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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  Love my 97, but scared of new models - 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By kevperks - July 11 - 2:00 am

  Thus far, my 1997 GC Ltd has been amazingly reliable. As expected, after 105,000+ miles, small problems have been showing up the past 6 mos. My latest concern is U-Joints. Prior to that, a leek in the antifreeze line, and three new batteries in 14 mos (obviously, something amiss w/ the electrical system, but no one can figure it out). Ive also had rotor issues (others mentioned). Had to have the front and rear replaced. When disengaging from reverse to put it in drive, I find it has problems moving beyond neutral until I do it two or three more times.

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  Awesome Jeep - 2005 Jeep Wrangler
  By Keats - July 10 - 5:30 am

  I have never owned a car I love more than my Jeep Rubicon. It is extremely fun to drive. I do get a little tired of strangers coming up to me in parking lots and asking me questions about it...

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  What an SUV should be! - 1996 Jeep Cherokee
  By Objective Owner - July 9 - 10:00 am

  The Cherokee is what an SUV should be; power to tow, excellent off-road capability, reliable, versatile,tough, and still comfortable and fun to drive. I have not had any problems with the vehicle. It tows a trailer very easily, is confident off road in some very rough country, and still works great for hauling groceries or clients. I admit to being a little critical of SUVs that were never meant to work. It seems like a bit of a waste.

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  Bring back the Cherokee! - 1998 Jeep Cherokee
  By Great SUV - July 6 - 10:00 am

  1st Cherokee was a 90, bought new. Bought this one new also & now has 85K miles. Still love it, but am considering buying a new SUV. Hate the Liberty!! So probably will move to Grand Cherokee, but I prefer the smaller size of the Cherokee. Its easier for me & my dog to get into. Im a real estate agent & if it werent for the hard-to-get-into back seat, I wouldnt be thinking of changing. Its been just great, very reliable and still looks new!

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  Great Car! - 2003 Jeep Liberty
  By PJChloe - July 6 - 10:00 am

  Ive had this car for about 6months and I love it!! Its a great "looker" and rides good too. More room inside than I thought at first. When I laid the seats down, I was able to fit a recliner in there. It has great pick up when pulling out into traffic and can turn on a dime.

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  New Used 2001 - 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By mmartinfan - July 4 - 10:00 am

  Got it used w/ 27800 miles already broke in.. Had a 95 like it now trying a newer 1. Added a tow package I6 is ok for pulling. not had a chance to use it off road yet since ive only had it 2 weeks now. Great looking. thought I did not like the look, but the ride is great

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  Lost Confidence - 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Alexis - July 4 - 10:00 am

  I owed a Jeep Sport for 6 years and bought a 2000 Grand Cherokee. This model has major rotor problems. 25,000 Rotors ground down, brakes changed 31,000 New Rotors and brakes (I paid 50%) 41,000 Need Rotors and brakes again. (paid by Jeep) Jeep put out a "technical bulletin" so there now is a "repair kit". (I have to pay 50% again) I am not the only person having this problem. Sincerely and frustrated....

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  The Powerful and Stylish Box - 2008 Jeep Commander
  By charlesw - July 4 - 6:53 am

  I purchased a brand new 2008 Jeep Commander Limited, with everything... nav. system, commandview, power liftgate... everything, except the 5.7L Hemi, of which I am proud to say I dont have. I average around 14mpg with an occasional "floor it" moment.

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  Nice buggy, great for the price! - 2007 Jeep Compass
  By smittro5 - July 3 - 11:43 am

  I test drove at least 6 or 7 what I consider larger hatchbacks like the Scion XB, the Element also nice but to me not worth the money. The Mattrix, the Caliber, which was okay but small inside and the Mazda3 again nice but was 2k more than the Compass and was smaller with less features. I also drove a few others the Kia which I hated, drove like a post office Jeep and the Saturn Vue which was my favorite but came at too high a price around 25K I had to stay under 20K> If I had another 5 or 6k to spend hands down I would have bought the Vue. The Compass is a great little hatchback for what I need, good gas mileage plenty of room

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  Great Fun, Great Jeep - 2007 Jeep Wrangler
  By Kebba - July 2 - 6:23 pm

  After one week of ownership I am extremely satisfied with my 2007 Wrangler Unlimited X. The automatic transmission shifts smoothly, the brakes are terrific, the heater is scorching hot, and the ride is comfortable. The downside is mostly gas mileage, but I my commute is short and I average less than 15k miles per year so Im OK with it. For all the things you dont get with a Wrangler, you do get a really fun truck to own. Id buy this truck again in a minute.