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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  Love it despite problems - 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By emsmom - September 4 - 1:24 am

  I am the 3rd user of this car. Heated seats & a/c dont work. sunroof no longer seals, power locks are iffy, and previous user had to fix transmission. My feet get hot from engine heat. Replaced the hatchback and hood shocks. I will try to solve the A/C and locking issues. We sealed up the sunroof b/c its a waste anyway - just lets in heat. The biggest problem I have had is the "death wobble". We rebuilt the front-end for $1000 in parts and under a yr later we had the problem again. hubby met a jeep guy and I just bought under $200 aftermarket 2nd steering stabilizer. He was ready to push it off a cliff. Id rather spend a $1k to get this fixed than to spend another $2k on another vehicle.

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  Oh the gas mileage... - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By JD - September 3 - 2:40 am

  Got the Hemi, because for $1,200 it is a no-brainer. But man is the gas mileage awful. Quick for a vehicle this size. Interior redesign is well thought out. Ride quality is good...the thing is UNBELIEVABLE in the snow - better than expected. For the price, it is the best buy in its market segment.

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  what a ride - 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Chris Rasmussen - September 1 - 10:15 am

  I feel the jeep is good and the sale people were top awesome. I would of change the nav unit to a Garmin with life time map and I would of put all the protective devices on the car . That they would not be options. Also I would of installed the full wiring harness in case they wanted to buy the options.

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  Great Car - 2001 Jeep Cherokee
  By tinad - August 31 - 10:00 am

  I really enjoy driving my Jeep. It accelerates smoothly and feels like a car on the open highway. The handling and performance is very good and the Classic style is very nice.

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  Dont be fooled - 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By bigderrick - August 31 - 4:53 am

  Funny: My 3rd GC. Overland Model. Well maintained @ 60k, the climate control quit working, both seat warmers quit, Ready for 3rd brake job. Cost new $37K. Now needs over $2K work just to make it worth $8k according to KBB. Foolishly thought about trading it in on a new GC. The first thing the tech inspected was climate control, 2nd seat warmers. Internet cites say this is very common. Service department gives me encouragement that if they fix the climate control, theyll put in stronger air flaps than original. This is just plain wrong. I cannot bring myself to buy another Jeep. Had he admitted Jeeps poor design and repaired accordingly, I would of bought a new GC but got murano le.

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  Loves to Drink Gas - 2007 Jeep Liberty
  By Valerie - August 30 - 4:50 am

  I just purchased my Liberty 6 months ago, and even though I love driving it, Im thinking of trading it in. With the soaring gas prices, and the way this SUV loves to drink it, it is costing me a lot of money in gas. It is very cute and I love the way it handles. There is plenty of room for the kids in the back, and I like the way that the back door opens. As I read in other reviews, the glove box is small...there is however, a slot over it that holds the owners manual. I dont like where the window controls are located and they would be better on the doors. To sum it up, however, it is a cute, fun to drive vehicle that has a lot of pep. I would recommend it if you can afford the gas.

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  Decent SUV for the money - 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Raben - August 28 - 11:26 pm

  I purchased this vehicle used with 96K miles. So far I have had no problems other than the brakes wrapping. However its a heavy vehicle, and coming from someone who used to drag race, its really not a big deal; replace the brakes with an aftermarket setup and you are done. I have no complaints with this SUV. It plows through snow, moderate/minor ice and rain like a charm and gets pretty decent gas mileage. I average between 18 - 19mpg with mixed city/highway driving (Nashville, TN rush hour traffic) Ive gotten up to 22mph on the highway with cruise set at 75 mph.

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  Soccer moms need not apply - 2002 Jeep Wrangler
  By LarryH - August 28 - 10:00 am

  I have had my jeep for over 2 years now, and I love it. It truly is a legendary vehicle. It is a fun to drive vehicle, and with the top and doors off, its open driving rivaling a motorcycle. Although there are an infinite amount of aftermarket mods available, I encourage any owner to try the stock vehicles off road ability. I have, and it is an amazing off road vehicle.

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  2004 JGC Limited - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By salmuabe - August 28 - 10:00 am

  Traded in my 2000 JGC Laredo (V8) for the 2004 JGC Limited (V8). Fourth Jeep I have owned...not as "problem free" as some imports but Jeep lovers tend to be loyal! Beautifully styled SUV, nice medium size. The V8 makes the JGC as quick as many alleged sports cars and is usually faster. A light tap on the accelerator gives a suprising burst of speed. Overall, a head turner, fun to drive, easy on the eyes. Fun to drive and recommended to anyone considering a JGC.

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  Jury Still Out - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Gasaholic - August 28 - 3:03 am

  We bought the 2005 Laredo 4x4 with a V8 engine. The gas cost is unbelievable! I didnt think it would be this bad. I cant seem to get the mpg up to more than 14.7. Otherwise, the car is fun to drive and handles well. Its very roomy and comfortable.