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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  I LOVE MY NEW JEEP - 2005 Jeep Wrangler
  By Bikergal18 - November 24 - 3:26 am

  I have been wanting one forever, so I broke down and got a Wrangler. It is everything I wanted. Being a Honda person, it was a bit of a leap, but well worth it. We will see if long term reliability will be a problem. I went basic with the SE, but then a Jeep is not a luxury vehicle. Not great for lots of highway travel, but also not as bad as I expected. Luckily I have a short commute. Soft Top is a snap to get up and down, and perfect for Cape Cod in the summer! I went automatic, full metal doors, and A/C. Came standard with CD player and back seat. What more could you want? After all the snow last winter, I cant wait for the 4WD.

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  Limited liberty - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By TanyaG24 - November 22 - 10:00 am

  I love my liberty. Its just the right size SUV. It is easy to manuever. Its stylish and fun to drive. It has a six cd stereo system built in the dash. It has great safety features. It has side air bags. It also automatically turns the front passenger air bag off if the passenger weighs less than 100lbs. IT has radio controls built into the stering wheel. I love my liberty!

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  MY JEEP - 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By hal - November 22 - 2:26 am

  The Jeep to me is a Die-Hard SUV that seems to have the power and luxury that most SUVs just seem to lack. Even though the new Trailblazer that Chevy came out with has 270 horsepower, the Jeep just felt like it would leave it in the dust. Plus, the interior of the Chevy is just too tinny to me.

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  You know youre getting there in a cherokee - 2000 Jeep Cherokee
  By maxxoccupancy - November 20 - 6:04 pm

  I have had this vehicle for about 15,000 miles, and I have been very happy with it. It is as capable off road as off, and there are thousands of modifications for these vehicles. Whether you want to hit the trails or brave New England winters, these are some of the best vehicles for the money. The Cherokee is also one of the safest, toughest vehicles on the road.

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  Pretty Darn Good So Far... - 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By faylchr2 - November 20 - 3:41 am

  I just bought myself a 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited the 5.2L V8 about a month ago. So far it has been good to me. I got a really good deal on it and knew it needed a little work. I replaced the valve cover gaskets and the front right axle seals and now its running very well. It could have a bit nicer interior, but much like Chrysler for the ninetys the interiors are a little cheap. The performance makes up for it though!! (At the cost of fuel) I Love It So Far!!!

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  My Review - 1998 Jeep Cherokee
  By another name - November 20 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle is great in the winter with 4WD, and handles nicely anyh other time. The fuel economy is bad with this vehicle. Having a straight-6 engine takes a lot of gas, but if you can afford it the towing capacity is worth it.

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  3rd Car - 2003 Jeep Wrangler
  By Wynter - November 20 - 2:00 am

  Ever since I can remember I have always wanted a jeep. I had planned on selling my truck but at the last minute I changed my mind. That makes it hard for me to tell if I would like it as well if it were my only vehicle. As for a 3rd car we love to zipp around town on the weekends.

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  Nice car built badly. - 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Jeffjs - November 20 - 2:00 am

  Ive never owned anything other than Jeeps. Ive owned a 98, 99 and 2001 Grand Chrokee. From day 1, I have a leaky sunroof, speakers (Gold Series) that crackle, an AC and overhead indicator light that does not work, memory seating for 2 that does not remember what the settings that are saved, balding Michelin tires after only 18000 miles, an an engine light that kept coming on (bad O2 sensor - replaced). Other than that, I love it! :)

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  love my Jeep - 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By davidsin62 - November 17 - 10:33 pm

  The Grand Cherokee had not had a very good rating the previous couple of years. I have only had one minor problem not related to wear -- electronic door lock problems in year 5. Hope every auto I buy holds up this well! Love the ride; much better than my friends Explorers. Have just really liked everything! Hindsight: Would get the 8 cylinder instead of 6 since gas mileage is almost identical and you can always use the extra power, especially in Atlanta traffic.

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  Wasted dough! - 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Tony - November 17 - 3:34 pm

  I purchased my 2014 Grand Cherokee AWD with the 3.0 Eco Diesel option. Everything about the car was awesome especially since I also had the trail rated package and air suspension option. The problem with this car was the electronics. Constant issues with the entire control dash lighting up with error messages, poor attention to detail in wiring harness (under fenders exposed wiring for headlights!) just a nightmare with multiple electronic computer flash upgrades. Then, while driving, at 65 mph and up, the steering would vibrate from left to right and the dealer was never able to fix it! The dealer! The engine is fantastic. This diesel is incredible and economy was around 27-28 m.p.g. Not bad at all. Almost to the year, I was so fed up with all issues, I drove it to the Honda dealer and traded for a 2015 Honda CRV, AWD. No issues at all! What kills me most is the drop in value. I lost an easy $25,000 on this vehicle that the manufacturer claim is the most luxurious vehicle and the Jeep name brand which is supposed to represent quality and durability. I should have listened to my friends that owned these cars. I should have used the Lemon Law! Get an Audi, VW, or Porsche Cayman with the same engine.