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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  Its A Jeep - 2003 Jeep Wrangler
  By Nancyw - September 9 - 10:00 am

  I went from a Suburban to a Wrangler Rubicon, and I love it. It is much easier to park, and maneuver around town. Granted I dont have near as much hauling room, but that makes me think twice about buying somethings. I have both hard and soft top, which I would highly recomend. I love my JEEP.

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  cute suv - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By mopar - September 4 - 11:00 am

  This cute suv turns peoples heads, it needs to be a bit bigger inside and it needs to get BETTER gas mileage, other than that we just love it.

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  Drivin a Jeep and Lovin It - 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Minke4 - September 4 - 10:00 am

  Just bought a 2001 Grand Cherokee 60th Anniversary Ed. and absolutely love it. Only one problem. Brakes. Had rotors and pads replaced at 37,000. Ride comfort is superb in front seats and rear. Controls are easy to figure out and easy to use. Love the radio controls on the wheel. Road noise is moderate and has a nice hum. Offroad capabilities are amazing for a lux ute.

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  Jeep #4 - 2003 Jeep Wrangler
  By SCHWIES - September 4 - 10:00 am

  Bought this jeep for my wife, she really wanted this color, trim, etc. I could not talk her into a Rubicon, for the same price, although I really love my dads new one. She is more about sound systems, fun, and comfort than capability. Hendrick was easy to deal with and she loves her new jeep!

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  Get One..youll love it - 2003 Jeep Wrangler
  By Get1 - September 4 - 10:00 am

  Just bought a 2003 Inca Gold pearl coat X, I love it. Looks good, drives good. Youll overlook all of its shortcomings when it puts a smile on your face!

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  Better than my 2000 Grand Cherokee - 2004 Jeep Wrangler
  By bahrain_jeepster - September 3 - 1:53 pm

  I know its the baby Jeep (with the 2.4), but for the kind of wheeling I do, its as good a compromise between getting there on the highway and then being in the mountains. My Jeep has helped to clean up from hurricanes while stationed in GTMO, to treking in the deserts of the middle east. Only got stuck once, in an orchard here in the states. I had the wrong tires to deal with the mud, heck the tractor almost got stuck as well! I traded my 2000 Grand Cherokee for this and I have never looked back! Will not trade it for love nor money! Not a speed demon on the road, but keeps up with traffic.

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  Great vehicle! - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By dust2dust34 - September 2 - 7:50 pm

  Bought this Liberty in 2008 used and with around 45,000 miles on it. For the last four years, I had absolutely nothing wrong with it other than some recalls and brakes. Had to replace the roaters because of previous owner (boo). Drives just the way I would expect a Jeep to. Its compact and easy and has a lot of get up and go (not a great every day car though - more Jeep than commuter car). Recently have had to replace the transmission cooler lines, front drive shaft and had a leak in the head gasket but considering what Ive gotten out of so far, Im not terribly concerned and I expect to get many more years out of this Jeep. Great buy for me and will keep for a long time!

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  5,000 miles and loving it! - 2008 Jeep Wrangler
  By redsoxnpats - August 31 - 3:23 pm

  Owned 03 Liberty, traded it for 08 Wrangler 4 door in mid-September and love it. We avg 300+ miles a week commuting and the car gets between 17- 19 miles a gallon. Seats are comfortable, car handles well. Gets lots of looks. Owning the Jeep is like owning a piece of Americana. This car is steeped in tradition. Once you remove the soft top from the rear, and the hard top is on, there is plenty of cargo space. Handles well if youre driving along at 70 plus miles an hour. Yes there is wind noise, but mostly at high speeds. Nice speaker system. Its 50-56 dollars to fill the tank @ $3.00 a gallon when close to empty. Nice hidden compartment in the rear to hold an ER Kit. Im extremely satisfied.

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  Not as happy as i should be - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Bagofdonuts - August 30 - 2:16 am

  This was my first new car and second Jeep. I owned a 97 Wrangler with 132,000 miles on it before I bought this one. I have to say the new Grand Cherokee is in my opinion the best looking midsize suv on the market now. The ride is very smooth in this suv and highway driving is a pleasure. I had a chance to take it offroad once on the beach and was so impressed by it. It seemed to go through the sand even better than my Wrangler. I thought that by having AWD it wouldnt be as good but I was wrong. Now for the bad. The 3.7 v6 seems to run very rough and loud all the time. My steering wheel actually shakes at idle. It runs rougher than my old Jeep. Transmission shifts at the wrong time and gas mileage stinks.

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  Jeep Liberty - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By zeppelinprncss04 - August 30 - 1:40 am

  My Liberty was purchased with 77000 miles on it and I am about 200 miles short of 100000 and its still running as well as it was the day I bought it. It has plenty of power and as a college student, I have plenty of cargo room to take stuff back and forth. It goes great in the snow/ice and in the mud! I love my liberty so much!