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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  liberty freed me - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By angely - December 3 - 2:00 am

  After driving three different vans for over 16 years I am calling this my breakout car. I immediately fell in love with the Jeep Liberty. It has fulfilled all my expectations. My only comment is on its fuel economy. It seems to consume a bit of gas. It could also be that I have never driven a V-6 before. I was very impressed with the 4 x 4. It will certainly fullfill my needs up hear in upstate NY. Other than that every thing about this car has "liberated" me.

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  Best Jeep Ever!!!!!! - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By Scott Reid - December 3 - 2:00 am

  This is the best jeep I have ever owned! Its a blast to drive the quality is outstanding! What a fun truck, it fourwheels great.

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  Liberty Excels - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By JeepTexakin - December 3 - 2:00 am

  Only 7,000 miles so far but have enjoyed the feel of the Liberty, my first Jeep. Ride is comfortable and like the feel of the 4WD action. Have maintained good traction in both snow and rain and takes turns well. Enough power out of 6cyl for my purposes. Excellent look to it and part of Jeep family a plus as well.

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  The Renegade - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By Ex Mercees fan - December 3 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle was purchased for my wife as a replacement for 2002 Mercedes ML 430. She gave up on that vehicle because Mercedes said the squealing brakes were "just a fact of life" and the rear seats needed a German engineer to get them to fold and return. She loves the Liberty and its handling. I find the performance with the 3.7L V6 more than adequate. Interior seating and position leaves a lot to be desired. The looks are very Jeep and "fun". Weve had four Wranglers and three Grand Cherokees. Liberty has the Wrangler fun and some of the Grand Cherokee style. A very good new vehicle.

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  Love at First Blush; Built to Last - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By Mr. Paul B - December 3 - 2:00 am

  Love it! We just (as in 3 days ago) bought a Liberty Limited from Fitzmall.com in Maryland. I did a lot of research and it came down to the Liberty Limited, with the 28-G Package, Leather heated seats, moonroof, 17-inch wheels. Its a beautiful auto. It runs superbly smooth and clean. It is a jeep truck and the engine sounds like it. It has a lot of power and it is very tight at cornering.

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  Love my Jeep - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Mimila - December 3 - 2:00 am

  This Jeep is very smooth on the road - takes potholes well! Great in the snow.

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  The Gas Sucker - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By avg1512 - December 3 - 2:00 am

  The Jeep Overland is a beautiful vehicle. However, the motor runs very rough, and the EPA mileage rating and reality are nowhere near each other. I just think the engine in this vehicle is still in the stone age.

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  purchase price - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Schmitty - December 3 - 2:00 am

  Invoice of vehicle minues $4250 in rebates and 3.9% APR for 60 months. All in all it turned out to be $600 less that Trailblazer LS and I got a V8 with more equipment. Not sure how great of a deal it is, but I dont think I left too much money on the table.

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  First six months - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By al bowser - December 3 - 2:00 am

  Drivers seat could be a little wider

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  So why the Jeep? - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By Carey - December 3 - 12:53 am

  The first car I ever owned was a 1980 Pontiac Phoenix and it was nothing but trouble. Unfortunately it would never "rise from the ashes" after it literally caught on fire. Since then I have only owned Japanese cars and the last three cars Ive owned were made by Lexus. All great cars! So why am I abandoning my American car boycott and buying a Jeep? First, my wife and I just love the styling. Second, and more importantly, its a great value. We opted for the 5.7 Hemi with all the trimmings and the sticker was $10,000 less than a similarly equipped Lexus GX470. Throw in the deep discount we got off the sticker and it was a no brainer. Dont forget about the two years of free gas. :)