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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  Nice to look at, but... - 2000 Jeep Cherokee
  By mbsoul33 - July 28 - 2:00 am

  Mine is a newer truck, but needs too much repair and the build quality is not that good. Can only gets parts from Mopar.

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  Luxury Price, not so luxury quality - 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By 00jeepgcl4x4 - July 15 - 7:40 am

  This vehicle is fun to drive, it handles well, has nice part time 4x4 option -- great for the rain. However its not reliable, rotors, and pads must be changed to aftermarket asap (expensive). Sensors, relays, and windows quit working way before youd expect. And Ive had serious electrical issues which cause the vehicle to quit while Im driving (dangerous). Dealerships seems to provide little product support, and manufacturer takes little responsibility. These problems seem persistent regardless of how I take care of my vehicle, or how I drive it. Oh, the fuel gauge and rear gate lock have also quit working.

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  OK for short trips - 2007 Jeep Liberty
  By 1stjeep - July 10 - 6:10 pm

  Ive had my Liberty for 1 month and its OK. Gas mileage is OK at 24 mpg. The ride is good, but a little bumpy on rough roads. The seats sit high and give the driver a commanding view, but they can be uncomfortable on longer trips. It does great in the snow, even in 2 wheel. As for convenience features it has a lot to be desired - no storage areas other than the glovebox and a small compartment between the front seats. You have to stretch to reach temperature controls as they sit low on the dash. Its a good vehichle for short trips, but not the best family car to purchase.

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  MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH THE 05 - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By unhappy jeep girl - July 9 - 10:10 pm

  I bought the car in 06 with 23K miles on it. By 45K miles, I had to replace the transmission. At 60K I had to replace the starter, alternator, brake pads, rotors, and transmission again. 2 weeks later, the drive shaft and casings were all replaced. Now, at 75K I am looking to replace the drive shaft again and possibly a wheel baring. The service manager at a dealership told me that starting in 05 Jeep started "turning and burning them!" Doesnt exactly make you feel good about your purchase!!! Be very careful when buying a Jeep from 05 and on!

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  Good boy/ Bad Boy - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Think Snow - July 8 - 3:50 am

  Still a Jeep. This Jeep is absolutely awesome driving on mountain passes at night. At 30 below zero the heated seats are a real treat. The front seats are very very hard.They HURT after an hour drive. No arm rests - what were they thinking at Jeep. The back seats do not fit car seats for children; they are too up right and when your child falls asleep they slump forward and hang on the child seat straps.

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  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????

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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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  Continues day to day issues - 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By jeep4281 - June 4 - 6:55 am

  I had a 2004 jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo and no problems other than maintenance issues. When my frame cracked in 2011 i bought a new. I have been back and forth to dealer.I have replaced wipers so much in my life. I have had 2 replacement wiper sprayers on both sides; The split Hemi engine i can get 22 in the summer and 13-15 in the winter. key has been replaced twice. I have the digital temperature control and the motor has been replaced and reprogrammed. One day going down road lights came on the dash as told the system will reset itself. Ipod dock burnt up my ipod; down songs.

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  Sahara 4 door lemon - 2010 Jeep Wrangler
  By alan - June 3 - 1:03 pm

  Only have 1,800 miles and have been back to repair Jeep Chrysler dealer 5 times for problem with anti-skid engaging while driving. This causes an unsafe condition. Chrysler customer service in uncaring. All they did each time was replace the crankshaft sensor. Last week they kept my Jeep 6 days while they put in a shim to stop the sensor from causing the problem. I was left with no ride. I love this vehicle, but would never buy a Chrysler product again.

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  Trading it in - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By jjf - May 28 - 3:06 pm

  We bought this for my wife to haul our new baby around. We were quite happy for the first year, but then it started needing more and more repairs. The frequency and severity of the repairs has increased over time, and the warranty is about to run out. We no longer trust the vehicle, and are nervous about what happens after the warranty expires. Sadly we feel we have no choice but to dump it. issues: 4WD system solenoid failure, dead battery after 1 year, brake rotors warped at 25K, stalling issues, glitchy climate control, tranny doesnt shift correctly when cold, transmission seal leak, numerous tire leaks, AC no longer gets cold, door latch fell off, etc, etc....