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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  White Hot 2003 Liberty Limited 4WD - 2003 Jeep Liberty
  By lia d. - May 27 - 2:00 am

  Ive had my Liberty Limited 4WD for three weeks now and I love it. Although the gas mileage is not the greatest, I hate having to get out of it. I was told that Jeeps had notoriously hard rides, but I cant say the same. The handling and ride have been very smooth. Overall, Jeep has made a very attractive vehichle both inside and out.

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  Great Car for Mountains, Town, Towing! - 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Jay - May 26 - 10:03 pm

  The car now has 168,000 miles, and runs great. We take it across country to high mountain areas, fully loaded, and towing with no problems. It is easy to work on. The straight six 4.0 is a great engine. I get 20 mpg highway, less in city driving. The transmission lasted until 150,000 miles. Original engine, regular maintenance only, with replacement of worn out items. If you can replace these yourselves, this is a great car to have. Oil changes at home are very easy. The horsepower of the 6 is of course less than a V8, but is very adequate in 99.9% of situations. Car is great in snow (use chains with the 2WD) This has been the most used car in the household for the last 10 years.

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  Nice ride - 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By tony - May 26 - 9:26 am

  Just got my 08 limited 5.7 hemi. Gave up my 95 Cherokee that I had nothing but luck with . At 80 mph Im at 2000 rpm . This truck is very fast and has lots of power. Rides great. Im loaded with every option available. Hopefully after many miles Im still happy .

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  Great 4x4 - 1999 Jeep Cherokee
  By Steve - May 25 - 5:56 am

  I bought this new in 99 and now have 116,000 mi on it and have not had anything go wrong, love the 4x4 goes anywhere and through anything, 3 snow drifts, no problem!

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  A Great Set Of Wheels - 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Zeerab - May 24 - 11:36 pm

  This little baby has 232,000 miles and still does not burn oil. It has a small leak (1/2 qt in 1400 miles). This has been the best set of wheels i have ever owned.

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  Great 4X4 - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By Dennis - May 24 - 9:00 am

  I havent owned a Jeep since 1985, but my new Liberty has made it worth the wait. This has got to be the most awesome Jeep ever. Look out Hummer!

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  Fun while it lasted - 1995 Jeep Cherokee
  By Heidi - May 24 - 12:13 am

  I bought this car used right out of college with only 60,000 miles on it (have owned it three years). Was great fun to drive and I liked that it was a car with personality but unfortunatly it kept on breaking down. I sunk just as much money into repairs (door fell off, other door was falling off, leaked oil, cracked everything, yada yada). Finally it just broke down on me and I am forced to get a new car as this one just is not worth it. Was a good, fun cheap car while it lasted but I would not recommend buying it today to anyone.

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  You can tow an Xterra, for one thing - 2010 Jeep Liberty
  By tenevai - May 22 - 10:10 pm

  First things first - the Xterra is a certified piece of junk. In 2007 both me and a friend of mine bought off-road SUVs. He got an Xterra, I went for the Liberty. We have made two trips since then. I mean serious, serious off-road stuff. The Xterras never made it back on its own. The Liberty has been literally indestructible. Funny, but this spring it was stoled, while my friend sold the Xterra. Now I got a shiny new Liberty. They say the interior aint sexy. maybe, but what counts is its robust body, good mechanics. This one is the true SUV, true to its core.

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  Have Jeep, will travel - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By Jeepster - May 22 - 8:00 am

  I have the base model 06 Commander with the little V6. Its my first Jeep SUV and I use it primarily for business which involves regional daily travel carrying sales material. I maintain it regularly and all systems seem to run flawlessly. The Tip-Tronic tranny works fine, however I do have to shift it manually on hills to get the most out of the V6. Mileage isnt bad for such a heavy vehicle, and the thing turns on a dime and has tight handling. The interior ergonomics are great for business with lots of storage up front. My first real snow adventures sold me on this things capabilities. The backup sensors and turning radius allow me to slip this SUV into most parking spots easily.

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  Nice Ride - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By Satisfied - May 21 - 4:20 pm

  My wife and I went looking for a midsize SUV. We looked at and test drove several makes and models. The Commander was, by far our favorite. I could feel the quality right away. The ride is very smooth and quiet. The sound system is more than adequate. We were used to driving a little 4-cyl. What a difference the V-8 makes when in traffic and on the highway. The gas mileage is terrible but we expected that going in. The third row seat is convenient for our 2 small children, but they wont stay small forever. Other than that, I see no reason not to keep buying Jeeps in the foreseeable future.