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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  Bad gas milage but great car - 2007 Jeep Commander
  By Taylor - December 31 - 10:20 pm

  The car is a great looking car and has all of the interior features I would need. It would be great if it had more power but the power it has is enough to get you around. The gas mileage averages about 13.5 miles per gallon but other than that it is an excellent car. The only problems that I have had with the car were that one of the tire pressure sensors was messed up but that was covered by warranty so it was no big deal.

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  its a jeep thing... - 1996 Jeep Cherokee
  By robbo - December 30 - 2:00 am

  Overall, a great "little mule". Several little things (i.e. rattles in the door, dome light quit working, rear window washer broke, worthless cup holders, loose exhaust pipe) are making me not appreciate it as much as I could. The engine and transmission are trouble free at 91K miles. Off-road capability is unbeaten.

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  Its a Jeep thing...you wouldnt understand. - 2006 Jeep Wrangler
  By LandersMJ - December 29 - 9:16 am

  First off, this is the best off-road vehicle out there. I love my Jeep, but I did have some quality issues when I first received it. Paint quality is poor, and had to take it back to dealer to get several spots re-painted. New seats since 2003 are large, awkward, too low, and difficult to see around. I had to buy seat risers to be able to see correctly over the hood (and Im 61"). The transmission is 18 wheeler like, not smooth at all. Aside from all that, this is my third and best Wrangler by far. Lockers and transfer case are great. Jeep needs to up their quality control, but still make a good product overall.

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  Okay - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By wd - December 29 - 7:10 am

  I have owned the Jeep since Jan 06. At first loved it.It is the 3rd Jeep Ive had. Drove it with 4 adults and 2 kids on a 1000 mile 8 day road trip twice with no problems. Overall, I like the Jeep The biggest problem is that it has started to leak. I actually had standing water in my floor. Had to go a week befor they could get me in to fix had to ride with the stinky bacteria growing under me. yuck. The seat will stain with water, the windshield whistles, the middle console cubby needs to be more accesable, power adapters in middle row would be nice. The material on back of third row seat wears fast with storing everything in it.

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  Asphalt Hater, Dirt Devil! - 1993 Jeep Wrangler
  By blue93yj - December 28 - 8:03 am

  Picked up ol blue almost a yr ago on July 4th. Had 119K on it, now it has 123K. In her retirement, shes received a lot of TLC - 4" Superlift, 33x12.5x15 BFG Mud Terrains on Series 152 Black Rock Crawlers, AEM cold air intake, high flow cat., along w/40 Series Delta Flow Flowmaster, Detroit lockers rear, Detroit true-trac front, and 4.88 gears f/r. No oil leaks (yet) on original 2.5L I4 AMC engine. Engine runs strong for a 4 banger and now takes synthetic motor oil for more TLC. To date, no white or black smoke from her tailpipe. Has been a good experience mechanically, and overall, easy to work on. I have had too much fun giving this rig a new lease on life.

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  True Sport Utility - 1998 Jeep Cherokee
  By Scooter - December 26 - 6:10 am

  This is one rugged SUV. Utility is the key word here. I take this thing off road, on 3000 mile road trips, to the grocery store, lumber yard, skiing, hunting, fishing, tailgating. It has 120,000 miles and starts instantly. Goes off road like a warrior and has a classic look. I took two 6 footers, all our hunting gear for a week, with a roof and tongue rack. I tow the snowmobiles with this. All that and it parks easy, is good around town. I needed a reliable rugged vehicle. The rear defroster is out, the fog lights are short circuited, but she starts, clips in 4x4, and everything else works. If WWIII breaks out, this is the vehicle you want.

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  Beautiful rig - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By mikelrb - December 25 - 10:00 am

  We bought our Jeep a year ago. Fell in love with it the moment I saw it. Deep charcoal gray with matching leather interior. Running boards. Some kind of extra grill attachment on the front. It just looked fabulous. A year later, it still does. No other SUV touches the curb appeal of the Grand Cherokee (1999 and beyond style). Comfort when riding? Tops. All the bells and whistles in this model. Its a beauty. On the highway, a joy. Plenty of pop in the 4.7L to pass at whatever speed you need. This gorgeous rig turns heads. It performs. Maintenance is higher than Id anticipated. Overall just love to own and drive it.

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  Gas Milage Grippers - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By Cozz - December 25 - 10:00 am

  Ive had my Liberty for a little over a year and its a great SUV. Im really tired of reading all the grips about gas milage. If you want better gas milage you should have bought something else. If you want to improve your milage, use Mobile 1 or a similar synthetic oil. It improve mine by almost 3 GPM on the road. I added a chrome grill and it really makes the front end look a lot better.

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  Great SUV for the PRICE - 2012 Jeep Patriot
  By dan_k1 - December 25 - 3:26 am

  Its only been a week since my purchase but Im loving it all the way. Looked into Nissan Rogue, Kia, Suzuki but after test driving Patriot - I made up my mind right then.

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  best value in class - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By colby vanscoy - December 24 - 7:50 am

  I now have 35,000 miles on this Jeep. It gets 17 miles to the gallon on the highway, 15 in the city. Just towed my 20 ft Bayliner to south Florida. It got 14.7 miles to the gallon and I didnt even know it was there. The truck handles great on the road and there are no rattles when on the bad washed out roads. the v8 motor has more power than Chevys or Fords . This is the best truck I have ever owned!