Jeeps have come a long way since the days when the only people driving them were irascible old prospector types, college kids or folks who spent their weekends knee deep in mud. The Jeep line, including the 2010 Jeep Liberty Limited 4X4, went upscale years ago to compete in the packed SUV playground.

But the Liberty represents Jeep’s attempt to walk the fine line between balancing the make’s hardscrabble reputation with the need to offer the modern driver, even one who likes to get the wheels dirty, with a modicum of style and plush accommodations.

The Liberty’s fresh, boxy shape enhances thevehicle’s rugged image, while also being a nod to current styling trends. The Liberty, with an astested sticker of $33,375, has a decided masculine profile–including the big, bold chrome grill and protruding fender flares–that does justice to its still formidable off-road heritage.

One of the most appealing features of the Liberty is the “Sky Slider” full open roof, which clearly separates the Jeep from its SUV brethren. The roof opens and closes quickly and relatively quietly and makes it feel like you’re riding in a convertible SUV.

The Liberty is powered by a 3.7-liter V6 engine that pumps out about 210 hp. The somewhat raspy sounding power plant is full of torque, but acceleration is nothing special. The four-speed automatic transmission is adequate, but not spectacular, and the fuel economy, estimated at 15/21 mpg, isn’t exactly worth bragging about either.

On the road, the Liberty gobbles up pot holes and other road imperfections, but maintaining offroad credibility comes at the expense of a smooth ride on regular tarmac, as the tall, narrow vehicle has a somewhat twitchy ride at times.

The Liberty’s calling card is off-road conditions, thanks to the Selec-Trac 4WD system, all speed traction control and four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes. It also comes equipped with transmission, fuel tank, front suspension and transfer case skid plates, and earns its “Trail Rated” bones thanks in part to excellent approach (39 degrees) and departure (32 degrees) angles.

The interior of the liberty is austere, but comfortable. The hard plastic dash reflects Jeep’s utilitarian upbringing, while the center stack features a touch screen media panel and large round AC controls. The gauges are of the easy-to-read analog variety, while the heated leather-stitched seats are nice, but don’t offer a great deal of lateral support.

Thanks to the positioning of the transmission housing, the driver’s side footwell is a little cramped, forcing you to sit at a slight angle that takes a little getting used to. The cool feature that allows the powered seat to slide back and forth for ease of ingress and egress is much appreciated.

As a true truck, not merely a crossover, the Liberty is one of the few remaining SUVs that really shines in the muck. That ability requires some compromises in on-road comfort, but for the outdoors enthusiast, it’s worth it.