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:

• 

  Good Solid SUV - 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By campnut - May 14 - 10:00 am

  I have only had two problems so far with my Jeep. The multi-function switch for the headlights, and the lens for the foglights came off. No problems with air conditioning this summer. Love the handling and the comfort of this vehicle. Dont know the history of it, but it has 110,000 miles on it and doesnt show signs of any tranny problems. It is much more easy to drive than an Explorer, but if the suspected problems show up like everyone says, I may wind up buying something else. Great family car, tows like a dream, good gas mileage for a V8, room for kids and stuff, adults are comfy in the back seat. I really like it.

• 

  I love my Jeep! - 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Ms Suzi Q - May 14 - 10:00 am

  I purchased this Jeep used and with 145K miles on it. The only repair Ive had to make was to replace the water pump, which cost a whopping $23. I saved on labor by having a relative do the work. The Jeep is very comfortable and has the feel of a car. I have owned other SUVs and this is by far the best one Ive had. I put a lot of miles on my vehicles and reliability is a big issue. 13K miles and 7 months later, its still going strong!

• 

  Liberty is a great upgrade vs Cherokee - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By Go Terps! - May 14 - 10:00 am

  I traded my 00 Cherokee Sport in for a 02 Liberty Limited Edition. It is much more comfortable all around and the rear seat 60/40 fold down function is great. There is less room behind the back seat, but the spare tire on the tailgate frees up some of the lost space. The Liberty is a little bit slower off the line that the Cherokee, but the engine is smooth and adequately powerful, not to mention much quieter. The on-road ride of the Liberty is great and the interior fit- and-finish is better than anything in its class. The range of the Liberty is less than the Cherokee as the tank is smaller (18.5 gal vs 20 gal) and the mileage seems a bit poorer.

• 

  Awesome package - 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By fishcb - May 14 - 6:13 am

  Wow am I surprised. The interior of this car is more beautiful than anything I have seen or driven, including the various Acuras, BMWs, and MBs Ive had and my friends Cayenne. The power is smooth and the fit and finish are excellent. The only thing a bimmer or Audi has that this lacks is the suede/leather on the doors..this car has plastic. So what? The saddle leather is unbelievable. The price was amazing, too, with recent incentives (MSRP $46K with option, $33K out the door!)

• 

  Greatest little SUV thatll save your life - 2010 Jeep Patriot
  By desi_o - May 13 - 7:11 am

  Beautiful modern design in & out but quality of materials very cheap & features very basic, the bumpers cant take a hit for nothing. As a teen I shoved multiple friends in this car & took many road trips racking up 65k miles in 2 yrs still it performed amazingly, the seats are pretty comfortable especially the back seats & it has an amazing standard sound system! I ultimately had a tire blowout, due to negligence, at 60mph on a slippery, empty highway & crashed 3 times very hard totaling my baby but noone in the car even had whiplash due to the active head-restraints that activate during a crash. Besides a rust problem with the driver door & trunk door hinge this car was a great first!

• 

  Better than Liberty - 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By CarolW - May 13 - 4:43 am

  I had a 2004 Liberty drove it from FL to IL. Came home with the Cherokee. The Cherokee was a much more comfortable drive. I did not feel like I need to get out and stretch as much.

• 

  Fun to drive - 2001 Jeep Wrangler
  By jroads - May 11 - 11:20 pm

  This car has been fun to drive. As for being an "SUV", it sure doesnt drive like one, is very maneuverable, and a breeze to park about anywhere. Where it DOES match an SUV is gas mileage. Ive had no major problems with it to date, and enjoy every drive I take.

• 

  the 04 Jeep Rubicon - 2004 Jeep Wrangler
  By Justin snowborj22 - May 11 - 10:00 am

  this car is awsome its the first new car ive ever purchased and its great it handes great and it performs perfectly off road

• 

  Jeep Commander - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By Blaise Oates - May 10 - 5:33 pm

  Great suv even if you dont like off roading

• 

  Excellent SUV - 2005 Jeep Wrangler
  By Giantsfan - May 9 - 1:56 pm

  This Is the best car i ever owned. It is a lot of fun to drive, and it is so reliable. Nice 6 cylinder engine gets up to speed fast, amazing off roading.