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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  Best Ive Owned! - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By nucklesc - March 31 - 1:43 pm

  Good power, great handling, great style, poor ground clearance.

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  A Fun SUV - 2007 Jeep Patriot
  By william Ward - March 31 - 1:40 pm

  We have been to the Colorado mountains to 11,000 feet elevations from Missouri at 800 feet. We got up to 30.3 MPG across Kansas, a lot of 28.8 with a very loaded car. The noise level was quiet enough to play the radio and talk with out being loud. Seats were very comfortable for us, I even have a bad back. We go off road every year with National Forest maps with every jeep we have had for 15 years, this Patriot did well also, but not as well as our Grand Cherokee. Around town we get 24.8 to 30 MPG and enjoy it. The CVT transmission took some getting use to to get better gas mileage. The Wrangler tires are wearing out at 30,000 miles even though I keep them at 40 PSI. New tires to be soon

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  If you want this SUV, get the 8 cylinder - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Mark Podmore - March 31 - 1:00 am

  I purchased this vehicle January 2005 brand new. Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 6 cylinder 2 WD. The interior leaks during heavy storms. The automatic transmission shudders (jerks) sometimes when shifting into overdrive. I had the seats coated with some type of protectant from the dealership that doesnt work. For the money (I paid slightly over $27,000 for it) you cant beat it.

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  Poor Service - 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By 02JGC - March 30 - 3:10 pm

  This has been a comfortable vehicle for long trips. Brakes and handling are soft. While I love the looks & comfort, service is non-existent. The memory feature has not worked properly from the time we bought it. The rear-end had bad bearings, and the A/C only works on short trips & leaks on the floor. These problems were all taken to several different dealerships, and the common response was "Could not Duplicate" the problem. The only thing that was fixed was the bearing, only because I told them what bearing to fix. Three of the four window regulators have broken. The transmission operates normally for the most part but will slam in & out of gear occasionally. Fuel mileage is at 20 mpg.

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  First Jeep... maybe the last. - 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By jeepguy777 - March 30 - 11:03 am

  Purchased in 2005 with 54,000 miles, now has 101,000. Drives great for an SUV, corners like a sports car. Getting around 18-20 on the highway. Only things have gone wrong are two speakers have blown, both heated seats went out, power steering pump, driveline seal, some interior parts are not quality made. other than those few items this Jeep has impressed me since the day I bought it. Still get looks when Im driving it. Looks brand new still. Probably will not buy another Jeep, because of the reliability issue.

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  Jeep Liberty CRD Diesel - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By Frank - March 30 - 5:26 am

  I purchased this Liberty used with 65K on it. Drove it home 350 mi. Ran great for the first 3K miles and then trouble hit. I had an oil leak that turned into a need for a new turbo, then a new thermostat. Great truck but the dealer cant get parts very fast. No parts available from the warehouse, so parts must come from other dealer inventories, if they will give them up. If you can, stay away from the Liberty CRD.

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  Good Plain Fun - 2006 Jeep Wrangler
  By chunter - March 28 - 9:56 pm

  Its just fun to have. My midlife crisis toy.

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  LOVE IT!!! - 2007 Jeep Compass
  By niblet15 - March 28 - 1:10 pm

  I have only had my compass for 2 weeks and so far I love it.

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  Junk that looks nice - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Tyler Cole - March 28 - 3:53 am

  This is my 2nd JEEP GC Limited, and am not impressed. I had a 2003 GC Limited, and was not happy with the reliability. So I drove a Nissan for almost 3 years, and of course no problems. I decided I liked the HEMI power and looks of the new design, and assumed they would have made the reliability better, but in my case, it is worse. Starter went at 15,000 miles, 2 Stem Valve Sensors, Crankshaft Sensor, missing Radiator fluid, and now needs a new Manifold gasket at 30,000 miles. Today I traded it in on a new Toyota TRD Tacoma. I once again tried to support American cars, but I cannot afford to anymore, my time is money, and I spend most of it in the shop with a JEEP!

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  A truly great and dependable SUV - 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By njfirefgtr - March 27 - 8:00 am

  We really love this car! Its perfect for a family. The gas mileage is poor, but no worse than any other SUV. The V8 is definitely a good idea as far as the optional engine goes. The 6 cylinder runs great, but lacks pick up especially with the A/C on. A family of 5 fits perfectly with plenty of cargo room in the back. Dependable is an understatement; nearly 30K with not even a hiccup!