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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  The end of an era - 1998 Jeep Cherokee
  By Old Bear - December 9 - 11:20 am

  Rugged tough vehicle with plenty of power on tap. Well built and gives you plenty of street cred. Yes, it is rather juicy but what else would you expect from a four litre engine. What I loose in fuel bills I save in general repair costs. Why on earth did they stop making them?

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  Great Jeep - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Jarron - December 9 - 8:50 am

  I love this Jeep and the Hemi thats under the hood. It is a big improvement over my 2001 Laredo, the Boston Sound System is awesome and the ride is smooth. The fuel economy could be better but I figured it would be poor with the Hemi. The Auto Climate Control keeps the vehicle comfortable. My kids love the rear entertainment system. Overall a great buy and the build quality is better than the past. My 4th and best Jeep.

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  LOVE MY JEEP - 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By MMKMWARD - December 7 - 2:56 pm

  The Jeep I purchased was with the Limited 5.7L V8 HEMI option. I love the vehicle, this is the 2nd Jeep I have owned. I owned a 1995 Jeep Laredo which I traded in after 9 years, and now am in love with the Jeep Limited. It is a lot of fun to drive, there is a lot of power in this vehicle and the interior is very comfortable and the options are outstanding. I definitely recommend the Jeep SUV and will probably not own any other brand of SUV. Ill be on #3 in another 9 years (or less) hopefully. Jeep makes an awesome vehicle, my husband is on his 2nd Jeep also.

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  Jeep - 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By questions1490 - December 7 - 10:00 am

  The Grandcherokee is the best vheicle Ive ever had. Before it I had A Ford Explorer which was the biggest lemon EVER! I had the Explorer for 3 months and it broke 12 times. It costed me about 10,000 dollars of mechanical problems.

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  Great all around vehicle - 2009 Jeep Wrangler
  By mdirvin - December 5 - 7:23 am

  We purchased the jeep to tag along with our RV. It has been the perfect choice. My wife loves the way it drives around town, its comfortable on the highway. We have been able to go places that we never could have in a less capable vehicle. We are now able to go on unimproved/unmaintained service roads in MT, and CO to do hiking and photography. The gas mileage is much better than expected. We have never gotten less than 20mpg, over the road I get 24+, and of course my wife gets 26+. She just has a gentler right foot. Its getting to the point now that if I want some "Jeep" time I might have to get one for myself. We are thinking of getting small trailer, and heading up to Alaska in 2010.

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  Incredible - 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By htverheyen - December 4 - 9:56 pm

  This car is amazing. To get this much performance and features from this type of car, youd have to spend almost twice as much. Mileage: better than the V8 in the previous model. We average about 13.5 mpg in city, about 18.5 on highway (with K&N filter). Towing capacity: We needed above 6,500 lbs - not a lot of choices - this one tops all. Interior space: like the old version. Good for kids, short trips with 4 adults. Look for a Durango, Commander, or the Suburban types if you need the seating capacity. Short wheelbase: this car handles car-like, not truck-like. Theres a reason why Porsche, BMW, Mercedes, Volkswagen have almost identical dimensions, mpg (with V8s).

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  After 9 months and lots of mile - thoroughly enjoying my Jeep - 2014 Jeep Wrangler
  By Michael Buszuwski - December 4 - 9:53 am

  I use my Wrangler as a Daily Driver and also do monthly road trips (400mi+) with the family. I have the soft top, the Willys Wheeler Edition, and zero regrets. So many people obsess over getting a Hardtop but I recommend saving your money and just using the soft top - in 5 seconds you can retract to "sunrider mode" for sun and win, and in less than 5 minutes you can retract the top fully. The soft top is plenty warm enough for the coldest winters (I just went through one without issue) and its plenty quiet enough on the highway (I put on MANY highway miles thus far without a problem. My family and friends all want to buy a Wrangler of their own after riding mine. Great, fun vehicle.

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  My first Jeep! - 2008 Jeep Wrangler
  By Asartain29 - December 4 - 6:56 am

  I have wanted a Wrangler for a long time, and I finally purchased one in Feb. 2008. It is a 2008 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 2DR, steel blue metallic in color, BF Goodrich Mud Tires, Infinity sound system, satellite radio, wanted manual transmission but went with automatic. I have owned my jeep for almost a year and I love it. Have had no problems, and it is off-road all the time. It is a beast off-road, and is impossible to get stuck. I have went up inclines that would make most people urinate on themselves, and she has never once slipped. I have only had to use 4low twice. I am going to drive my jeep until the wheels fall off. I love having the top down, and the doors off. Buy One

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  Stil the best - 2001 Jeep Cherokee
  By chris h. - December 4 - 2:40 am

  bought this in 05 with 40K on it in showroom new shape , added air raid cold air induction & t/b spacer to up horsepower and save gas (when i could keep from gunning it..WOW) always wanted one and when i finally got it just couldnt get enough. Most people dont get the chance to put a daily driver 4wd to the test but I made sure i did and this vehicle took everything from 3 ft snow drifts to 2ft deep flooded areas like a champ. Make sure you keep up the maintenance and youll be perfect. Oh and you gotta love that Jeep finally changed the liberty for 08 to look like a modern Cherokee, guess they do listen ;o)

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  Great Jeep! - 2004 Jeep Wrangler
  By Steph - December 3 - 10:00 am

  Wranglers are great for on and off road, and tons of fun. You can get a little uncomfortable on a long trip but I have only experienced this once (4 hours with no rest stops in the car) This is a very dependable truck, I have not had any major problems