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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  I normally buy Fords - 2014 Jeep Cherokee
  By modeladriver - September 3 - 1:44 am

  After test driving almost every Ford SUV my back was killing me. This car stopped the pain on the test drive. I have read about the programming problem on the early 2014s. Mine is August 2013 but have had not a bit of trouble. Sometimes the tranny thinks too much when deciding gears but most of the time it is smooth. A pure joy on a long trip and I can drive for hours. The interior is well crafted and the car looks more expensive than it was. I have the six cylinder and get a a hard 32 mpg on the highway with 27 around town. I will achieve 110 mph rather quickly. You never get to the ninth gear. I am glad I bought it.

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  Its a Jeep... - 1998 Jeep Wrangler
  By csamn - September 1 - 12:06 am

  I bought this a few months ago. It has been nothing but a dream. I see a lot of people complaining about the gas mileage, if you buy a jeep you should expect that. I have a lift and bigger than stock tires i love it. I have 32s on it and it will go any where trucks with 35+ tires on it no problem. I would recommend everyone to get a dual top or just a hard top for security reasons. I always leave my doors unlocked and dont leave anything valuable in there. If you leave your doors unlocked they wont cut the 150 dollar doors or even the top. Love my Jeep, really consider if it is something you wont before you purchase one. There are way to many mall crawlers out there already...

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  Indestructable - 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Jeepenthusiast - August 31 - 7:50 am

  While the 4.0 l i6 is not the most powerful or fuel efficient engine it is truly bullet proof. I bought my grand Cherokee in 1998 and it had 60,000 mi on it. It now has 262,000 mi on it and the engine still runs strong. I beat the crap out of this car taking it off road. I sank it in a swamp, blew the shocks rock crawling, and various other adventures. The engine hung in there. The exhaust rusted because of the swamping and needed to be replaced and the transmission was replaced when I sank it in the swamp. But the only parts I ever replaced were ones that werew broken from my harsh useage.

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  Good stuff - 2008 Jeep Compass
  By dave - August 30 - 7:20 am

  Good car, no problem so far, the only thing is the lights come on when lock or unlock vehicle with the remote control, kills the battery,

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  Crash Tested!! - 2016 Jeep Cherokee
  By Katelyn - August 28 - 11:50 pm

  I leased a 2016 Jeep Cherokee and recently got into a terrible accident with the car. I was shocked how the car reacted to the accident. It did what it was built to do, which was save me and the car itself fell apart. I got hit on the drivers side and then the force from that forced me to hit a telephone pole. I was told that if I had been driving my old car, which was a 2010 Volkswagen, the accident wouldve been much worse and my injuries wouldve been worse. I highly suggest this car to anyone that is looking at a Jeep. It is extremely reliable and has the best ride Ive ever driven in a car. Its great in the snow/rain as well. If youre looking into Jeeps, definitely look at this one! I also suggest the Jeep Grand Cherokee, as I have that one as well. Both of these vehicles are wonderful and their performance is top of the line.

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  great jeep - 1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By alllen - August 28 - 10:00 am

  great driving vehicle, goes through almost anything. great power & great handling.

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  great - 1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By allenw - August 28 - 10:00 am

  great jeep, went through 1 foot of snow with no problem. would but another

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  Jeeps forever - 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By ds22 - August 28 - 10:00 am

  I have a 95 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo. It is the best car I have ever had. It has great pickup, its comfortable, and it still looks brand new.

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  yeah, jeep jeep! - 2004 Jeep Wrangler
  By sharone - August 28 - 10:00 am

  it looks tough and drives tough.here in l.a, i need that! shes a bute! i will cherish her forever........

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  Best vehciel Ive ever owned - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By Tom Dewey - August 28 - 10:00 am

  Flawless,Fun,reliable,tight,ease of entry and egress due to high entry height.Great for older people with disabilities.Torquey and responsive.Rear access door is great for groceries. Above features appeal to both sexes equally. $ wheel drive capabilities appeal to males for versitialty.Best overhaul vehicle Ive ever had!