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 JGC, but has Problems - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By tomally - April 17 - 2:00 am

  Overall the vehicle is wonderful to drive. It has great pickup and power. The inifinity sound system is wonderful. The ride is great. However, there are several mechanical problems on my vehicle. Jeep service is not the greatest and it takes numerous trips to get things fixed. Ive been to several different dealers, some better than others.

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  Another Great Jeep - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By dylanc - April 15 - 11:10 pm

  I recently purchased my 2006 Jeep Commander Limited 4.7L 4x4 and love it. In addition to the Commander I have a 97 Cherokee with 230k miles! I bought the Commander with 90k, about to hit 100k. I have had primarily good luck with it. I chose the 4.7 because it is one of Jeeps fantastic motors. I would not recommend the 3.7L. Things to look out for: door handles crack and can fall into door panels (Chrysler plastics). The starter will go out, so you have to expect that. I replaced the sway bar bushings because they were starting to make noice, but it wasnt a required repair. I have been told that he 4.7Ls will last forever, if you keep up with oil changes. I love the 4x4 too!

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  Great find - 1995 Jeep Cherokee
  By JoeSmoe - April 15 - 2:06 am

  Bought mine from a friend for $2000. It had 113K on it and I was only planning to keep it a year. 40K miles later, Im still driving it to work every day with no problems. Only had to replace the water pump. Its been a great car.

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  Reliability Questionable - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Suzanne - April 15 - 1:56 am

  I have really loved owning my Grand Cherokee but every time I take it for an oil change it costs me money. Nothing seems to be covered under warranty. Hoping I didnt make a mistake.

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  good value - 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By coffee - April 14 - 10:13 pm

  Just purchased a Limited with 5.7 V8 Hemi engine. The engine is powerful and provides excellent acceleration. This is my first Jeep ever. My wife and I are happy with the car so far. The build material is decent for an American car, but not as good as other cars we considered (BMW X3, Audi Q5). We decided on the Grand Cherokee because we got a decent deal after the Chrysler rebates and dealer incentives. The major downside is the gas mileage, which has been dismal (for the first tank of gas). But we are weekend drivers so hopefully this is not a major issue.

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  Never thought Id buy Jeep/American... - 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By m11170 - April 14 - 3:38 pm

  ...but this Grand Cherokee is THAT good. Excellent design, fit and finish. Very good value for the money in my opinion. We have only owned for 3 weeks so far, but have taken a road trip and found the J GC very comfortable all around. The electronics all work fine, and the ergonomics are well laid-out. The voice recognition system is also very convenient and helps keep the drivers focus on the road where it belongs. We have had to take the J GC in for one issue - 3 days into ownership the airbag light came on. Turns out an airbag sensor in the door became disconnected. Must not have been attached firmly at the Jeep factory in Michigan. Once plugged back in all has been well.

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  its the best so far - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By john r - April 13 - 2:00 am

  i have the freedom edt a 4.0 l i6 and it moves ..and goes of road like it was born there ..that automatic trans in the jeep makes me have a chouce of what kinda four wheele i what to use theres a full time mode and a partime mode..plus a two wheele drive mode and of couse a 4 wheele lo gear..all in all this is a very great car from the jep line

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  Jeep AC problems - 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By megd1 - April 11 - 10:00 am

  I just bought a 02 Grand Cherokee Laredeo and the AC is horrible. We live in El Paso TX were the temp stays above 100 degrees. The problem is that my Ac does not produce cold air at all it is a sauna in the back seat! The dealer says that it is fine but you can not tell by looking at my young children getting out of the rear seat. The maintenance Tech said they have numerous complaints about it. So if live were it gets very hot think twice before buying a Jeep

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  smart wheels - 1994 Jeep Wrangler
  By Bob B Loblaw - April 9 - 10:00 am

  i love the fact that this thing is so easy to work on. i had to put a new radiator in it when i bought it at 76,000. road salt had eaten the other one alive. easy enough to do, and its still going strong. to me its the ultimate convertable. top off in summer, and 4x4 in the winter as well as smaller towing capacities to drag a little trailer along behind you. smart vehical in my opinion.

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  love this thang - 2004 Jeep Wrangler
  By pigpants - April 9 - 10:00 am

  You cant kill it and you cant hurt it. It is a go-anywhere-anytime vehicle and it never complains. If it rains and the top is down so it fills up with a few inches of water, just pull the plug, let the water out, then go on about your business.