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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  Long live the Jeeps - 1999 Jeep Wrangler
  By Ippa - May 19 - 10:00 am

  I bought mine used with 35,000 miles almost 2 years ago. I now have 65,000 and have not had one problem with the Jeep. Its great in the snow for winter and awesome in the summer... Offroading it really shines. Rocks, sand, trails, hill climbing it does it all. I removed the back seat for added space but now its a two seater. Ill keep this one for a while.

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  What jeep are 4 - 2001 Jeep Wrangler
  By mudpuppy - May 19 - 10:00 am

  The jeep is bad on gas, yup, but not that bad. Everything is nice. Now go take the top down, find some power lines or a mud hole, and put in first, maybe second thatÂ’s it, go slow, up and over everything, enjoy life, the clean air, get lost. This is why you buy a jeep, I mean you do not have to go nuts wheeling, just put the top down, find a quite dirt road and smile. I have owned many this one is only 2 or 3 months old, I have found only a small squeak where the spare is attached. I have added some hella 500 driving lights and tow hooks, small shovel and some other items, so I help other stuck people.

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  What jeep are 4 - 2001 Jeep Wrangler
  By Mudpuppy - May 19 - 10:00 am

  The jeep is bad on gas, yup, but not that bad. Everything is nice. Now go take the top down, find some power lines or a mud hole, and put in first, maybe second thatÂ’s it, go slow, up and over everything, enjoy life, the clean air, get lost. This is why you buy a jeep, I mean you do not have to go nuts wheeling, just put the top down, find a quite dirt road and smile. I have owned many this one is only 2 or 3 months old, I have found only a small squeak where the spare is attached. I have added some hella 500 driving lights and tow hooks, small shovel and some other items, so I help other stuck people.

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  First new SUV in 17 years. Glad I waited! - 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By capt_flounder - May 18 - 9:03 am

  Just drove home in my new Limited with the Hemi and luxury package. Drove the Volvo XC60/90, Audi Q5, Mercedes ML350, Land Rover LR2/4 and Lexus GX. All were nice as youd expect a new car to be but only the ML350 and Audi came cross to the drive and none to the cost/engineering/features/value that define the new Grand Cherokee. Im driving it 2900 miles in two weeks, Ill update my post after breaking it in on long road trip. Cant wait!

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  I love my Jeep! Sad & not fair! - 2007 Jeep Compass
  By Cher - May 17 - 4:43 am

  I love look of the Jeep Compass 4x4. We have had problems from the gate. We bought the Compass brand new, from our favorite dealership. We can only drive about 20-30 mph on the interstate, when there is inclement weather. The Jeep fish tails all over the place. It has been in the shop 9 times. 3 sets of tires have been placed on,a rear bearing & 2 alignments, To no avail, didnt fix the problem. The Jeep is so unreliable during a rain or winter storm. My husband is a Airplane pilot, & not afraid of any vehicle. He said, that he doesnt feel safe driving this Jeep, nor do I! We have always had Jeeps & loved them ! We are getting ready to sell our Compass. We have had enough ! Im SAD!

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  New Owner with 4 past Jeeps - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By Les Tardiff - May 15 - 1:13 am

  Drives like a Cherokee (what I wanted). Not great on gas (did not expect it to be). Comfortable, but lots of exterior plastic $$$ in a crash. Visibility good, handling nice. 4.7 enough power, would not suggest a V6. Dont bother with the HEMI unless you do a lot of towing and then of course you should have bought a truck! Lower ground clearance than other Jeeps (4 in the past, each I put over 180K miles on each) Not as rugged as my past Jeeps but still room under the hood as I can at least look into the hood area. Looks like an H3 a little and a Land Rover. Drove both of them and still like the Jeep. GPS does stink. Buy an aftermarket Garmin 2720 and put it on the dash. Sound system is great!

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  Fun to Drive! - 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By jcooperdj - May 12 - 9:33 pm

  I bought this off a good friend who drove it on the highway alot with 112,00 now 18 months later it has 122,000. Really no repairs have been done and it just started on its 3rd set of tires. Seal between transfer case and tranny replaced. Door speakers are junk I have replaced all 4 but the rest rocks! NOISY on the highway from either tires or differential.

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  I love mine! - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Rottenbelly - May 12 - 10:20 am

  Runs great. Cuts through snow and slush like its not there, goes through the forest off road and up and down hills off road with total confidence. V8 has plenty of power & pickup.

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  Love My Jeep - 1999 Jeep Cherokee
  By Tyson - May 11 - 4:16 pm

  I bought this car car new. It has been reliable. 187000 miles now. Never had an issue with the transmission. Awesome offroad, and snow performance - never been stuck in mud or snow. Part time 4x4 is great. 17 mpg average. Got 21 mpg once on highway trip. Replaced normal things- alternator, belt, brakes, tires. Stuck with regular maintenance. Replaced several window motors, and has had several electrical glitches.Recently had head gasket replaced (approx. $800) due to oil leak - first leak Ive had. Now evaporator coil is cracked ($1300 repair, or no AC). It may be getting close to time to replace, but I really dont want to get rid of it. With new tires, its impossible to surpass off road

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  165,000 Miles and Still Going Strong - 1996 Jeep Cherokee
  By M. Oberstaedt - May 8 - 12:53 pm

  Have owned the Jeep for 10 years and its still fun to drive and knock down a Mustang or 2 with its fantastic acceleration to 70MPH. (Speedo only goes up to 85MPH) Best engine that was ever put into a Jeep. Even my wife gets a kick out of it. Have only put in approx. $600 in repairs needed over the 10 years with the biggest expense being to replace the radiator with a new aluminum one with a lower pressure cap. This happened at 163,000 miles last month. Interior carrying room is also great and I remove the lower back seat and put the back down to get more room than that offered by the new SUV imitators. Wish they still made this one.