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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  my wrangler x - 2004 Jeep Wrangler
  By hawkstud - September 20 - 2:00 am

  i have had no problems with the jeep not being reliable, and i have driven it on about 4 trips of 250 miles or more. the fuel economy of the vehicle is poor, about 10mpg on the highway and 11 in the city. however, i have put a 4inch lift and 33inch tires on the jeep. i would be perfectly comfortable if i were a little smaller, but i am a larger person. it has a strong frame, i was in one accident where a guy rearended me going about 25 or 30 mph. all the happened was a small bend in the bumper, and the front fenders were bent from being pushed into a ford f350.

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  My Rubicon - 2004 Jeep Wrangler
  By chelaramie - September 20 - 2:00 am

  What a Jeep! Took it off raod and WOW! Couldnt get it stuck if i tried. Crawled over rocks, ledges, did off camber runs. Just fantastic. Got mine with the dual tops and paid 23,500 after rebates. I have had offroad vehilces for over 20 years and this is the best bar none!

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  Its a true jeep - 2001 Jeep Cherokee
  By Neal Greeno - September 18 - 10:00 am

  Go anywhere do anything type rig. Four wheel drive is flawless, Hp and Torque right on the money. This tows my 4500 pound boat with no hesitation. Road noise is only complaint

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  Awesome for years - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Ironman27 - September 17 - 10:33 pm

  Whole family has owned Jeeps for 20 plus years now. I am on my 4th grand cherokee. Only because I like to upgrade. Made 200k on every one of them between everyone in my family with only minor repairs. Conclusion, most people simply do not know how to properly care for their cars. Overdue on oil and servicing dates, driving their cars like they are in the daytona 500. Driving on after finding a potential problems. Not treating the interiors (leather, dash) etc. Sure, their are some lemons, but as a mechanic I am shocked when people bring their cars in in most cases.

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  10k in 6 months and still amazed! - 2003 Jeep Liberty
  By Chris - September 17 - 5:40 pm

  I bought my Liberty in the beginning of January, so far I have put 10,000 miles on it. I upgraded from a Geo Tracker, and Ill tell you what...Jeep are spectacular. The only issue Ive had in 10,000m miles is that I had to replace the right rear brake caliper. The room inside is amazing. I am 62 and there is probably another 5 of room between my head and the roof. The only quirky thing about the liberty is the power winder controls for the front and rear passengers are all located on the center console. Its awkward but Ive grown to love it.

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  SRT8 - 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By AHMAD R SKINNER - September 17 - 1:43 am

  This car is very fun to drive if you can get your hands on one. It is definitely a keeper but I will tell you one thing, dont buy it for gas mileage because it has none but you will pass everything on the street but a gas station.

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  Tomb Raider edition - 2003 Jeep Wrangler
  By Frank - September 16 - 7:56 am

  Happy with everything except disappointed with the engine performance. It seems that the engine will backfire on a downshift once and a while. The Jeep dealer told me that someone else was complaining about it and that it was bad gas. So Ive tried different gas stations and Its still a problem. I suspect its a fuel management issue and is normal for very long straight inline six design.The horsepower is lacking for the size of the six and how much gas mileage you get out of it. I bought the Jeep for the power but 4 cylinder cars passed me in the Rockies. Technologically It seems behind the times, related to engine performance. Need some R&D for a factory installed supercharger.

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  V6 Performance - 2007 Jeep Commander
  By Dave - September 15 - 7:36 pm

  Acceleration from 0 is pretty good. The only time I find myself wishing from more power is when merging onto a highway. The QT1 is real good, it perform excellent in the snow, dirt, and moderate off road.

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  A Sport Utility Vehicle big on Sporty. - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By pagodacook - September 15 - 10:00 am

  We bought one of the first Jeep Libertys available in July 2001 and have been pretty happy with it ever since. We love it for its size and stylish design. Only serious complaint is the fact that ours did not come with antilock brakes and it has slid on barely wet roads and in the snow even in 4WD. Once slid through an entire intersection on a road that could maybe pass for damp...luckily no one else was intersecting at the time. Gas mileage is what finally set us back and we have decided to trade it in.

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  Jeep Overland: Clark Kent / Superman - 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Tom in NM - September 15 - 10:00 am

  I will ditto most of the other comments made on the Overland - but I would add this. Until you have an incident - a sudden flood, child darting from between cars, a person falling off the curb in front of you, a driver running a red light or making a totally un-natural turn in front of you - you only see the Clark Kent side of this Jeep. I have been amazed at how fast, how nimble, how go-anywhere this Super Jeep is when these things happen. I know mine has saved three lives and thousand of dollars by avoiding and circumventing accidents. This SUV has earned my respect and love.