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! - 2002 Jeep Wrangler
  By Marco - October 7 - 2:16 am

  I went from a Jeep Cherokee to a Wrangler. Wow what a difference. The Cherokee was bigger but lighter than the Wrangler (because of the unibody) The Cherokee was quicker but not nearly as fun to drive. The paint is horrible. Its so peeley but overall its built well. The 4.0 is a very very solid motor. Other than a cracked exhaust manifold, there is no problems. Sadly this will be my last Jeep. The 4.0 is no longer made

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  Definably a good buy! - 2006 Jeep Wrangler
  By Rob - October 6 - 8:46 pm

  I love my Jeep. It is also the cheapest vehicle to insure, including 16 year old male drivers. I spent countless hours researching insurance and the Wrangler is the anomaly of the insurance world. The newer the Wrangler the cheaper it is to ensure! Fuel economy is not great but I have installed a cold air intake that increases gas mileage. It is a fun car and I would never trade my Wrangler for anything else.

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  My all black 2017 Altitude - 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Sarge - October 6 - 8:52 am

  This is my third Grand Cherokee. And this by far is the best. I am in love with the updates and the comfort and obvious appearance of the Altitude. A few outward mods and I feel it represents me well driving down the street. Everything from turning radius to the feel of the wheel when driving, Stereo system, seat comfort, etc... Heads keep turning and the positive comments keep on coming in. I am a Mopar- Jeep guy at heart and am truly glad I leased another grand Cherokee. The comments about the engine turning off at stops is a bit ridiculous. All you have to do is PUSH a BUTTON to turn that feature off. Cmon. And this V6 is quick. Very quick with a "Sport" mode which I rarely use. How fast do you really want to go in an SUV ? But this one is quicker than my previous two. Plenty of power if you need to avoid someone or something, or pass another vehicle. I Just love this Jeep.

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  My all black 2017 Altitude - 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Sarge - October 6 - 8:52 am

  This is my third Grand Cherokee. And this by far is the best. I am in love with the updates and the comfort and obvious appearance of the Altitude. A few outward mods and I feel it represents me well driving down the street. Everything from turning radius to the feel of the wheel when driving, Stereo system, seat comfort, etc... Heads keep turning and the positive comments keep on coming in. I am a Mopar- Jeep guy at heart and am truly glad I leased another grand Cherokee. The comments about the engine turning off at stops is a bit ridiculous. All you have to do is PUSH a BUTTON to turn that feature off. Cmon. And this V6 is quick. Very quick with a "Sport" mode which I rarely use. How fast do you really want to go in an SUV ? But this one is quicker than my previous two. Plenty of power if you need to avoid someone or something, or pass another vehicle. I Just love this Jeep.

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  Fantastic Vehicle! - 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By SEKOTDCOB - October 4 - 6:40 pm

  I was looking for a full size truck, but found the ideal vehicle for me and my family. This car fits exactly want we want in a vehicle. 4WD with comfort and style. It was not a selection for this review, but we got the V8 Hemi. I drove the V6 and V8, the V8 is the way to go. If you are loaded down and traveling through the mountain passes, you will want the V8.

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  My 4th Jeep - 2004 Jeep Wrangler
  By psnolte - October 4 - 10:00 am

  This is my 4th Jeep. I tradeded in my 02 Cherokee Overland for a Rubicon. My CJs/Wranglers have been the most dependable vehicles Ive owned. Theyre simple and easy to work on. As long as you know what yourre getting into, I cant see how youd be disappointed. The Rubicon is designed for off road use, although it rides fine on the highway. Because of the gearing, its not the quickest horse out of the gate however. If you want more car like performance, choose a traditional Wrangler. One tip: always keep up with the drivetrain maintenance.

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  After 105,000 miles still no problems - 2003 Jeep Liberty
  By mikej - October 3 - 10:56 pm

  Other than the recall, this has been trouble free i have put 90,000 on it myself. bought it with about 15,000 miles. the reliability on this model is great.

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  Beyond all my expectations. - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By pttrillium - October 2 - 11:10 am

  We have wanted an SUV for a while but either could not justify the horrible mileage of a true off-roader or the pointlessness of a "cute-ute". Other vehicles we considered were a close-out Land Rover Discovery or a 2005 Freelander. Also looked at and disliked the Ford Escape and the Mazda/Mercury clones. I actually go off road and this Jeep is a joy to drive. The 5,000 trailer towing capacity is way more than we actually use but since we have been hauling rocks and firewood, we have made very good use of it so far. The fact that it is a diesel makes it all the more unique and fun to own.

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  Love it!! - 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Jeepster - October 2 - 3:33 am

  Bought this Jeep as a demo with 6k miles on it. Has been a great car since then. I follow the maintenance schedule religiously, and the only problem ive had is the front window regulator, which was quickly replaced under warranty at an oil change. I find coupons on the jeep website for a $21.95 oil change and tire rotation, which is great. I really love this car, it is fun to drive, the perfect size, and i average 17.7 mpg is soley city driving! Runs great on regular fuel. It is the perfect car for me. I cannot wait for the 2011 version to come out, i am hooked on Jeeps!

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  Love It - 1993 Jeep Wrangler
  By ATVArcticWolfVTA - October 1 - 8:20 am

  I love my Wrangler! Im 16, and its my first car. When we bought it(for $2000), it wasnt that great, had been abused. But Wranglers are so easy to revive. I put a 3" lift on, 31" tires, painted it silver, new top, new carpet, added Grand Cherokee seats, complete new stereo system(soundbar, 6x9s, 4x6s, subs, and deck), new bumpers, nerf bars, etc. It may sound like a lot, but it is so much fun, and this is a teenager speaking here! I utterly love gonig topless(leave my doors on, have half doors).