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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  Not Like a Car - 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By soylent::black - December 8 - 10:00 am

  But a good 4WD vehicle. After some of the places I took it I am certain that it will go anywhere. I do not like the way it handles for street driving. I do not see how this thing handles anything like a car. CD Player sucks, we have replaced it twice, still does not play the last song of a disc. Vacuum hoses for AC have been "fixed" twice and still do not work correctly. Lots of outside noise from the rear end.

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  Nates Ride - 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Nate Dogg02 - December 8 - 10:00 am

  Love the interior, handles great

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  Get Your Own!!!!! - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By Lenchud - December 8 - 10:00 am

  I wont let my wife drive this vehicle. Im afraid she wont want to drive her car anymore, its that good. This is the best small/mid-size SUV out there. The CRV, Rav-4, Escape are merely glorified station wagons compared to this vehicle. If you prefer the former to the latter, stay away from this Jeep. If you want the real deal in an SUV, GET YOUR OWN!!!!!! Fully equipped with leather, ABS, sunroof, and the slickest interior around, it cost only $25738, which is more affordable than my wife. I may get rid of her, but I think Ill keep the Lib!

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  2018 Cherokee Overland - Im in Love - 2018 Jeep Cherokee
  By Deb Mielke - December 7 - 7:52 pm

  Had a 2015 Cherokee Limited, and liked it, but the 18 Overland is a real winner. Quieter, smoother, better seats. And I love the safety tech and the way the 4x4 sits up on the road. Happy, happy owner.

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  Nice vehicle - 2008 Jeep Patriot
  By Tad - December 7 - 2:56 pm

  Just bought the Freedom Drive II off- road version a week ago and took it on a camping trip near Moab, Utah. Didnt do any offroading, just rough dirt roads, and the Patriot did great. It got 25-26 mpg on the highways and had no problems cruising at 75 and handling the hills on I-70. We had been using a minivan for these camping trips and were pleasantly surprised that we could pack all that stuff into the Patriot as its a smaller vehicle. We have no complaints about the Patriot and that is saying something for us as we tend to be rather picky about vehicles. So this is now our camping mobile and were very happy with the purchase.

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  fun - 1996 Jeep Cherokee
  By peter - December 7 - 2:00 am

  the jeep I have is a great one. yes I have made several changes such as a chevy small block v-8 and a few fun off road things. but just as a jeep as it was it was great to go out and play around in the back country. I only find one problem with the jeep, the electrical wiring, I found, is a little out of the loop. wires often come loose and can cause you to kick and yell at the jeep. but other than that bot the 2.8L and the 4.0L motors are great.

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  Jeep Thoughts by Matt - 2001 Jeep Wrangler
  By Matt376 - December 7 - 2:00 am

  This is the first SUV that I have purchased and was ecstatic to get it. It has a unique appeal and holds it own niche in the SUV market. Its a blast to drive and true that Chicks dig guys in Jeeps. The V-6 is powerful and responsive, though, would caution newcomers to the world of the Wrangler, that it takes a bit of getting used to the increased road noise. After adjusting, I feel like this is probably the best purchase Ive made of the 5 cars I have owned. Basically, if you have been thinking of taking the plunge and purchasing one of these marvelous vehicles, get off your keester and do it

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  Brakes....Brakes....Brakes - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By kesh - December 7 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car when it was redesigned. I should have known not to buy a chrysler product. Repair costs have totaled over $3,000 in less then 2.5 years. The rotor and brake pads have been replaced and resurface a total of 6 times and the Front and Rear Ball bearings replaced recently for a loud whining sound. Sick of taking it. Worst Quality. No Customer service.

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  much improved wrangler - 2009 Jeep Wrangler
  By Brian - December 7 - 12:53 am

  I have owned two other wranglers in the past, the latest being an 01. This one blows the other away. The exterior, as always, is beautifully designed. The interior has more leg and hip room than the previous generation, and the soft top is remarkably quiet. I just took this on a 150 mile mostly highway trip, (in some nasty wind)and wind noise wasnt that bad at all. It did sway a bit in high winds, but that is to be expected.

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  Attach Stuck vehicles here! - 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Chewy12 - December 6 - 2:00 am

  I have a 1996 jeep grand cherokee it is a 5.2l beast that puts trucks to shame. Goes any where anytime and always kills the competition. I have over 216k miles on her but all she needed so far is a water pump and some some new axle bearings. transfer case was never shifted into low until i got her at 200k miles some lil old lady had never taken her to play around in the dirt. transfer case is an achilles heel but works great if you take care of it. Tows great, sounds like a beast, does better of road than tradition cjs and tjs im always pulling those out of mud. Some beefy tires and a cold air intake give it some traction and better power and fuel economy.Who needs roads when you have a jeep