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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  1 year and still going! - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By Dave In Snohomish - December 1 - 2:00 am

  This is a review on the 2003 Limited. I have been extremely pleased with the overall reliability of the Liberty. It has not had any mechanical problems to speak of yet. It handled great in the snow on forrest service roads this past winter. The highway ride is a little bouncy, but that should be expected in an off road vehicle. The mileage averages around 18 normal driving, and 21 at 70 miles an hour on the highway. A very fun ride with excellent exceleration. A very nice combination of ruggedness, and refinement!

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  Get the V8 - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Jeepin2day - December 1 - 2:00 am

  So far, this Jeep has performed fairly well. The only problem Ive had is that I bought the 4.0L and really wish Id have gotten the 4.7L for the extra money. The 4.0 gets about 13 mpg for me and Im sure the V8 could not get much worse, plus the power would be better. The 4.0L is a bit sluggish but has performed okay when offroad.

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  Ride is excellent both on and off road - 1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By tRIPLE ZrT - November 30 - 10:00 am

  Bought with 94k miles is now up to 135k only problem is the cv joint went out 300$ Ive never had a problem with strting the 5.2liter V8 unlike other laredo this is fully loaded with leather interior. I only wish I could have bought a jeep sooner

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  More Brake Problems - 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By ACHAPMAN - November 30 - 10:00 am

  I love my 2000 JGC,But.... I had the front rotors replaced at 18K and was told the replacement part had been redesigned and there would be no more problems. Well, were at 36K now and guess what? Yep, new rotors and pads again. They made me pay the first time, and I guess Ill have to pay again. Seriously considering whether to dump this vehicle or just keep buying new brakes every 18 months.

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  JGC - 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By BJB - November 30 - 10:00 am

  Love the exterior design. reliability was actualy very good EXCEPT for BRAKES. Something is definitely wrong with the brakes. Why wont DC admit there is a problem with brakes or are they doing it on purpose to keep the repair shops busy? Excellent vehicle except for teh BRAKES

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  Pretty good SUV - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Matman1215 - November 30 - 12:03 am

  I bought my Grand Cherokee brand new in the summer of 04 and I am pretty pleased with it. Have had 2 minor problems:transmission leak at 8000 miles and the battery exploded at about 19,000 miles. No one knew why but it was replaced for free under warranty. Comfortable inside and looks good on the outside. Could use a bit more rear leg room and not sure why but I keep getting random dents on the tailgate and have noticed other GCs with similar dents as well-not sure if that is common or not. Will be getting a new car within a year but it wont be a new Grand Cherokee. Would definitely keep the 04 over the new style. Fuel economy isnt that bad for an SUV-gets better mpg than my moms Liberty.

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  Solid 4x4 - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By wbrem588 - November 29 - 2:53 pm

  I do not own this vehicle, it is my mothers. However, I do get plenty of seat time behind the wheel, so heres my personal experience. After owning a late model XJ Cherokee for over a decade, my parents picked up this 2005 WK Grand Cherokee almost 5 years ago. I believe it is the Rocky Mountain trim? Not 100% sure, but it is not a Limited model. It has the 4.7 8-cylinder, Quadra-Trac 4x4, two-tone grey leather, sunroof, heated seats, and thats about it on options. It now has almost 154K and it was bought with about 64K. It has generally been a very reliable rig in the almost 5 years of ownership. The 4.7 has been pretty much bulletproof. It runs great, its pretty quiet, and it sounds damn mean if you lay into it. Not a Hemi by any means, but it and the 5-speed makes for a worthy power-train. With the exception of a new water pump installed and some electrical gremlins resolved at approximately 135K, and a 90K tune-up, oil changes have otherwise been the only maintenance performed. In the beginning of ownership, we did had issues with the vehicle stalling when youre coming to a stop. The dealer couldnt figure out the cause of this either. But, we found that if you run mid-grade gasoline, the stalling doesnt stop completely, but it stalls a whole lot less often, and it even seems to run a little better. It has never stalled on me personally. One more thing of note, the key fobs are not made very well. Both original keys fell apart maybe two years ago. Aftermarket fobs do not last long either, so buy new ones from a dealer the first time. Also, I believe that the TPMS sensor is going bad. Even with all tires filled to recommended specs, the sensor will beep and the light will flash at start-up, and then will flash every so often while youre driving. Not a huge issue really. Quadra-Trac has been flawless. Its a Jeep, after all. Mileage is so-so, its gotten no more than 19mpg on the highway, and it seems to average between 15-17. Interior wise, it has all held up pretty well. The driver seat has a tear (there when bought), and the climate controls on the dash have never illuminated the whole time weve had it. Not sure if this is a common issue with the WK models, but it can be a pain in the rear to make changes when driving at night. Other than those two things, the interior has again been pretty solid. No leaks from the sunroof, and the heated seats get real nice and warm. Overall, the Jeep has been a good reliable SUV. Being the first year of this body style, it has had its little issues and quirks. Definitely pick up a 2008-10 if you can find one. I believe the 4.7 for those years received a significant bump in power and a small gain in efficiency, and there are a few details inside and outside that I think dress up the vehicle a bit. But the 2005-07 models wont leave you regretting your purchase by any means. If I didnt need to have a truck, I would not hesitate to daily one of these.

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  Super Reliable and Fun Vehicle - 2001 Jeep Wrangler
  By Overgaardman - November 24 - 9:33 pm

  What a great vehicle! This thing is fun and totally reliable. I have over 51,000 mile on it and it even has the original battery!! In Arizona about 3 years is the normal life for a battery. I read consumer report which of course finds this to be a CRUDE SUV. These people just dont get it. I love this thing and it goes everywhere. I also owned a Maita and now a BMW Z4 and Chev Truck and Yamaha FJR 1300 as well, but the Jeep is just more lovable and will go anywhere. I have owned Hondas, Toyotas (Tundra--bad truck)and many others and the Jeep is more reliable. What it does need is a better radio as the one that come with it is poor at best. Wonderful Vehicle to enjoy!

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  Electronic Problems & Gas Hog - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By Toby - November 24 - 8:03 pm

  Doing it over again, I wouldnt buy a Liberty. It is a gas hog; I get about 15 miles per gallon. Plus, I experience chronic electronic problems. For instance, I pulled over for a failed left turn and brake lamp. I got home, and the light worked fine. The dome light goes on and off, and the turn signal occasionally turns on and wont go off without stopping and restarting the engine. There is also a slip in the transmission. When I brake, it down-shifts violently. I take it in, they hook it to a computer, and it works fine for a few months. Then, it gradually comes on again.

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  An old friend. - 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Todd Rode - November 23 - 2:00 am

  The Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited is a finely appointed, durable and comfortable vehicle. It has been my primary source of transportation for 5 years and I have found the vehicle to be as fun to drive today as the day I bought it.