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:

• 

  2012 grand Cherokee overland - 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By David - July 6 - 10:37 pm

  I have a 2012 Grand Cherokee and the service 4wd light comes on every now and then but as soon as I turn it off and turn it back on it goes away for a day or two then it comes back on I took it to a machanic and he said theres nothing wrong dose anyone else have this problem????

• 

  not happy with Chrysler product. - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By Ouellette, Norman J. - July 6 - 9:30 pm

  Nice looking,decent ride, poor mileage 16.6mpg over 17 months. Very loud engine; not at all happy with this product. First time Chrysler owner will not purchase another ever again. May be good off road?

• 

  Demanding Commander - 2007 Jeep Commander
  By Bsco - July 6 - 6:36 am

  We own three Jeep vehicles , the commander, a Grand Cherokee , and a Wrangler. Love them all, My wife drives the Commander and is very satisfied with the comfort , driveability and versatility . Jeep vehicles are built to go off-road and I feel confident in taking the commander offroad when needed. Great vehicle.

• 

  Liberty for All - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By Michael Dobbins - July 6 - 5:00 am

  A great SUV, especially if offroad performance and styling are important attributes. Its very stable in town and rock climbing. This Jeep is trail rated.

• 

  My wife thought I was crazy - 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Zeen - July 5 - 11:45 am

  2017 Model was tweaked to make it look very up to date both inside and out. Quality of materials is excellent. I previously had a good-handling sedan so am used to a more precise handling vehicle but am getting used to the Jeep. Acceleration is adequate. Its not a racer. Handling is good. The cabin is fairly quiet. The infotainment interface and power ports are much better than what I had on my GM car. Cargo capacity is quite good. Climate controls are easy to use and the heater warms up quite quickly. My wife thinks Im nuts for buying a rugged SUV to commute to a train station but I like the rugged look and cant wait until the first snowfall here in Eastern PA.

• 

  lacking a track record - 2016 Jeep Renegade
  By Gary Jackson - July 5 - 7:27 am

  Only in second production year. Not sure all the bugs are worked out yet. A lot of sketchy reviews. Lack diagnostic plug for my insurance drive tracker That would cost me $200.000/year In additional insurance. Maybe In a couple more model years with Improved reviews.

• 

  Not as good as I hoped for - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Michaelsn - July 5 - 5:40 am

  Serious malfunction of brakes after 67 miles. Continuous problem of transmission short shifting in and out of 1st gear. Gas mileage lower than advertised. Styling and interior room good. Poor pickup for quick acceleration. Last Jeep we buy.

• 

  Good up to 75,000 miles only - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By MRT - July 4 - 10:16 pm

  My Jeep was great until after 75,000 miles. It assumes it has no second hand value. Car hesitates at 100,000 miles, doesnt take charge on the highway any more. Improve on the electrical constructions. Airbags and check engine signs go off all the time. Please improve on those, if the airbag and engine lights come on without annoying beeps/noise it will be tolerated. Begin to use high quality materials for we Jeep lovers. The annoying thing is that anytime its serviced, cost of repair run in $700- thousands. There are too many repairs done that I cannot mention cause of time. Jeep company can do better!

• 

  Great all-around family car - 2012 Jeep Wrangler
  By derbs24 - July 4 - 6:09 pm

  Bought one of the first 2012 in fall of 2011 for $37K. 3.6 Pentastar was worth waiting for. Have Avg 20mpg over 74,000 miles. Have gotten 24mpg on multiple road trips from WI to FL. Wife drives it daily 50mi roundtrip for work and she still loves it! Not the most comfortable, not the quietest but it is a Wrangler. Freeedom top is awesome, we leave the hard top on and just pop the front 2 panels for sun. Had the cylinder head issue, but dealer fixed no problem, no drama with free rental. Love the looks, love the image (kinda like riding a Harley). Just got some trade numbers and dealer offered us $27,000 to trade on a new Wrangler. Resale second to none.

• 

  Just purchased a lease - 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By flixx - July 3 - 8:40 pm

  I purchased this vehicle after driving it as a lease the last few years (I know, not a great financial decision but I did not know that I was going to purchase at the time). Had few miles on it and I really loved the vehicle. Gets through the snow in amazing fashion. Had to get to the hospital on Christmas Day in Omaha, NE after a huge storm and had no problem at all with no streets plowed. Have driven it on road trips all around with no issues. Rides well in the city, country roads or interstate. Very comfortable. Have had no mechanical issues (knock on wood) with this vehicle unlike what I have seen with other reviews. I am extremely pleased with this Jeep and would recommend it.