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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  Beware before Getting This Jeep!! - 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By etravel - January 22 - 7:46 pm

  I bought this truck I loved it in the beginning. Its approx a little over a year and it has done nothing but given me problems. The first thing was the driver side window motor and regulator. That was $330 alone. A couple months later the coil pack was going bad (only four out of the eight) that was very pricey. Couple months later my steering wheel fluid was leaking. Next my radiator was leaking, had to replace that thermostat, etc. Then couple months later got a tune up thinking this would help mileage and help it drive somewhat better. The next day the truck shut off while in park. Thinking mite be fuel pump is why car keeps shutting off (due to bad gas months ago) way to much money for maintenance!

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  I will never buy another Chrysler product again. - 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By joemags1 - January 22 - 4:35 am

  I made the mistake of purchasing a 2012 Jeep Overland in Colorado. This vehicle certainly falls short of that is it the most awarded SUV, as I now think that Chrysler hands out its own awards. With a hemi installed, expect to get an average of 17 miles per gallon city and highway combine. The NAV system is poor at best; I had trouble with it from day one as it would lose memory. I just had the radio replaced with no guarantee from the dealer that this will correct the issue. The one item that bugs me the most is the lack of quality of the exterior chrome, or should I say chrome coated plastic. With only 5000 miles on my truck, and after the very first exposure to the snow treated road

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  Special Order WK - 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Scout99 - January 15 - 7:50 pm

  We purchased the GC primarily due to availability. Ordered in Korea and delivered in Germany. We have come to really like the GC...it really grows on you. I am very happy with the Quadra-Trac II which was a major selling point, along with the GVW (safety). We have the 4.7L E85 option but really wanted the CRD...it was unavailable at the time. Have not run it on ethanol yet but do know I get much better mileage using premium gas. It handles well on the Autobahn but definitely needs better rain tires. The ride height and shape proves to be a real nuisance with gusting cross-winds as Ive recently found out. All in all we are satisfied with our purchase.

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  My 3rd and Worst Jeep - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Chuckles1057 - January 14 - 2:00 am

  This is my third top-of-the-line Jeep, and owning it has been my first bad experience with Jeep. I have spent about $1500 per year on non-warranty service. The brakes have to be redone at least every six months. Mechanical failures are too many to list. I love the look and feel of Jeeps, but this weekend I am trading it in for anything but a Jeep.

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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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  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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  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.

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  Transmission replacement at 10k miles - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Needasuv - January 8 - 8:03 pm

  This is the SUV from hell! There is a strange squeaky noise from the rear seats. The transmission light keeps coming on. The other day all lights (park, neutral, reverse, and drive) came on at the same time while driving. The RPMs were over 4k. The service center has been a nightmare also. No records of us bringing the truck in for repair. They ordered a computer chip for the transmission and cant find it. Great! Now, 3 months later and I still have transmission issues. We bought it brand new 2005 with four miles on it.

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  Review - 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Nancy Meador - January 2 - 10:00 am

  The differienial had to be repaired every 12 to 18 months thus making it unreliable when taking a trip out of town. This jeep required a lot of maintenance. The power steering and gas sensor had to be replaced. The heated seat repaired a number of times. It is difficult to lay the back seat down.