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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  mud monster - 1991 Jeep Wrangler
  By scott20 - September 30 - 10:00 am

  My jeep was the best suv i think i will ever own. I used it for off-roading and i drove it throw a mud up to the middle of the windshield and it powered right throw. It was crazy off-raod. I had Mud Kings 235/75/15 that is only 2 sizes bigger then stock. There was no lift in it. I had to replace the tranny once but i was rough on the jeep when i was off-road. Other then that it just needed basic maintance. I am sad to say that i totaled my jeep.

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  Great car in the snow! - 2001 Jeep Cherokee
  By Swooz - September 29 - 9:07 pm

  My car is 15 years old now, with a lot of miles on it, and has lost some of its power going up in the mountains...acceleration power is limited...

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  Best Bang For Your Buck - 2008 Jeep Patriot
  By Kelvin Toulmin - September 29 - 5:26 pm

  This is the best bang for your buck in its class. Pure Jeep, no frills. Fun factor way up there. I bought 2.

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  2005 Jeep Liberty Sport 4x4 - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By _II_ - September 29 - 5:16 am

  Purchased new in early Jan. 30k miles later Jeep went to dealership only once for mud blockage in condenser (not under warranty). Air vents do not close, window switches located on middle console. Other than that, its of great quality. No problems at all, except there could be improvements on minor details.

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  Fun to Drive - 2008 Jeep Patriot
  By Wolfgang - September 29 - 2:23 am

  We have owned this Patriot since February 2008. We are glad that we chose and were able to get the manual transmission with the 2.4L engine. You need to plan to accelerate and be in the right gear when passing or other. Yes, it would be nice to have more power (or maybe a small turbo), but it has been a great vehicle. For the price and options we have, it has delivered all we expected and more. The only "glitch" has been on rare occasions where we have experienced some type of "unbalance" when driving and using the 4 x 4. It is not a wheel or tire issue, possibly something with the transfer case. We plan to replace it with an identical model, if we can find one on a dealer lot someday

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  Happy but sad - 2008 Jeep Wrangler
  By HUTTA - September 23 - 2:30 am

  I love this Jeep, its my first one and Im totaly satisfied with the ride and reliability. I only have two problems, one is that the roof leaks (I have the 3 piece hard top) and the other is that the front bumper gets damaged to easily. regarding the first problem with the leak, I brought it in and the dealer changed the rubber seal,(that didnt work), I called the dealer back and he told me that this has been a problem with the freedom top and to bring it back in and maybe I could get a one piece top that doesnt leak. The problem with that is the weight, you would need 3 people to take off the roof(boo).Im just gonna wait and see what else jeep can come up with to fix this problem.

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  Nothing quite like a Jeep - 2008 Jeep Wrangler
  By Sparky - September 22 - 4:13 am

  OK, to start off let me say Im a foreign car guy. Ever since my first experience with taking my 1995 Dodge to the shop on a weekly basis its been nothing but imports. That being said, this is the best product Jeep has put out in quite some time (but dont forget those beautiful little words–Lifetime Powertrain Warranty). I have 2500 miles on my 2 Dr Sahara so far and it is rock solid. No squeaks, rattles, in fact the ride is nothing short of spectacular for a vehicle with its suspension type and the short wheelbase. Sure, its not Lexus quiet, but thats not what youre buying. There is high speed wind noise and you aren’t going to win any road races, but that shouldnt be expected here.

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  Drews Review - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By drew - September 20 - 5:16 am

  Only a few gripes ... the transmission seems to shift awful late. When you come to an incline, you give it a little gas, and nothing. Stomp on it, and it will wake up but who wants to do that? Also, the A/C seems to be a little anemic ... our 02 Grand Cherokees was too.

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  jeep review - 1999 Jeep Wrangler
  By Mr Stone - September 19 - 10:00 am

  Really enjoy the vehicle, has hard and softtop

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  No Problems Yet - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Jeepswanted - September 19 - 10:00 am

  I purchased my pre-owned 99 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited with 55k miles. I read all of the bad reviews before buying. (i.e. Brakes, Transmission, ext.) My dealer threw in a 3 yr - 36K bumper to bumper warrenty. Havnt had to use it as of yet. A lite rattle in the transmission, that does not affect shifting is the only concern. Engine performance is excellant. Gas milage was a concern before buying. Ive averaged between 17.5 to 21.5 per tank. About 360 miles per tank. Im happy with the vehicle so far..