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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  Only in a Jeep - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By Todd Hoggan - April 19 - 7:00 pm

  The Liberty follows the true Jeep tradition of unparalleled off-road capability. If you actually use 4x4 then Jeep is the only real choice. Id never even consider anything else.

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  New Toy All Joy - 2008 Jeep Liberty
  By chiefaz - April 19 - 9:46 am

  Just picked this up last week. It is awesome. Traded a 2003 Liberty Limited. Totally great buying experience. No Hassles. Previous vehicle great. If it aint broke dont fix it. Stay with what works.

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  No need for a hard top - 2007 Jeep Wrangler
  By Mike M - April 18 - 8:16 pm

  Love the new Jeep. This is my 3rd one Ive had (94,01,07). Theyre hard to find in dual tops right now but I dont think you need a hard top unless youre in a climate that is predominately cold. Here in New Jersey I will get more use out of the soft top that the hard top. Even with the Targa feature, the hard top is a menace on those "Indian summer days". There is virtually no noise with the soft top up on the highway. I had my Sahara up to 80 and I was having a normal conversation (no yelling like the old soft tops). Chrysler really did a good job on the soft top design.

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  5.9 Jeep Rocks - 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Coop - April 17 - 1:26 pm

  I bought this off a friend who got it new. It has 123,000 miles with no problems. It has a K&N Filter and gets approimately 17-18 on the highway and passing is NO problem as this SUV will fly. Had to put seals in transfer case where drive shaft goes in; dried up. Its only on its 3rd set of tires and they are new. Goes great in any condition. IF only it did not have the road noise/whine on the highway it would be perfect. Do have a strange electrical problem, may be ignition switch but still very reliable.

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  My New Liberty - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By G. Ryan - April 17 - 7:56 am

  Just bought my new Liberty Limited a week ago. I LOVE this car! Its got Spirit! So glad that I nixed others in its class. I wanted a car that was not too big, and not too small. The size of the Liberty is perfect, and rear seating is fine. The chrome wheels, chrome grill and side strip really dress it up. Great pick up and all the power I want. Turns on a dime, and handles great. Fun to drive. Some have complained about gas mileage, but its not that far off from competing models and I decided not to make gas mileage the primary factor in buying.

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  Great, cheap vehicle - 2008 Jeep Patriot
  By gibz - April 17 - 3:23 am

  Got my 2WD base model real cheap, saved $4,300 off MSRP (Socal dealer). Positives: More fun to drive than other small SUVs Ive tested. Ergonomically sound dash and cabin space. Great looks outside, wipe-down interior inside. Bucket seats. Good driving position, handles better than entry-level sedan. Easily holds surfboard/dog. Negatives: Crappy Chrysler paint job, lots of orange peel. Weirdly -- can anyone explain this? -- when mine hits 68mph the engine emits a high-pitched frequency sound. Not good ... Engine noise is moderate apart from that. I got mine with 0 miles on clock. Would recommend it to anyone. Love its looks in bad-boy black, I shoulda got the 17" rims tho ...

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  My favorite vehicle ever! - 2003 Jeep Liberty
  By art7 - April 14 - 10:00 am

  After many weeks of shopping around for a mini-suv this was absolutely THE best choice for the money. I looked at the Honda Element, and the CR-V, but they didnt compare to what the Liberty offered. The Element failed because it had only 4 seats and the front seat belts were tied into the suicide doors. The CR-V was too small, had under-whelming power and was too expensive.

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  194,000 and still running - 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Mouseman - April 11 - 2:53 am

  Bought my Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo with 182,000 on it for $1250.00. Had to rebuild the transmission in April of 2010, but since then it has been running great.

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  Style, comfort, and value - 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By J Farmer - April 10 - 4:21 am

  Best vehicle we have driven

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  Love My Jeep! - 1995 Jeep Cherokee
  By Love My Jeep - April 9 - 4:53 am

  I am the second owner of my jeep and I have loved putting every kilometer on it. It has been reliable and fun to drive. My friends and I love tailgating and off-roading in it; it will be a sad day when it bites the dust. I have pulled friends out of the strangest places and the jeep doesnt even flinch, an excellent workhorse. Besides fuel efficiency, long trips are comfortable. Weve towed 17 campers without a hitch. Cant go wrong with this one!