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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  more fun for a great SUV - 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Luispatroncostas - November 28 - 10:00 am

  This is my 3rd Grand Cherokee, all of them performed great. Id only add a more sportive transfer case (sequential) as an optional.

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  What the Doctor Ordered - 2003 Jeep Wrangler
  By Jeep Thing - November 28 - 10:00 am

  My week old Wrangler is the best move this over-worked man has ever made. 2.4L is adequate, better than other 4 cyl I have owned, 5 speed is easy to shift, the hyd clutch is a piece of cake to work, good for beginners. Wish I had the full doors with window, it would make cool mornings better. It is truly relaxing to drive. Soft top is not that bad, 10 mins tops to do it right. I will always own a Wrangler from this point on. Its a Jeep Thing!!

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  sweet - 2003 Jeep Liberty
  By Kimmis2cute - November 28 - 10:00 am

  So, far this is the best suv ive driven and feel so comfortable.

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  Noahs Ark - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By The Markos - November 27 - 11:13 pm

  I was happy to read that other owners have also heard the "whistling sound" & that I wasnt just imagining it. My biggest complaint is that water seemed to be sloshing around in the roof after every rain. We couldnt find any wet spots, but the car smelled like mildew. Recently I got in it after a hard rain only to find 4 inches of water sitting on the passenger side floor board! Later that same day water poured out of the ceiling, ran down the windshield & right into my driver side dash speaker!

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  not bad - 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By SHOKHEAD - November 27 - 6:46 pm

  A very nice car to drive.

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  Dont hate it OR love it - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By eeprof - November 27 - 8:40 am

  This truck is not what I think they were selling, an upscale SUV with 3rd row seating. First, the 3rd row seating is pretty much useless. If you have the seats up, there is zero storage behind the 3rd row and only slightly more space for your legs in the seat. I think I had my seats up about 3 times in 3 years for emergency kid transport. Not good for the long haul. Second, this thing is a truck; it rides like one, handles like one and goes like one. I have driven Tahoes and Explorers that are soooo much more comfortable to ride in and handle so much better. My CDR always felt top heavy. All that said, it has been a dependable vehicle with 4WD that worked well in the snow. It looks nice.

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  Best wrangler ever - 2014 Jeep Wrangler
  By romanz1111 - November 26 - 1:30 pm

  This is my second Wrangler and a third jeep. I had a grand cherokee before the first Wrangler. This last version is like they fixed all of the bad parts by keeping the good stuff. -3.6 Pentastar is so much faster than 3.8 engine. I dont feel like I am driving a truck anymore -suspension is smoother -steering is more precise -interior is more refined and way more places to put your things in The car drives great and I can compare it to the smoothness of a grand cherokee I had before. If you are thinking about changing your wrangler or getting into one, do it - you will love it!

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  Unreliable - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By George - November 26 - 10:00 am

  I bought the 2004 GC Overland in 2006 with 27,000. I have had nothing but issues with this unit. Brake rotors (at 27k), all 4 window motors, seat heaters, ac had to be replaced, seat motors, the roof was rusting, power steering pump.. the list goes on..you name it. I loved the vehicle when I purchased it but let me warn you, these are a maintenance nightmare. Avoid Jeep, I have spent over 5k in repairs over the years (most happened right after the 36k warranty expired.) I gladly traded this nightmare in for a Toyota, my first foreign car. (I previously bought from the big three however cant risk or afford another situation like this.) To hell with Jeep and Chrysler!

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  Not So Sure About JEEP! - 2009 Jeep Wrangler
  By Dawn - November 26 - 10:00 am

  I bought this vehicle new in Oct 2009. I have only put 9500 miles on it in a year. I just had to take it to the shop to have A LOT of work done to it. First there was a recall. I took it in for that and they found a right front axle leak. While I was waiting for the part to come in I had the oil changed and the guys at the oil place found a front differential leak, a rear differential leak, intake leak and also had to replace the steering shaft. The Chrysler place had to rebuild my rear end differential. It also kicks when it goes into first gear. I just got it back and it still does it! I think it will be going back again! I love my jeep but the quality of this vehicle is not good!

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  Awesome - 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Dan H - November 26 - 10:00 am

  Ive owned Jeep all my life and this new overland is awesome. Drives perfect looks amazing. We found a white v6 overland, last one within 500 miles of us. The jeep is just jaw dropping.