Overview & Reviews

If you're thinking about purchasing a vehicle rugged enough to finesse rocky trails, chances are, one make comes to mind: Jeep. This specialty automotive manufacturer has a long history of producing trucks and SUVs capable of off-highway adventures — so much so that the term jeep is used by many to refer to all SUVs, whether the vehicle in question is a true Jeep or not.

Jeep took root in WWII as the name of the now-iconic four-wheel-drive military vehicle produced by Willys-Overland and Ford for the U.S. Army. The name's origin is somewhat of a mystery; popular belief is that it morphed from "GP," or "general purpose," though others have suggested that it was a nickname derived from a character featured in the Popeye comic strip of the time.

The mid-1940s saw the introduction of the first civilian Jeep, the CJ-2A. It offered many features not available on military versions, such as a tailgate, an external fuel cap and a side-mounted spare tire, and was targeted mainly toward farmers and construction workers.

Civilian Jeeps caught on with the public, and by the 1950s, new models such as the CJ-3B and the CJ-5 had been introduced. The CJ-5 had the longest production run of any Jeep vehicle, continuing for 30 years after its introduction in the early '50s. The company changed owners during this decade as Willys-Overland was sold to Kaiser in 1953.

Jeep broke new ground in the 1960s with the debut of its Wagoneer. Geared toward active families, this early SUV was the first four-wheel-drive vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission. A new "Dauntless" V6 became available as an option on the CJ-5 and CJ-6 in 1965. This was the first time that a Jeep CJ could be equipped with a V6. Packing 155 horses, the engine's horsepower almost doubled that offered by the standard four-cylinder.

By the 1970s, Jeep had changed ownership yet again, with the purchase of Kaiser-Jeep by American Motors Corporation. New models like the CJ-7 and the Scrambler were rolled out. Additionally, the company unveiled some new technology with the introduction of the world's first automatic full-time four-wheel-drive system. Dubbed Quadra-Trac, it was available in the CJ-7 as well as in full-size Jeep trucks and wagons. During this decade, Jeep's fortunes soared as four-wheel-drive vehicles became increasingly popular with large sections of American buyers.

The 1980s saw the introduction of the Cherokee and Wrangler. The Cherokee was one of the first of the new breed of SUVs — high-riding midsize wagons that skyrocketed in popularity as the decade progressed. The Wrangler replaced the CJ series in 1987 and offered the raw functionality of the CJ along with more comfort features. That year also saw the purchase of American Motors by Chrysler, with the Jeep brand becoming part of Chrysler's Jeep/Eagle division. One of Jeep's most popular models, the Grand Cherokee, debuted for 1993. This handsome, midsize SUV offered considerably more comfort and luxury than the smaller Cherokee while still providing stout off-road capability.

Jeep fell under the umbrella of DaimlerChrysler after Chrysler and Daimler-Benz merged in 1998. This partnership resulted in a few new models, such as the Liberty and Compass, though none were able to attain great sales success. In 2007, Daimler sold the Chrysler Group to a private equity firm. It is now under control of Fiat.

More recently, the company has added a couple of enticing models to its lineup (including a four-door version of the Wrangler and the pavement-scorching Grand Cherokee SRT8) and made substantial performance and quality improvements under the hoods and within the cabins. As such, we expect Jeep will not only maintain a loyal group of customers but will also bring new fans into the fold.

User Reviews:

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  Nice Jeep - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By ski - November 26 - 5:00 am

  So far I think it is a great vehicle. Drove from Iowa to California no problems. Average of 23mpg for the trip doing 78mph average. Would only buy one with leather for the power seats. Im 6ft tall and without power adjustment I would have a hard time fitting. It is a bit noisy but hey its a diesel.

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  1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.9 Limited - 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Railroader - November 26 - 2:00 am

  I bought this vehicle off lease. It has most of the available options. Ive added a K&N Air Intake and FlowMaster exhaust. These additions, plus shifting the onboard computer into "police mode" probably get you close to 300 horsepower. This is a wonderful machine, capable of rugged off-roading and neck snapping on- road performance. Fit and finish were unsurpassed by any vehicle Ive owned to date. Truly fun to drive!

