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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  Brakes/Rotors - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By skibum - January 14 - 2:00 am

  Great vehicle except for the brakes/rotors. I brake very smoothly, yet I have to replace my rotors annually. I will look at other models next time if Jeep cant fix this simple problem.

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  Best SUV out there for the price - 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By tony - January 14 - 2:00 am

  My 2nd Jeep, 1st was regular cherokee I gave to my son. Outstanding ride, & luxury unbeleivable in a true off road vehicle. Shoped around and compaired ALL others including KIA (lowend) to Lexus (higher end) anywhere within $15k of price. Best Buy on the market. Very Impressed.

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  Great for a First Car! - 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By carguru12 - January 13 - 2:18 am

  This vehicle is my first car, and I purchased it with 134k miles on it. Its a great truck, has the power I need, and the fuel economy is good. The seats, although cloth, are plush and comfortable, and the standard stereo sounds pretty good. I specifically looked for a Jeep with the 4.0L I6 engine in it due to the reliability of it. I love my Jeep!

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  Good SUV - 2008 Jeep Compass
  By Don W - January 12 - 10:23 am

  We love to drive the Compass. Great use of space compared to the other SUVs we looked at. Lots of head room and rear seat room. The speed stick on the CVT is great. We do mix city/highway drives with no problems. The tail gate is a bite noisy in the extreme cold (-25c).

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  Dependable and Low Maintenance - 1996 Jeep Cherokee
  By Jan B. - January 12 - 5:36 am

  I bought the car thinking I would have it about 5 years. I drove it for 12 and had only routine maintenance. It has pretty good get up and go for merging onto the interstate and the Part-Time Shift to put it into 4WD for icy/snowy conditions was nice to have. I recently checked and found I get about 17 to 18 MPG.

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  Problematic Vehicle - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By carguru12 - January 10 - 11:18 am

  We have owned the truck since it was brand new, and now it has 177,000 miles on it. Recently, the EGR valve had to be replaced, as did the front C/V joint, radiator, and water pump. The transmission is noisy, and gas mileage is horrible. It was a good car when it was new, but has started to show its age.

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  Good looking; Good runner - 2007 Jeep Compass
  By Larry J. - January 10 - 3:46 am

  I love the way the Jeep Compass handles, darting in and out of lanes, feels tight and in control. The CVT feels very good, and I have not noticed any problems when merging on the highway. I own a 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited, and I like driving the Compass more than the Limited. I can live with the interior in the Compass, because I opted for the 26E package, and it has all the same stuff as my 96 Limited, plus I got a sun roof and satellite radio.

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  Nothing else will do. - 2006 Jeep Wrangler
  By 0IIIIIII0 - January 9 - 7:20 pm

  I traded in my 1994 Wrangler for a 2006 Rubicon. I was [just] looking at both the FJ Cruiser and the Hummer(s) but, I have to be faithful to the Jeep line. In owning a Jeep the last 10 years, I wanted to keep with a legacy. Plus, it IS the Jeep thing! Plus, best of all, I know the engine and it is easy to work with after working on my 94 4.0 these past years!

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  Quality is just not there. - 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By steve - January 9 - 3:36 pm

  This vehicle is not deserving of its $40k price tag. What a shame because its a lot of fun to drive when its not in the shop. With less than 60K miles, this vehicle has been in the shop four times for major repairs, which have included: 1 - Brakes. Rotors replaced 3 times; calipers once. Fortunately all under warranty. 2 - CD Changer. 3 - Drivers side heater assembly failed. 4 - Tranmission Control Module (TCM) needed to be reprogrammed and various other tranmission work was required. 5 - Door Locks failed. 6 - Speaker blew. 7 - Steering column required adjustment. Needless to say, if you decide to purchase a JGC, get an extended warranty! Youll be glad you did.

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  Design flaw - 2007 Jeep Commander
  By Michael in Fla. - January 9 - 10:03 am

  Leased a 2007 Jeep Commander in Clearwater, Florida. My Jeep developed a horrible leak. When it rains I get a standing puddle of water on the floor on the drivers side. Dealership said its a maintenance issue and said it will be $100 to blow out a sunroof drain line because its clogged with debris. I argued there is nothing in the owners manual addressing this "maintenance" and pointed out that there are also several service bulletins issued by Chrysler addressing this issue. They said this is the customers responsibility. No wonder Chrysler is in trouble.