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:

• 

  Lacking interior details - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By Kathi - November 12 - 8:56 pm

  This is my 3rd Jeep, first Liberty Ltd. Performance is great, poor gas mileage, but is good locally or on the highway. Better comfort in back seat than prior Jeep Cherokee Ltd. or Grand Cherokee Ltd.

• 

  Great Ride! - 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Texas Jeepster - November 11 - 10:00 am

  I have almost 30K miles on my Jeep. No major problems and excellent dealer service.

• 

  2006 Commander Limited Hemi - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By Bobby from Marco Isl - November 10 - 7:46 pm

  Let me cut to the chase. This is the second Jeep vehicle I have owned in 35 years of driving. Since 1989, all my second vehicles have been 4x4s. By far this is the best vehicle ever. I had ordered it with every conceivable option available. Nothing left to the imagination. After owning it for 6 months, I still havent got tired of driving it. One really, really bad feature of the "mark", is its fuel economy. Dont believe what the specs say. If you get 12MPH for city driving consider yourself lucky. I tried every which way to drive this Jeep, for the best economy. Nothing helps! Maybe its because I have the 5.7 Hemi? But, forget if you think you will break the 15MPG for city driving.

• 

  06 Commander 4.7 V8 - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By Jeff - November 8 - 6:56 am

  Nice. Rides very well. Quiet and comfortable. I love it. Very smooth ride.

• 

  Love my Jeep - 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Karen Turner - November 7 - 10:00 am

  Its my 3rd Jeep and my best one yet!! No problems, just normal wear and repair.

• 

  Havin a good time - 2003 Jeep Liberty
  By Kneedles - November 7 - 10:00 am

  July is 1st year anniv. for 1st time UTE/Jeep owner. Ive enjoyed driving my Jeep very much. Tranny downshift during deceleration was pretty jerky. Dealership put it on the computer to "re-learn" which seemed to have taken care of the problem for the most part. Still not as smooth as others have reported. Love the stiffer suspension and knowing that this puppy will be able to handle anything that crosses my path. Very responsive vehicle - am quite content w/the power of the V6.

• 

  Problems at 42,000 miles - 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By luvmyjeep - November 4 - 8:56 am

  I love my jeep, I commute 130 miles round trip a day, mostly highway mileage in the Northeast and dont need to worry about snowstorms. Unfortunately, as soon as the warranty expired, the check engine light started going on, and there was no power to the engine upon acceleration. When this happens, I put the car in park and in drive again and the performance is back. Check engine light seems to go on when there is less than 1/4 tank of gas. Bringing it to the dealer next week to see whats going on, but this is very disappointing. This is the 4th Grand Cherokee Ive owned, and the first Ive had problems with.

• 

  Limited Hemi - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By bradyd - November 3 - 3:44 pm

  Love my Jeep. Had some problems right away when we bought it. We bought the $200 deductible warranty which came in handy. Had to rebuild the rear differential and fix the cruise control wiring. Now it has the famous "Service 4 Wheel Drive System" message but not worrying about fixing that. It pulls my 16 boat like nothing and never downshits going up hills. Gets great mpg. 19 on freeway and 21 at 60 mph. Hemi is the way to go.

• 

  Jeep - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By neil - November 3 - 10:30 am

  Nice looks, drives well, poor gas mileage, noisy on highway from whine during passing. Small interior, would be hard for a large person. Seat belts do not fit large people. Came with some factory paint defects. No service problems. Needs backup warning. This is my 3rd Jeep and it is by far the best so far.

• 

  Tranny feels crummy - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By robc - October 31 - 4:06 pm

  Overall I love my Jeep, I have never liked the feel of the transmission (4 speed auto). Shifts hard. Tows nice, cargo space somewhat limited though. My wife has a 2002 Escape, and my Liberty is quieter, feels more solid, has better build quality and rides a lot smoother.