Well, since you asked...

It all depends on what you want. The Xterra handles great on the trail (IMO), but it does not have a solid front axle like a Jeep Cherokee. The Liberty is comparable in class/size, but is on a unibody platform. I would have bought a Jeep if it weren't built by Chrysler, because being having my truck RUN is very important to me, and the American trucks just don't have the workmanship.
If you can afford it, buy a Toyota. They're bulletproof, and are very reliable. But try touching a 4WD truck-based SUV for under $30,000 at your Toyota dealer. Uh-uh.
I bought my '03 4WD Xterra because it was the only truly truck-based, 4WD (w/ transfer case), reliable Japanese SUV I could afford. I gave up the bells and whistles, and got a 5-Speed Manual with hand-crank windows and finger-powered door locks for $20,065 out the door. It's very buildable, and with a couple grand (even less if I fabricate my own stuff), I can have a VERY capable off-road vehicle that will probably run far longer than any of its American competitors.