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  LIMITED USE BUT FUN - 2004 Jeep Wrangler
  By gsemike - November 26 - 2:00 am

  I had a great time tooling around Maui for a week in a Wrangler Sport. Its great fun but be aware of the limitations if youre buying this for an everyday driver. This is not a car based SUV like a RAV4 but rather a full time rear drive, live axle truck. Its extremely capable but rough around the edges. For the right people, that is a positive.

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  Did not purchase - needs more power - 2010 Jeep Wrangler
  By calucyk - November 25 - 9:53 pm

  My wife and I absolutely love Jeeps. We have owned 3 Wranglers over the past 11 years. We were looking at upgrading our current Wrangler to a fully loaded 2010 Sahara Unlimited 4X4. After an extended test drive, we took the Jeep back and walked away. Todays Jeeps are much better than our 2004, but it lacks power and based on internet research, MPG is poor also. Jeep needs to install their new Pentastar engine now to make this package the ultimate off-road/on-road deal. If Jeep does not install the new Pentastar engine now, wait for 2011... rumor has it Jeep will begin installing the 280 HP Pentastar in Wranglers.

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  watch your speed - 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By MysteryMan - November 24 - 11:30 pm

  I started my Jeep affiliation in the Army with the M151a2 (& a3s), talk about go anywhere. I tried other vehicles but finally tired of getting stuck in the snow & unable to truly off road, I purchased a 2000 Cherokee Sport. Loved it! As a District Manager for a local newspaper, that vehicle was just perfect. Bad road conditions & winters in upstate NY had met their match. Then the GC caught my eye & I bought a 2001 in 2006 @ a fair price w/nice options and 83k miles. After replacing the rear stabilizer bearings, the only real problem I have is the blind spot issue.The space between the forward part of the pass/side front window, leading to the windshield is dangerous. look twice before you go.

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  Love the Hemi 4x4 - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Karl - November 24 - 6:53 am

  I bought my Limited 4x4 Hemi new on 10/30/05 and have driven 10,700 miles of highway and offroad (sand, dirt, mud). It has been reliable, with warranty replacement of the amplifier. The check engine light comes on every now and then, but has been repaired by the dealer (reprogram computer). I like the power, clean looks, and simplicity. Previously I drove a Corvette and a Ford Expedition. The Hemi provides Jeep with an SUV that has sports car power. It handles mud, sand, and gravel just fine. The gauges, controls, etc. are easy to use. Im not extreme -- just like to take it to the beach and mild offroad trails. I also considered the Toyota 4Runner, but wanted the Hemi. No regrets.

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  MY 3rd Jeep pc of crap - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By nickels55 - November 24 - 5:10 am

  My Jeep is a pure highway vehicle, as my previous 3 were. My first 2 had $3K transmission problems at 80K miles, my 3rd, a lease, made several dealer repair visits. I bought the CRD because of the Mercedes built diesel but realize that anything Chrysler touches get messed up. I have 70K miles on the Jeep as it sits in the repair shop getting a new turbo. Stay away from Jeep, my 400,000 miles in 4 different models has shown they are recall/repair nightmares!

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  Best SUV - 2007 Jeep Liberty
  By imlostnow98 - November 23 - 8:13 am

  I wanted to get a 4x4 and it came down to Jeep or Land Rover. Land Rovers are overpriced and not any better than the Liberty. This is the best 4x4 you can buy. It handles great and is great on the trail. I have had no problems with it so far. Overall a great vehicle with excellent build quality and great trail rated capability.

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  Love to drive it - 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By hastings - November 22 - 12:03 am

  Great 4 wheeler. Never stranded me in snow but 4 trips to shop for transmission problems and then a $4500 transmission & TCM on fifth visit at 51K miles. Went to court and won back $3,000 of it. Not happy with service or cost.

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  So disappointed - 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By lljpence - November 19 - 11:59 am

  I have had a Jeep Grand Cherokee in the past. It was like a little tank. Great ride, sense of safety, held the road. I loved it. Not so much with the 2014 model. It has been in the shop 6 times since I bought it in November 2013. Once for acceleration problems and 5 for radio/navigation inaccuracies.