 75000 miles, I am starting to have some issues. I will buy jeep again though. Jeeps are really nice
Melanie F.

How Reliable Is The 2012 Jeep Liberty?

It is reliable. The issues I have had with it are minimal and replaceable. I have had some issues with the breaks and cosmetic things but nothing with the transmission.
Nina C.
It uses too much gas. It is reliable though. It has only broken down once. They had to replace the whole engine.
Alex L.
My jeep liberty has been very reliable. The only problem were a few of the sensors went out in the first few years.
Jeanetta M.
So reliable. . I have had no issues. . Ride is smooth, gas mileage is average, and still looks brand new.
Carina V.
Yes. I have not had any issues with it. I'm not sure how to stretch this out to a hundred characters. My Jeep gets me where I need to go.
Parker B.
Very reliable. Starts and runs great in hot and cold weather extremes. Excellent vehicle for gravel roads and highways.
Susan B.
Yes, the vehicle is reliable. It doesn't need a lot of keep up. It doesn't really have any problems.
Melanie R.
Right now abs light and the service 4wd light are on also the traction control is on. The ecm valve needs to be replaced.
Alexis K.

Is The 2012 Jeep Liberty A Good Value?

I bought it at $17,000 but it had some miles on it. My payments are minimal and I feel it was a good value at the time of purchase.
Nina C.
I paid sixteen thousand. I think it should have been cheaper. Keeps don't last as long as they used to now.
Alex L.
The purchase price new was around $25,000. I am sure a better price could have been found but I was in need of a vehicle quickly when I purchased it.
Jeanetta M.
$28,000. It is a good value. I have heated seats. Sunroom. Leather seats . Pretty much everything but navigation.
Carina V.
I believe I paid for around $30,000 for my Jeep. For a brand new car I feel that it was a good value. I don't like that it loses so much value after leaving the lot.
Fran R.
$15k. It was used and a great value when we purchased it. We would be very definitely buy another Jeep.
Hannah B.
We paid 16,000 for the Jeep. I believe it is a good value. I think we bought it at a good cost. I think it would be a good value to other people who are single, married, have kids.
Jessica N.
It cost us 20000. They don't sell them anymore though, they were discontinued. I think it is a good value
Sue B.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What's the 2012 Jeep Liberty starter location?

Answer: As the owner of a 2012 Jeep Liberty, You may be in the situation of needing to locate the starter in Your engine for an inspection. You can find the starter for this make and model on the driver's side of the...

What's the 2012 Jeep Liberty mode door actuator location?

Answer: The 2012 Jeep Liberty Mode door actuator is located on the side of the blend door under the dash. This actuator is responsible for controlling the air temperature from the vents and directing the air to...

What's the 2012 Jeep Liberty interior fuse box location?

Answer: The fuse box on Your 2012 Jeep Liberty is located on the driver side of the dashboard. There is a small plastic panel that is only accessible when the driver door is open. Pull that panel out to get access to...

What type of antifreeze does my 2012 Jeep Liberty use?

Answer: According to the owners manual for the 2012 Jeep Liberty You will want to use a MOPAR Antifreeze/Coolant with A5 year / 100,000 mile formula HOAT, which stands for Hybrid Organic Additive Technology. You should...

How do i perform the 2012 Jeep Liberty tpms reset?

Answer: The 2012 Jeep Liberty, is equipped with wheel sensors that monitor tire pressure. To perform a reset of the TPMS warning light, park the vehicle on a flat surface and using a gauge, check the tires are inflated...

Answers are provided by third parties. We do not guarantee accuracy of responses

Safety & Reliability

NHTSA Logo
NHTSA Crash Test

Overall

Front

Rollover

Side

*National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
IIHS Logo
IIHS Crash Test

Moderate Overlap Front

Side

Roof Strength

Driver-side Overlap Front

Not Rated
*Insurance Institute for Highway Safety