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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  Liberty - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By sparkn1855 - August 21 - 4:30 am

  This vehicle is fun to drive and handles well. I havent had any mechanical problems with it. The fuel economy is a disappointment. I usually get between 15-18 mpg. The interior is very cramped and not meant for anyone with more than one child.

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  2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo - 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By ruralranch - August 20 - 2:14 pm

  8000 miles. Ride and design much better than my 2010 Limited. Averaging 23 to 26 mpg. Comfortable to drive. 8-speed transmission is very clunky. I was so concerned I took it to the dealer and they said no problem. The clunks when coming to a stop remain concerning. Never had such a rough, unrefined transmission in a car, not sure I trust it. V6 is capable and fuel efficient but I do miss my V8. Radio had to be reprogrammed because it would not save Bluetooth phone pairing. There was a service bulletin on that issue.

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  2000 Jeep Wrangler - 2000 Jeep Wrangler
  By whikngt - August 20 - 2:00 am

  I love my Jeep. There is no where it cannot go. Keeping gas in it is awful however. I am lucky to get 18 mpg driving highway conservatively. I knew when I bought it that the wind noise was going to be there and I accepted it as such.

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  Jeep Overland - 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Marin - August 20 - 2:00 am

  After having a 2000 Jeep GC Limited, we stepped up to the Overland. The HO motor and the 5-speed transmission are the smoothest drivetrain I ever drove. Kills my BMW 530i. PS. My son totaled the Limited and him and his friend walked away without a scratch. The car bent, not my son

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  Excellent Vehicle - 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By brendaiverson - August 20 - 2:00 am

  I leased a 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo in December. I have never had such a good experiance. The dealership was the best I have ever delt with. I love the Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo, it is comfortable to drive and is an excellent value.

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  Wish I never bought it - 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Brittany Yaeger - August 19 - 11:35 am

  I loved my 2012 certified pre-owned Jeep once I made the switch from my small little mini. I was expecting far less problems/issues than I was having with my Mini. That wasnt the case, I have only had the car for 2 years and have been in and out of the dealership for repairs. It is always something, one year in- my keys stopped working, had to get the car towed (and pay for the tow) to the dealership. They said the keys malfunctioned- it would be $675 to replace. Why did this happen? Their response, these things just happen. Great. Then my windshield wiper fluid nozzles broke (never experienced that before...quoted me $200 to fix, yet the part is $8 bucks...I will deal with myself) Now some nozzle is messed up in my engine $3,200 to fix and its not covered by my top of the line warranty. Getting rid of it right away. Too many issues, too expensive- oh and when your car is at the dealership, good luck finding a way to get around for days at a time, no loaners and shuttle only up to 10 miles from dealership. What a joke.

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  Transmission and Electronics Issues - 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By 1grandcherokee - August 19 - 10:45 am

  Overall I like this Jeep so far. I drive 1000 miles for work per week. I track my milage at fuelly.com . I dont get the 24 as promised with 8 spd transmission… I get a solid 21 in my last 17 fill ups. I got into a bit of a traffic snag where I had to slam on the breaks etc, it handled far better than I expected it would. Two bad faults, my dashboard keeps going out, dealer doesnt know of a fix, and my transmission lags, sometimes stays in higher gears when breaking, and occasionally clunks Those concerns aside its been 8200 miles and I just hope the dash fails so it can be fixed in warranty.. that seems expensive. My NAV sometimes freezes and I have to shut/restart the car to fix.

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  Looks good, but... - 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By mikewestmd - August 17 - 12:03 am

  I, like many others, have had constant issues with the Navigation system and slow hesitation when the transmission shifts gears. I have had this vehicle for 2 months, and it is now in the shop for the 3rd time related to the same issues. Navigation reboots itself or screen goes to static. My radio, both FM and Sirius, have more static than I have ever had with any other vehicle. The outside temp shows the wrong temp, yesterday it showed -40. My MIL light came on again yesterday as well. Each time I take it to the shop, they say that there is a software update to fix the issue, but I am starting to doubt they actually know what the issue is. WAIT for Jeep to fix this before you purchase it!

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  Over 200,000 and still the best - 1999 Jeep Cherokee
  By josh.w - August 16 - 7:23 pm

  I got this great suv in march of 2010 for my first vehicle. I love the style and ride with the 4.0 L 6 cylinder. Its easy to drive and great for a new driver. Mine has over 200,000 miles and still sounds great. I wish jeep still made these because they are the best.

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  I like it - 2008 Jeep Patriot
  By Mike Lowery - August 16 - 3:43 pm

  Im in the military and bought this through the on post car sales and Ive only been driving it about a month and some change. But so far I really enjoy the vehicle like said earlier dosent have a lot of off the line power but it has more HP than the average 4 banger, especially considering the last 4 banger I drove was in 94. Anyway all around I personally think its a great deal and the test drive is what took me to this over the Dodge Nitro. Not as flashy but rides smoother and dosent have a huge parking brake right beside your thigh, thats just my opinion though go test drive it yourself see how you like it versus these reviews