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 mostly love my Patriot! - 2015 Jeep Patriot
  By S - August 16 - 2:54 pm

  I really like this car. First off I will say I traded in a 4 door Wrangler Sahara with WAY more options and I am still satisfied. I have a 50 mile commute (one way) to work and the Patriot really is just a great value. I get decent gas mileage for the size of the car, the front seats are comfy, the AC/heat works great. It is a noisy rough ride, but it is also a budget car. The biggest complaint I have would be the sound quality from the base stereo, absolutely horrible ad the plasticy feeling of the interior panels. I popped some aftermarket speakers in and it is like a different car. The best thing about this car is the storage and how easy it is to drive, especially around the city. The seating position is great and it is very very easy to know the dimensions of this car, it is one of the only small suvs that still has a hood in sight when sitting in the drivers seat. I think the critics reviews of this car are very harsh but when you start to compare it to other cars in its price range, it really is the best you can buy.

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  A very good mid size SUV - 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Huskerfan - August 15 - 10:00 am

  Im generally very happy with this vehicle. We have had it for 3 years and over 50000 miles without any problems other than replacing the brake rotors. Our laredo is loaded with options and is fun and comfortable to drive. The stereo is great. My favorite feature is the quadradrive. This system is awesome how it sends power to the wheels with traction. I have tried and not been able to get it stuck in mud, snow and sand. I thought the V6 had enough power until we started towing a boat now wish I had a V8. Its a tough, go anywhere vehicle that doesnt look like a station wagon or minivan with four wheel drive. (Explorer,trailblazer, M class, MDX)

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  Love our Commander - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By lisajoe33 - August 15 - 8:00 am

  3.7L needs a little more power. Other than that everthing is excellent with this vehicle.

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  Too bad theyre gone - 2001 Jeep Cherokee
  By tinias - August 12 - 10:00 am

  A great ride. Very capable offroad, with good power and low end torque.

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  I love my Jeep! - 2001 Jeep Wrangler
  By Jeepin Tom - August 12 - 10:00 am

  I bought a Wrangler because I thought it would be a fun vehicle to drive. Oh, Man! I didnt have a clue! My Jeep is a hundred times more fun than I thought it would be. Nothing like a topless/doorless drive on a nice day. And going off road, well.. thats the the ULTIMATE! You have to be willing to give up a lot of the things that most people feel are so important in a vehicle, like fuel economy, smooth and quiet ride, passenger and cargo room, sporty handling, etc. But the reward in terms of PURE FUN is well worth the sacrifices!

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  Great Jeep - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By mdammann - August 12 - 10:00 am

  Just picked up the jeep. Rides pretty well, but ofcourse it is a jeep. Dealership did a great deal on jeep. I was considering a Kia Sorento. What the hell was I thinking? Jeep has a better name and better reliability.

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  the real deal - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By athlon8ghz - August 12 - 10:00 am

  this is my second jeep and i like it better than most suvs out there. this is a true go anywhere vehicle period. if you feel you need an suv as a daily driver, better look for something else because this is for those who actually need a capable vehicle able to go through almost anything nature throws at them. maybe this is why jeeps are often used as search and rescue vehicles and not just for off road. the only other true suvs that is as capable as a jeep is a hummer, a rover, and an mb g-series. thats it. a jeep is what you need and will be glad that you have when the going gets real tough.

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  orange limited - 2008 Jeep Compass
  By limited - August 11 - 10:10 pm

  Overall not bad, quiet ride. like the limited accents Seat belt reminder chimes every 8 seconds. CVT can be noisy at times. Should be undercoated from factory, rust after 1 PA winter

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  unhappy sound check - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By j jacome - August 11 - 12:20 pm

  The Jeep is nice to ride. Its the radio that is the Bad one! I had to replace it 4 times; the first time was because the CDs got stuck and the other 3 times was because the units cut off/on with an explosive noise. i have called Chrysler and all the say is we are not responsible for this. and they will not upgrade unless I pay for it! It is a brand new car, I shouldnt have to be paying for upgrades in a radio that since the beginning was defective. Its a 2005 and it should be upgraded for the future.

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  bad radio - 2016 Jeep Cherokee
  By Radio - August 8 - 6:44 am

  I recently leased a 2016 Jeep Cherokee latitude after having a 2010 Lincoln . wanted something different . I was looking for a lot of extras and was surprised to find most of my wish list with this car. I am happy with how it drives and the extras, but I am writing this because I am so disappointed in the radio. I get a handful of stations and I have asked the service guy to check it , thinking there was something wrong., but was told it was a new radio and there was nothing wrong. I am not sure if anyone is having the same issue. I like listening to the radio not just a few stations. I am thinking on bringing it back because of this . so if you are about to purchase this jeep and you want a good radio , dont buy this jeep .