Driving from Liberia to Tamarindo

Hey r/costa_rica

My wife and I are flying in to Liberia and we're staying in Tamarindo. Shuttle services to and from seem almost as expensive as renting a car for the week.

I heard that directions might get confusing and some road conditions can be rough. (my information comes from my biology professor, and she is a forestry researcher, so she went more rural than we plan). She recommended a 4x4 and GPS, is this really necessary?