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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  2003 Jeep Wrangler SE - 2005 Jeep Wrangler
  By Alex Ham - March 22 - 10:56 pm

  I love my Wrangler. Its fun to drive and it will handle just about anything I want it to. Nothing beats driving with the top down on a clear,warm night. Taking it through mud and sand is just plain fun. Slap on some great All Terrain tires and you have one nice looking vehicle on your hands. Jeep owners are die hard fans of their vehicles. You cant find that with any other vehicle. Wranglers last longer than most vehicles if they are well taken care of. What more could you ask for.

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  Only if I knew - 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By jcraig316 - March 22 - 10:00 am

  I had the Jeep inspected by a dealer before buying. They said it was the cleanist 95 they have seen in a long time and it would be a good buy. Sence then I have been avg $2000 a year in repairs (a/c, water pump, motor mounts, rear wiper motor, av boots, antenna moter, idol speed ?, radiator, unknown cluck periodicly from under right side of hood, I had 3 leaks start at the same time over night, ect.)

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  04 Sport 5-speed - 2004 Jeep Wrangler
  By JRod - March 22 - 10:00 am

  Positives. Ive never owned a convertable and you CAN NOT beat going topless in a Wrangler. It zips around town with ease once you get used to it being a bit bumpy. Ive yet to take it off-road so I cant comment on it just yet. Negatives. I drive about 80 miles (90% e-way) a day and this is my only vehicle. Now, Im pretty rugged and outdoorsy but this isnt a e-way car. They tend to be blown around quite a bit and seem to get a bit squirlie above 65-70mph. Ive also got issues with the tranny. When the vehicle is running and the tranny is in neutral it sounds like a couple marbles rolling around. The tranny is also clunky and doesnt shift smoothly.

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  I Love this Jeep - 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Skippy97 - March 21 - 4:10 am

  We now have 195,000 miles on our Jeep and have had no major problems. We drive in some of the worst weather conditions in the northeast. It runs great and looks great. Regular service and oil changes and plan on another 60,000 miles or more.

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  This is my 3rd and last Jeep - 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Lorrie - March 21 - 1:13 am

  Lots of trouble with rotors. Both front windows had to have regulators replaced ... right after warranty expired. Transmission problems. Trouble with check engine light staying on.

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  Good Truck Based SUV - 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Seanst27 - March 20 - 1:06 pm

  Ive had this car for over three years and put over 75,000 miles on it. It now has 102,000. Overall Ive enjoyed owning the vehicle. The Limited model fit and finish is great and makes it a luxury type vehicle. MPG is what it is....you know what your getting when you buy a V8. The AWD/4X4 system is great but sucks down gas. So far Ive had only one major problem. Engine light was coming on at around $50,000. Turned out to be the Quadra- Drive Transfer Case which had to be replaced at the tune of $2,000...wasnt happy about that. Since then no mechanical problems. I prefer to drive this vehicle over my wifes Nissan Murano and her previous Saab 9-3 2.0T Convertible.

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  No Problems w/37k mi - 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By gart - March 20 - 10:00 am

  I havent had any of the problems Ive read about. This is my 3rd Grand Cherokee (3 Yr leases). I have 37k miles so far, my lease is up in Jan03. Gas Mileage is poor, 17mpg with 4.0 engine. My 95 got 23mpg, my 97 got 21mpg. Handling, comfort, perfomance are fine, Infinity stereo is excellent. I was going to buy this one, but after reading all of the problems, maybe not.

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  Liberty (-: - 2003 Jeep Liberty
  By james kober - March 20 - 10:00 am

  Great SUV so far. Only 3 complains. Right rear window has significant wind noise. Pulls to the right. Gas milage sucks. Not bad for 12000 miles. I have not taken it back to the dealer for the minor problems yet because my wife wont give it up for a day yet. Havent been off road yet, but I plan too soon.

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  2ND TIME AROUND. - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By C.T. - March 19 - 6:30 am

  Just purchased 04 JGC Laredo after putting on a whopping 325K (yes you read right!)on my 98 GC(original motor and trani...).I searched for a while to find the 6cyl with lower miles.Anyone who claims that these vehicles are not reliable,Id strongly argue.My 98 went through regular maintenence and never left me stranded on the road(i travel in upstate NY,and New England as a sales rep.).Of note. I kept the trani. serviced very regularly as i found that to be real helpful with the overall performance. My 04s ride feels a bit smoother,and more refined than 98, and definately felt better than 05-06 model.Looking forward to putting another 300k on this one!

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  Absolute BLAST at low speeds - 1992 Jeep Wrangler
  By Spencer Cooke - March 16 - 11:16 pm

  As long as you can accept what a Jeep WONT do, you can truly enjoy what it WILL do. WONT go over 70 mph WONT save you money on gas WONT impress your girlfriends mother but it WILL go ANYWHERE at about 5 mph WILL save you money up front (its cheap) WILL look good when dirty This is the coolest vehicle you can obtain for under $5000. Make sure that its got a manual tranny, 33" tires or larger and a good top. 6-cyl is fast and has a more-reliable transmission but also gulps fuel - but if fuel economy was the point, youd drive a prius. Get the soundbar, take off the doors and live a little.