The seats were noticeably improved for 2005 through the use of dual-density foam, but the side bolsters are still soft, a signal that the Liberty is set up more to absorb vibration than to be slung around corners. And you'll have to order the optional power seats to get seat-height adjustment. The standard cloth upholstery feels like it will hold up well. The Renegade front seats are tailored with unique cloth center panels and vinyl bolsters. The front seats in the Limited are more comfortable. They are chair-like buckets, softer and more contoured than the seats in the Ford Escape.

Getting in and out of the Liberty is more difficult than it is in some of the more carlike SUVs. The door openings are relatively narrow, the step-up height is a little higher, the seats have those side bolsters to get past, and your feet must clear relatively high side sills. A grab handle is provided, but it's located on the A-pillar above the steering wheel, not the perfect position to help shorter people swing inside.

The Liberty's rear seats are comfortable, capable of holding three people. Two adults should be happy here. There is even more rear headroom than in the front, and lots of space to slide your feet under the front seats, but knee room is limited. Sliding out of the back seat requires a bit of a stretch down, and your legs drag across the fender. So be sure to clean that area before putting any well-dressed guests back there.

The Liberty offers a generous amount of cargo space behind the rear seats. Caesar the 160-pound mastiff was happy to ride there. Two full-size garbage cans fit side-by-side back there, too, a feat we haven't seen duplicated in many SUVs. Grocery-bag hooks and cargo tie-downs are provided to keep things from rolling around. An optional cargo organizer opens into a shelf with compartment dividers to keep packages in place, and can be folded flat when not in use.

Fold the rear seats down and the Liberty offers a lot of cargo space (69.0 cubic feet), virtually the same as in the Escape. Dropping the split rear seat is a one-hand operation in the Liberty, as the rear seat bottom stays in place. But that means that the cargo floor isn't perfectly flat when the rear seats are folded down, and that is our biggest gripe with this vehicle. Nor are the rear seats readily removable as they are in the Toyota RAV4. Also, removing the rear headrests requires pressing two buttons at once to release them.

Cosmetically, the interior features a round motif, with round door handles, round instruments, round air inlets, a round horn pad. Textures and finishes are nicely done. Big gauges use black-on-beige graphics. The Limited adds attractive satin chrome highlights to the instrument panel and doors. The interior on the Limited is particularly nice and executed with quality materials. The Renegade gets silver mini-carbon highlights on the instrument panel that give it a serious/functional look consistent with its rough-and-ready exterior theme.

The manual shifter is on the tall side, but works well. The available leather-wrapped steering wheel is comfortable and features well-designed cruise controls.

The accessory controls work well and intuitively, and don't look like they came out of a sedan or a minivan because they didn't. The power window switches are located on the center console, however, more awkward than having them on the door. The manually operated heating and air-conditioning controls work well, though the mode selector demands attention. The radio works well, but uses a separate and poorly located button to preset stations, an unnecessary distraction when driving. The addition of Sirius Satellite Radio is a major plus, especially when driving into areas where AM/FM reception is spotty.

A notable option on Renegade and Limited is UConnect, a hands-free, in-vehicle communications system. UConnect uses Bluetooth technology to link your cell phone with the Liberty's stereo speakers. A hands-free microphone, voice recognition interface, and phone button are housed in the rearview mirror. The system works when you set your mobile phone down anywhere inside the vehicle. You can even continue a conversation while entering or exiting the vehicle without interrupting your call.

A power accessory delay feature maintains electrical power for 10 minutes after the key is removed from the ignition or the front door is opened. That's useful when you turn off the ignition then notice you forgot to close the windows or when you want to finish listening to a song or newscast before getting out.

The optional tire-pressure monitor integrates into the information center in the overhead mini-console. The system displays individual pressures for all four rotating tires, and a warning message when the pressures fall below or exceed set thresholds. The spare tire is also monitored. Tire-changing and jacking equipment is stored under the rear seat and can be quickly grabbed as a unit.