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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  Great service - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Hond122 - August 15 - 2:00 am

  This is my 4th Jeep. Had oil pressure problem on the second day, returned to dealer who replaced sending unit. Two days later same problem, dealer replaced oil pump which didnt correct problem. They got me a rental and went to Chrysler for a solution. Got back to me 2 days later and said the car would be replaced. They took a lemon and made lemonade out of it. Great dealer, great response from Chrysler. With service like this in an unfortunate circumstance they proved again you cant beat a Jeep. Gegnas Chrysler-Jeep in Philadelphia is Great!

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  2000 Jeep Cherokee - 2000 Jeep Cherokee
  By saxd45 - August 14 - 12:20 pm

  This is a great little run around vehicle. Built like a tank. Almost 10 years old and we still can take it to the club without "shame" Seats fold down & we can haul a ton of stuff.

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  Great Vehicle, Excellent Value - 2012 Jeep Patriot
  By txoutdoors - August 13 - 5:18 pm

  I got the Jeep Patriot Sport 2WD with the 2.0L engine. I opted for CVT over the standard 5 speed manual. And Im in Texas so it had to have A/C. But I chose to go without power locks, power windows, heated mirrors, etc. Ive had it for six months now and its a pleasure to drive and comfortable to travel in. It handles highways well. Ive done driving on two-tracks and rough dirt roads on government land and it handled them with ease. The controls are large making them easy to see and use. The windows give you a nice sight picture all the way around and the mirrors give a great view to the back whether going down the road or backing into a garage. Overall, I very happy with my Patriot.

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  Love this truck! - 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Duane Hartle - August 12 - 7:19 pm

  Originally leased the GC but after a year went ahead and bought it because I liked it so much. Use it to camp and tow jet skis as well as drive to work. Have not had any issues other than some window rubber started to come out on the back doors which dealer replaced. Yes there have been a number of recall issues but none have actually happened to my truck. I for one am glad that they are owning up and taking care of their customers so well. Only regret is not getting the 4X4 version.

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  Im in Love! <3 - 2003 Jeep Wrangler
  By Nishbot - August 11 - 2:56 pm

  Just bought a used 2003 Jeep, one-owner. Bought it with 36,000 miles on it. LOVE THIS SUV! Everywhere I go, its great to drive in. Great ground clearance, great handling. Fuel economy is a problem (15mpg mixed). But wouldnt drive anything else! Love it! Really easy to work on!

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  A True Jeep... - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By Blkpwdr - August 10 - 10:00 am

  I love it! Jeep is an acquired taste. If you arent a Jeep-lover, dont buy it! Best off-road performance Ive seen in its class. Handling is better than I expected on- road.

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  My Reveiw - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By chilly2006 - August 10 - 2:00 am

  This is a fun car to drive. It is easy to handle and has great control. My only complants are the noise engine and small fuel tank. At all times i fill safe and for a SUV it has great visibility.

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  My First Car - 1999 Jeep Cherokee
  By Jeep-it - August 9 - 9:56 pm

  I bought my red, 5-speed Jeep Cherokee in Sept. 2006 and still have it to this date. I bought it with 85k miles on it and it now has a little more than 100k miles on it. In that time, the only problems Ive had are glitchy power windows and a cracked evaporator. I was slightly weary about buying a gas guzzling SUV for my first car but after driving it for a while, Ive found that it does real well. It gets about 19/20 city, but I find that keeping it just below 65 on the highway will get me 30 mpg for highway trips (and thats with a fully loaded college vehicle!). This has been and will remain a fun, reliable, and efficient first vehicle. I plan to hold onto this for a long time.

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  This is fun to drive! - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By MAW - August 9 - 6:36 am

  This GC is just plain fun to drive! Its interior is comfortable, has all the toys to make the drive a real treat. I have the Sirius Satellite radio and absolutely love it! I got a great deal on a 2 year lease and jumped at it since Ive heard both good and bad about the GC reliability of previous years. Mine will remain under warranty for the duration of the lease. I expected poor gas mileage and am getting it.

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  Good Choice! - 2007 Jeep Compass
  By BS PA. - August 8 - 2:23 pm

  I was a little nervous about going from a Grand Cherokee to the Compass. I have owned 4 Jeeps up to now and was very lucky with all of them. This little thing turned out to be BETTER on bad roads than the Cherokee! Never even "Fish Tailed". It rides nice, get 24-25 miles per gallon, and has a terrific stereo system. Over all Im very pleased.