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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  Great ride - 2002 Jeep Wrangler
  By Moondogs - August 22 - 2:00 am

  I have had my jeep for two years and love it. Its best for around town and especially with the bikini top on in summer. Always a fun, reliable ride. Ive taken it on a couple of all day trips and dont recommend it. Lots of wind noise; I drive my corvette on any long trips now. 13,000 miles and everything is perfect.

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  Silver Overland - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By DMax - August 22 - 2:00 am

  Comfortable for long and short trips alike. Great acceleration for passing. Handles road imperfections smoothly and far less body roll than my 95 Laredo, it feels good. The vehicle does seem to wander a bit in a strong cross wind. I live on a dirt road in the mountains - QuadraDrive system is sure footed on all surfaces, including ice and snow. Heated seats are great. 18-20 mpg seems good for a V-8 SUV.

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  practically perfect - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By DavidS. - August 22 - 2:00 am

  i bought this jeep dec. 2003, one week before a huge snowstorm this jeep had no problem in the snow. i saw a ford explorer and two new 4runners stuck throughout the day but i didnt have that problem. i got the butane blue laredo with sunroof so it looks awesome. cant wait till the redesigned jeeps come out

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  Fun New Toy - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By JawBrok - August 21 - 6:26 pm

  Ive been driving a Ford Contour, what a great change! I love this truck. The Limited edition was a great choice.

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  MY favorite 2 person car - 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By jeep man - August 21 - 10:00 am

  This is a fun car. In town or on the highway it is fun to drive and easy to handle. Off road it performs like a champ. It is big enough to be safe and small enough to behave in tight city traffic. The console display has more warnings and information than you would believe!

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  Second and Best Jeep Ive ever owned - 2007 Jeep Wrangler
  By ndared1 - August 20 - 4:03 pm

  My first time to purchase a Wrangler tuned out to be the greatest. I drove a new 2006 and two new 07s; one stick and one auto, purchased the stick. A Jeep to me should only be a stick. What a nice vehicle, the 07 tops seem much tighter on the vehicle than the 06. Plenty of power with the new V6 and the tranny is smooth, German manufacturer I think.

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  Jeep Fan - 2010 Jeep Liberty
  By jeep51 - August 19 - 1:48 pm

  This is truly an SUV! Second Jeep Liberty in my home. First one a 2002 Liberty Sport still running great after 205k miles. Reliable, fun to drive and pretty. Original paint great, no rust. Is a quality SUV.

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  Versatile and fuel efficient (surprise!) - 2007 Jeep Wrangler
  By pinondesert - August 19 - 10:46 am

  I bought my Wrangler Unlimited Sahara a couple of weeks ago and have been thoroughly enjoying it. It is not a racer but that is not the point. Whether on the freeway or on muddy dirt roads covered with snow it feels stable and safe. There is plenty of room front and rear and the cargo space is huge. The hard top keeps things quiet and the infinity speaker system rocks. I have the 3.21 differential and have driven for fuel economy. So far mileage is running about 24.5 mpg in a mix of in-town, freeway and back road exploring at 6,000 to 8,000 altitude. Expect to shift a lot at freeway speeds in the mountains, everywhere else it keeps up with traffic. Its my first Jeep. I love it!

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  The Best - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By S. T. Spivey - August 18 - 2:56 pm

  This is my third Jeep and it is the best ever. The ride is smooth and handling is great. I travel at lot as the result of my job and I feel very safe in this SUV. Also the features added to this years model make it very appealing to women. Very comfortable on long tips.

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  First-time Jeep Owner - 2007 Jeep Compass
  By RCinCO - August 18 - 8:40 am

  I special-ordered a tricked-out 4WD Limited and it arrived in April, as promised. After 5 months and 5,000 miles, Im very pleased with the vehicle overall. Although its not a great highway car (yes, its underpowered and strains at speeds over 60mph and on highway hills), the Compass is great in the Colorado mountains and on back-country roads. Its very comfortable for this 6 230 lb male, turns on a dime, handles very well, and gets pretty good gas mileage (23mpg city/25.5mpg hwy). Almost everything is where it should be, and the fit-and-finish are terrific. Ive read comments about the cheap interior. I dont agree.