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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  A Forever Friend - 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By marcy hudson - November 8 - 2:10 am

  I am actually sad as I move towards replacing my first Jeep (Grand Cherokee) after our 12 years together! I purchased this vehicle for a move to Northern Minnesota and it has proved to be a fabulous investment. It has performed wonderfully on my many trips and adventures, on-road and off, and is as beloved to my friends and child as it is to me. It saved my life when I spun off an icy highway and landed on a mound of snow unscathed. My Jeep braved a record cold winter (dipping to 60 degrees below zero) without missing a beat and has never failed to get me to my destination. In the past, I was in and out of the shop with a fussy luxury import. Now, I am a "Jeep" girl!

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  2014 JGC Summit Review - 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By mr_kranky - November 6 - 9:18 pm

  Picked up my Grand Cherokee Summit with the EcoDiesel last week. Power delivery is exceptional with the 8 speed automatic and diesel engine. Averaging about 25 mpg in mixed driving with winter blend diesel. Fit and finish is flawless. Found a delivery checklist at Jeep Garage dot org and went over the Jeep with a fine tooth comb upon receipt, no issues. More snow headed our way this weekend so well see how the 4wd system works. So far, I am loving this vehicle. Truth be told, this is the nicest vehicle that I have ever owned, and I have owned quite a few.

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  I LOVE MY JEEP LIBERTY! - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By John Watts - November 6 - 7:13 pm

  It is a great little SUV; fun to drive, plenty of room unless you have a lot of kids - Im retired. Handles well, lots of EXTRAS on mine: power sunroof, SIRIUS radio, 6 CD changer, AM/FM, display of tire pressure and lots more on the compass and temp computerized display. The V6 3.7 engine is plenty for this baby. I LOVE it ... and my last car was a Cadillac Eldorado, which I put 140K miles on. I cant say enough about my Jeep Liberty Limited.

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  wrangler unlimited fun daily driver - 2009 Jeep Wrangler
  By jw44 - November 6 - 10:46 am

  I have had my Wrangler 4-door Sahara for 3 months and have had no problems. I have a long daily commute to work, but since I bought my wrangler I dont mind the 68 mile round trip. This Jeep is fun to drive. The 3.8 v6 engine has plenty of power and with 4,000 miles my combined city/highway mileage is 20.6 mpg as of today. My hardtop has no water leaks and is surprisingly quiet at highway speeds. The standard 18" Bridgestone tires are the best rain tires I have ever driven. No snow here in LA (Lower Alabama) but we have plenty of rain.

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  Grand Cherokee Overland V8 4x4 - 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By defender97 - November 6 - 5:02 am

  We bought this because it can be towed behind a Motorhome easily and the Landcruiser we had was at 100k plus miles. July 2012 . Overall nice ride. Comfortable no mechanical probs. Has 24 k miles on it now. We noticed the dash was bubbling up near windshield . Showed it to the dealer service dept . They stated they had seen it before and ordered a new on under warranty being installed as this is written.

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  Fantastic!! - 2016 Jeep Patriot
  By LARRY COPLEY - November 4 - 9:41 pm

  Wasnt sure how we would like the 4 cyl after our previos Liberty with a V6 and our Dodge Van with the big engine, but it performs very well.

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  Tough Enough - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By BD - November 1 - 1:06 pm

  What a great little truck. Itll do everything the big SUVs will and still fit nicely in your garage. My wife was t-boned in it and the full steel cage was the reason she walked away. Very safe, very comfortable, do anything, go anywhere vehicle.

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  So far so good! - 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By spd1136 - November 1 - 8:53 am

  Ive only had my GC for a few days but Im very impressed so far. The ride is outstanding and quiet, the gas mileage averages over 20mpg in mixed driving and the engine has plenty of power. The ONLY option over the base model I opted for was 4WD; everything else comes standard! It has leather wrapped doors and steering wheel, touch screen everything and Bluetooth, satellite radio, automatic headlights, paddle shifters and steering wheel controls, auto climate control and much more. Im really not missing anything!

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  no more Fords - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By BOB NOLAN - October 29 - 7:13 am

  I just purchased a brand new 2005 Jeep Liberty Renegade. I needed a 4wd as Wisconsin winters are tough. Never had a 4wd; traded off my 2001 Sport Trac 2wd that ate up front tires and ball joints - was sharp but had to go This hopefully is the answer for my wife too. I like the 70,000 power train warranty . Rebate and trade allowance was good to put me behind the wheel.

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  Powerful vehicle - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Hershel Green - October 29 - 1:20 am

  I have owned my Jeep for almost a year now and I have been very impressed. I owned 88 and 98 Cherokees before this and have loved them all, but this one is the best. I have driven the thing into the ground putting almost 23,000 miles in the first year. One of the best things I like is its towing ability. I moved from Virginia to California pulling a trailer and load of about 4700lbs. I was quite unsure of how it would do but to my surprise it performed great. I have the tow package. The gearing and transmission performance in the tow haul setting was great, even in cruise control. I was able to maintain the speed limit in all areas except some mountains. I was still able to maintain at least 55 there.