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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  Solid, Well Built, Reliable - 2007 Jeep Commander
  By mda687 - October 20 - 8:11 am

  Terrific SUV for the money, lots of room, smooth driving, easy to navigate, very comfortable to drive and ride in. Really enjoyed owning this vehicle, the only thing I would have done differently is get the V8, however the gas mileage would have been a drawback over the 6 Cyl. There were times more power would have been nice, however the 3.7 6 Cyl. Does a pretty good job, it just has to work a little harder, going up hill. An easy 8 out of 10 overall.

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  Jeep - 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Jeff - October 19 - 7:26 am

  First of all, everyone must realize that this is an SUV and not a car. If you are not going to use it for towing, bad weather or rough land, this car really isnt for you. For the most part, I think Jeep did keep true to its history. For example, it is awesome in heavy winters and the torque is nice. However, I did notice the window sills and seat nuts rusting. They are still using the same bulletproof v6 engine and the stereo is decent.

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  Great Jeep - 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Jeep fan - October 19 - 2:00 am

  I Just purchased My 98 however I did have to rebuild the tranny, the previous owner neglected the tranny fluid and fried everything However since then I Love it no problems as of yet dont expect any.

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  Just Fun! - 2004 Jeep Wrangler
  By GPatton - October 19 - 2:00 am

  If you are looking for a soccer mom, smooth riding, quiet Caddy type, then look somewhere else. This is a Jeep! Designed for severe off-road. Its noisy, some-what bumpy and no frills. But BOY IS IT FUN! Used to driving a high-profile car? Then youll have no problem adapting to Jeep handling. Drag your butt on the pavement in a sports car? Practice with a van in wind first. Noise is wind noise, not road noise. Youll love it!!

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  MY BABY - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By arnie - October 19 - 2:00 am

  I love the jeep. its is great except for one very big detail. IT IS A GAS HOGGGGGG?

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  A 1999 jeep grand cherokee owner review - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By bx navigator - October 17 - 10:00 am

  everything about the 99 jeep grand cherokee is great accept for the gas mileage.

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  My Overland - 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By XXXX - October 17 - 10:00 am

  My new Overland is my second Jeep. I had no problems with my Laredo V8 (it was only a year old), but the great deals had me going for top of the line. This is a really nice SUV. It has power and looks. Well see how I feel in about year.

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  Pleased - 2008 Jeep Liberty
  By Rick - October 16 - 12:10 am

  My wife and I are very pleased with this Liberty Limited. It has all the options including sun roof. The MyGig Infotainment w/Nav and the Sirius system make this fun to drive. Evic lets you check tire pressures to keep them equal, which is important with an SUV. The chrome on the exterior makes the Black look sharp. Its not to big and handles and rides beautifully. We are very glad to own it. It will be one year old next month. A vehicle without MyGig Gps, siruis etc. and Evic sure would be dull.

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  Maintenance - 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By renniejeep - October 15 - 6:03 am

  Overall the 2000 jeep grand cherokee laredo 4.0 2wd is very good, asl long as there are routine maintenance. After 175miles i use 5 qrts of20/50 oil with lucas oil, however i now receive a maintenance beeping sound without a readout in the cosole or engine light, normally it would display the problem...any ideas out there why/

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  Jeep Liberty vs Jeep Cherokee - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By Strayhan - October 14 - 10:00 am

  I had previously owned a Jeep Cherokee and the sales person talked me into the Liberty. I do not like it compared to the Cherokee and the gas mileage in the the Liberty is poor. I wish I had purchased the Cherokee like I desired.