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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  Love it but... - 2007 Jeep Liberty
  By Andrew - March 13 - 2:03 pm

  First things first:This is a great 4x4 for off road use.It goes practically anywhere and Ive never been stuck in it yet.It has power to spare.Goes like a bat out of hell when you need it to.Of course,its a bit thirsty at the gas pump(mine gets 16mpg in town and 24 on the road)but its worth it to have the great performance. My only real complaint about it is of course the crappy window regulators.Chrysler need to get off their buts and make a permanent solution for this problem pronto.Either that or they should fix those regulators for the life of the vehicle for free. Maybe some group of owners needs to file a Class Action Lawsuit over this problem?

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  Accident "first hand" - 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Dwayne Rothrock - March 12 - 6:20 pm

  I was involved in a near head on collision with a 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix going high speed on 1/26/06. My Jeep was totaled, but I managed to walk away with no cuts, or broken bones, suffering only neck & back strains. Thanks to Jeep for building such a safe vehicle. You saved my life.

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  Excellent car! - 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By 79camarogirl - March 11 - 8:08 am

  I loved my Jeep Grand Cherokee up til someone ran into me and totaled out my poor car, they bent the frame. had around 200,000 miles on him and was still running strong for the most part. It was our only car so my husband and I put lots of miles on it driving it back and forth to our jobs and he held up very well. Did have some issues with mysterious electrical problems. Sometimes car wouldnt start unless you jiggled the battery wires (battery was good) and the power windows decided they didnt want to work any more. Also, for some reason the cruise control and overdrive stopped working so I got really bad gas mileage, not it got good mpg to begin with.

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  My JGC Laredo - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Tammy - March 10 - 11:50 pm

  Im a single mom in the military and I LOVE my Jeep! My last vehicle was a 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo and my 2005 definitely handles much more like a car vs my 1995. My mom drives a Cadillac and even she loves to drive my Jeep. With the simple steering I have been able to avoid several near misses without pulling my arm out. My mom likes it because its effortless to try and steer. About the only things I can say against it is the gas mileage (which is expected out of an SUV), the exterior style and when the back seats fold down, they dont fold down flat. I love all the "extras" that come standard.

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  I love It - 1999 Jeep Wrangler
  By Slimmin - March 8 - 2:00 am

  It is a Jeep. This thing will climb a mountain in off the showroom form and look good in the process. The noise and the rough on-road ride are part of the attraction. My wife and I have had lots of fun in this vehicle. It brings a smile to my face seeing it in the garage.

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  GAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!WOW - 2003 Jeep Liberty
  By george abboud - March 8 - 2:00 am

  i love this suv....no problems... looks wonderful ,feels great.....love the drive...

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  Happy.......with a few quirks - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By stacey - March 7 - 11:56 am

  In the over-all we love our liberty! Mpgs are not stellar but considering shes a go any where 4x4 and 5400 lbs., not bad! No Major problems but the factory specified routine maintenance costs a small fortune. Fun, safe, peppy (3.7l) comfortable and capable on road and off. One annoying rattle emanating from the rear swing- gate/Glass region with no resolution to the problem in sight, many liberty owners with the same complaint! Very maddening considering a 24k price tag! Maybe "its a Jeep thing" haha. Other than that were pleased, lets hope it has the longevity of the Honda crv that we chose it over! Long live the liberty!

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  My 500-Day Experience With A 2014 Grand Cherokee Laredo 4x4 - 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By cleartext - March 5 - 2:58 am

  Bought a new 14 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 4x4 in late 13 and traded it in Feb-15 at 25k miles. Heres my (roughly) 500 day experience. The issues. 1-Transfer case seal fluid leak. 2-Heat/AC temp control either blazing hot or ice cold. 3-Check Engine Light four times before fixed. 4-Clunking of rear suspension. 5-Interior tailgate panel kept popping off. 6-Exterior tailgate handle crooked not flush Jeep said factory defect but wouldnt fix. 7-Radio / Climate control unit locked up periodically. 8-began hearing strange noise from gearbox. 9-constant recalls. 10-overly complicated climate controls. That said, there were many things I liked - see next section.

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  Love My Patroit - 2007 Jeep Patriot
  By Diana Havens - March 1 - 3:26 pm

  Today driving to work at 65 mph I reach 29.4 mpg.. It is a 4x2, love being up higher. Buy one! Friend told me he couldnt get that kind of gas mileage with his wrangler. DO YOU REALLY NEED 4 Wheel drive. NO!

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  Owned 3 Jeeps - May want to keep looking - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By Bryan - February 28 - 6:33 am

  Gas mileage of 15.5 mpg combined city & highway driving on the V8 model much worse than expected or advertised. Gas tank is small and only goes about 200 to 225 miles on a tank of gas. If you have small children that require a car seat(s) it will be difficult to fold the seats down to reach the third row. This is the 3rd Jeep I have owned; Cherokee, Grand Cherokee, and now Commander - Commander by far is the least desirable (if you want a Jeep buy the Grand Cherokee instead).