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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  Not everyone lives in the city. - 2008 Jeep Liberty
  By retired engineer - October 30 - 9:13 pm

  We needed a rugged vehicle to negotiate the gravel road and creek crossing into our place in the Ouachita Mountains. Also needed it to pull our 3500# 17 Casita travel trailer. With its 5000# tow rating, this Jeep Liberty Sport more than fills the bill on all counts. My wife, the primary driver of this vehicle, selected the Liberty Sport. She did well! Fuel mileage cant be compared to a RAV-4, but the Jeep will do things the Rav-4 wouldnt dream of. But,we got 22 MPG on the first tank of mixed city/highway and that aint bad for a 3.7 L V-6 engine with automatic tranny. After 5 weeks and 2310 miles, we couldnt be happier with this car. Its our first Jeep product.

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  not bad - 2007 Jeep Compass
  By CRZY DMD - October 30 - 2:49 pm

  it is a great car but problematic. It must be babied. my 4wd is stuck in 4wd. I did some digging into computer operations and have fpund a phrase "interrupts" which means any part of a software loop(or circuit) will faulter everything.

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  Love my Liberty - 2007 Jeep Liberty
  By LOVE MY LIBERTY - October 29 - 8:50 am

  Ive had a 2005 Rocky Mountain Edition and traded it in for my 2007. I love it. The seats are more comfortable than 2005 and got all the options. Actually have better gas mileage this time around.

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  Overland - Interior - HORRIBLE - 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Brian Vostrez - October 28 - 3:23 am

  This is a buyer beware situation. The leather dash on the Overland Jeeps is horrible and has been for multiple years. I own a 2013 Overland and the dash is completely coming undone. If you are out of base warranty, the extended coverage (even the best one) will not cover this repair. The cost to fix this is right at $1,900.00.

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  Happy jeep owner - 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Luciano Baez - October 27 - 11:56 pm

  Great vehicles in every away possible.

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  Fourth Grand Cherokee...and my last - 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By joe - October 27 - 10:23 am

  This is my 4th grand Cherokee and will definitely be my last although it is a big improvement over the 2000 I had before. I have the 65th Anniversary with the 3.7L V-6. Its a much more refined ride over the 2000 Laredo I had. 31,000 miles and the brakes have already had to be re-done 3 times, and the 30k mile service cost me about $900 after taxes...OUCH! Fuel mileage on the highway is 19- 20mpg and in the city is 14-15. My wifes Tahoe gets better and has better room and power. Had a transmission leak at 14k miles (fixed under warranty). Mine has been in the shop 7 times (brakes, transmission, electrical problems (the door locks wouldnt work) The dealer does a good job but is $$$$

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  Enjoying the Jeep - 2008 Jeep Wrangler
  By BTM449 - October 24 - 11:36 am

  This was the first American car purchased in the last 20 year. Along with the Jeep, I own an 08 Acura MDX, 04 BMW 3-Series convertible, and an 06 BMW 5-Series. The Jeep is exactly what I expected; the complete opposite of these vehicles. It drives like a truck and has minimal luxury features. You either love it or hate it... And after the first extreme snow storm here in New England, I love it. The Jeep does exactly what it is supposed to do. The 4-wheel-drive plows though and makes you feel quite safe even though you do not have a lot surrounding you. There is not a lot of power, cannot accelerate quickly, but you can get yourself unstuck. Excellent quality and value (so far). BUY JEEP

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  Off-Road Performance Review - 2009 Jeep Liberty
  By asuwins - October 23 - 5:56 pm

  I have had this off road two times, once with 200 Jeep Wranglers, 3 liberties, and a few Cherokees during a large Jeep Jamboree. First the good stuff. The Liberty Sport with its “Trail Rated” designation impressed the heck out of many of the Wrangler Owners who could not believe we were completing the Jamboree Trail in our Stock Liberty with the skid plate and towing options. We were using the OE Goodyear Wrangler P225/75R/16 tires. Most of the Wranglers were driving between were somehow modified. We were able to easily navigate the rocky and rutted road without much difficulty although I was concerned a few times. We did christen the skid plats and put a small dent in the muffler due

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  jeeps rule - 2001 Jeep Cherokee
  By grabo - October 23 - 10:00 am

  everyone should own one

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  Jeep Liberty -- 4 DR 4x4 Sport Edition - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By C George Go - October 23 - 10:00 am

  Ive owned my Liberty for two years already. I find that it is a reliable and fun car. I mainly use it for school, with weekend excursions up the mountain to ski or hike. Its a great car, overall. ALthough, refueling can be a pain since it burns gas like no others (then again, arent all SUVs).