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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  LOVE THIS CAR!!! - 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By kabunk - June 19 - 4:43 pm

  Ive had this car for over 4 months and love driving it everyday! its reliable, strong engine etc. I in the car a lot for business and the nav system with bluetooth has been unreal!!!! I will say that my highlander had better storage, but thats my only complaint...

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  Update- 122k, still no non wear repairs - 2008 Jeep Patriot
  By jeepking - June 19 - 9:21 am

  I wrote a review about my Patriot at 60k, only repair then was a light bulb. Since then I have 122k and have only had to replace wear items. Just did a new clutch at 122k, did rear brakes at 110k and front at 120k. My hope is the next clutch goes longer, I live in Minnesota and when I replaced the stock Goodyears with Michelins my snow performance went to ****, I have two wheel drive and did put some snow tires on (Kumhos), and that has worked out well. Point is I think I did a lot of damage to my clutch trying to get out of stuff without snow tires.

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  2004 Jeep grand cherokee - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By kpj - June 16 - 2:00 am

  I feel safe and protected in this SUV. It has an air leak sound when the heating sysem is in use, which is irritating and aparently normal. The mileage is bad...16 to 17 mpg. The grand cherokee is not as sporty looking as the limited. I recommend the Enumclaw delarship.The side to side motion does not feel as stable as the 2000 which I owned previously.

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  I love this SUV - 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By sksj - June 14 - 10:00 am

  I just bought this 2002 Jeep Laredo and love it. It is very comfortable and easy to drive. Looking forward to winter to see how good the four wheel drive is in snow and ice. Had a 94 Blazer and hated every minute I owned it and was very leery of another SUV. The Laredo has turned me around. Gas mileage is a pleasant surprise. If you want comfort and functionality-get a Jeep.

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  Window regulators and water stained seat - 2006 Jeep Liberty
  By april - June 13 - 9:40 pm

  This is my third jeep. I bought a 2006 liberty because they didnt make the Cherokee sport (the boxy one) any more and I had 2 of those. I dont like this car and no more jeeps for me. The window regulators have been fixed 4 times, the seats are all water stained and professionally cleaning them didnt help and did I mention the blind spots? Chrysler is in the toilet and they dont want to recall the regulators or clean the seats for no charge. Chrysler needs loyal jeep owners like me and this is how they treat us?

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  Second Jeep Liberty - 2007 Jeep Liberty
  By gene333 - June 13 - 5:20 am

  This is our second Jeep Liberty. The "2007" Limited model has all the bells. Again its fun to drive and can still handle a sizable load. The 200" came with Sirius radio for a year and so far a great addition. It is also equiped with the above center console. Love the temperature and direction indicator. It also has the tire air presure electronic gauge. With the incentives at the time its hard to pass up against the crowded SUV field.

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  Luv this puppy! - 2008 Jeep Commander
  By kerstuff - June 12 - 10:53 pm

  This is our first Jeep. We replaced our BMW 525i with it. My wife needed something for her tradeshows to carry displays. It has plenty of room and is pleasure to drive. We keep our vehicles 15+ years and expect this one to do the same. We opted for the lifetime additional warranty that covers everything other than the lifetime drivetrain warranty.

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  cool looks, but noisy! - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Jeep Mama - June 12 - 1:16 pm

  I love my Jeep Grand Cherokee. it is reliable and comfortable with great looks. I only have a problem with the build quality. The Jeep is only three years old, and the brakes squeal quite a bit. Also, the seals around the second row windows are already coming loose (even though I always park in the garage) resulting in a whistling noise on the highway.

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  Jeep is moving on up!! - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Wayne Daughtridge - June 12 - 2:20 am

  I have owned several jeeps over the years both Wranglers and Grand Cherokee. My GC has the 4.7 V8 motor, and I tow a 22 foot boat back and forth to the coast several times a year about 4 hours each way. I also pull a motorcyle trailer all over the southeast. My fuel mileage is just as good as the F250 Diesels. I average 13 to 14 miles per gallon. The jeep is strong and reliable even with 65,000 miles logged in.

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  2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee - 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By bendmacmfg - June 12 - 12:13 am

  Ive owed my 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee Altitude for only a week, but love it. Compared to my 2014 Toyota Tacoma which had nothing but trouble and was extremely noisy on the hwy, this Jeep GC is a dream to drive. Shifting is smooth and I love the styling inside and out. After reading some of the reviews I hoping for a trouble free experience, but theres problems in everything its how they are handled that makes the difference.