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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  could be better, could be worse. - 2008 Jeep Patriot
  By Warren - November 10 - 12:40 am

  Rear view mirror positioned too low causing visibility problems. Plastic door finish vibrates. Lots of road noise. Water leaks in front dome light (could be front window seal?). Impossible to utilize indicator switch at night without flipping to high beam. Great gas mileage (45 imperial mpg @ 60 mph on flat highway, 30 mpg in town). Mechanical no problems whatsoever after 12,000 miles. Tremendous traction in snow.

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  Practical AND Fun - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By darkprince - November 9 - 6:30 pm

  Bought my Liberty Renegade used - 40k miles on it. There are some minor quirks to it I find annoying, but overall I love my Liberty! I found documentation in my owners manual from the previous owner- apparently the transmission issue was handled by him (Thank You!). This Jeep is a ball to drive and handles better than any SUV Ive ever driven. One note: Lose the Goodyear RS tires. They slip on wet roads; they wont get the opportunity to try snow/ice. No way!

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  WOOHOO!!! - 2005 Jeep Wrangler
  By Master Blaster - November 9 - 4:20 pm

  Entered the military, in 1984, and got to drive the last of the iconic M151- A2s. Even with its rollover issues, 25 years later, even after driving HMMWV (Hummers), Ford Broncos, and other 4x4 pickups, I returned to an 05 Wrangler Sport. I am NOT disappointed. I love driving it!!! Yes, the soft top is noisy, and no it doesnt get the best gas mileage, but if youve ever driven a vehicle of this sort, you know to turn the stereo up until you cant hear the road noise anymore! Plenty of pep, with the I6, sporty feel, go anywhere, Im begging my wife, like a kid with a new drivers license, to go and get milk and bread! If you want quiet and style, buy a Honda. "Its a JEEP thing!"

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  Complete loss of power. Nice when it runs. - 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Bob B - November 9 - 6:06 am

  Sitting on the side of the highway just an hour ago with no power and I havent even received my payment book yet:( I really want to like this car, but sitting dangerously close to speeding traffic in the sweltering summer heat is really dulling my enthusiasm. When it runs, life is good. Life is hell when it doesnt. On Edit: After two weeks at the dealership, the problem could not be found. The dealer gave us another new Grand Cherokee with the same options. Chrysler gave us an extended warranty on the replacement car. We are happy with the new Jeep. The old one is still out there and the problem was never diagnosed. The dealer is using it as his daily driver and being diligent in witnessing the problem first hand.

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  New Jeep Owner - 2012 Jeep Liberty
  By dvkiel - November 8 - 6:04 pm

  Weve only had our 2012 Jeep Liberty Sport for about a month. So far I am very pleased with the overall performance of this vehicle. It is very solidly built and handles very well. I am a bit disappointed with the gas mileage (20 mpg) thus far, but with only 800 miles on the it Im hoping it will get better. The overall interior, and exterior design are very nice. The media center with gps and satilite radio nice as well. The hard drive is an added bonus. I think the professional reviewers are selling this vehicle short. Hope to have it for a very long time to come. This is used as pleasure vehicle.

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  Love my Jeep - 2003 Jeep Liberty
  By J. Heikkinen - November 7 - 5:36 pm

  I owned a Wrangler and Cherokee prior to this Liberty and I am completely satisfied to this point. Fuel economy is horrible but I am trying a Mopar fuel body spacer and air intake system to help with this. I am driving this vehicle in Germany and it is wonderful on the narrow streets and pretty stable at high speeds on the autobahn. I would recommend this vehicle to anyone wanting an SUV but one small enough to drive like a car. The leather interior is wonderful and no complaints about workmanship to this point. I do wish however that American automobiles like this Liberty had a better re-sale value for future purchases.

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  Whistler and no roof - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By troy - November 7 - 2:16 pm

  I have had the truck almost 2 years. Thank god it is a lease because it is not good and I cant wait to turn it in. The wind noise and whistle sound is annoying. The mpg is a joke. Jeep said 15/21. I am lucky to get 13.5 at all times, highway or city. Today the moonroof blew off of the car on the interstate at 70 mph. I turned to see where it was and it was gone. Lucky it didnt kill someone. Look at everything else. This truck is a lemon.

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  Worst Purchase Ever (Lemon) - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By Poor Decision Maker - November 7 - 8:50 am

  Purchased the Liberty Diesel in early 05 and have had nothing but problems. Every part under the hood has been changed due to continuous stalling, shuddering, etc. EGR valve, torque converter, fuel rail, braided fuel lines, turbo charger, etc. Its been in the shop over 15 times in 18 months and thats only because I have difficult getting it over there. Its left me stranded once, and neither the dealership nor Chrysler is very helpful. Get the extended warranty and keep track of all service records and out of pocket expenses, as you will probably need to pursue under Lemon Laws. Its unfortunate that its so unreliable as its a great performing vehicle when its not in the shop!

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  Ryans Jeep Review - 1998 Jeep Cherokee
  By RyanJeep - November 5 - 11:56 am

  Very reliable. Kept regular maintenance schedule ... minimal down-time for mechanical repairs over the life of the vehicle. In family since new.

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  Grand Cherokee Rocks - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By sfwrfowler - November 5 - 10:00 am

  Bought a New 2004 Grand Cherokee and Love it. I use it for my daily commute as well as for off-road adventures and it handles well for both. The navigation system is great especially being able to post breadcrumbs.