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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  Great Mountain Vehicle - 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Brad L - March 2 - 10:00 am

  Living in the Sierras we certainly get our fair share of snowy and icy conditions during the winter months, our Grand Cherokee Limited handles these conditions with no problems at all, we especially like the Quadra- Drive system and the HO V-8. An all around great vehicle for people who have to commute in less than perfect conditions

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  Long Live Liberty!!!!!!!!!!!!! - 2003 Jeep Liberty
  By AlphaSigBU - March 2 - 10:00 am

  New Liberty is fun to drive and gets a lot of interest on the streets. Powerful and responsive. Love all the options and 3.7L 4X4 with 210 horses under the hood! Got mine with a 7 year 70K bumper to bumper for 19,700! Drove Sante Fe, Escape and Tribute.....nothing compares to the Liberty.....Great job JEEP!

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  Fun fun fun! - 2008 Jeep Wrangler
  By Devils fiddle - March 2 - 12:16 am

  Very nice to drive, only draw back is the backseat has no access and trunk space has gotten smaller compared to years past. Very quiet ride and comfortable it rides like a Cherokee Jeep and has the same dashboard. Overhead speakers are too soft, youll have to upgrade if your picky about that stuff. Front speakers are ok.

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  Impressed where less truly is more! - 2016 Jeep Patriot
  By SBoggs - February 28 - 2:36 pm

  I have the very base Patriot model from 2016 with manual transmission, manual windows and manual locks. Conversely, it has air conditioning (much needed this summer), bluetooth technology and Sirius XM radio. I have received several compliments from others about the appearance of my new SUV and have been very impressed with its performance thus far. I was able to get a fair price from a dealer that is willing to go the "extra mile" for customer satisfaction. I am a satisfied customer! I have been driving it daily since I bought it in mid-July and have not encountered any of the problems I read about on the web. I also like the extra space in the vehicle by its intentional design. I am very appreciative there is a manufacturer still willing to make an affordable 5 speed manual transmission for an SUV. Well done.

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  Love my jeep - 2005 Jeep Wrangler
  By David - February 28 - 11:58 am

  I love my jeep, dont get me wrong I have spent a lot of money in aftermarket parts, lift, wheels & tires, bumpers, lights, etc. But I love to drive this vehicle

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  great experience - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By vicki hardin - February 27 - 6:00 am

  I worked for a Jeep dealership & I love the Grand Cherokee. But the Liberty is so much fun to drive. It has that European style handling and driving. I wish it got better gas mileage. Dont like the front end on the 2005s. My 2004 looks robust and demanding me to drive it. And I do.

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  One Great Jeep - 2006 Jeep Wrangler
  By Jeep Vet - February 25 - 8:06 pm

  Having owned CJ5s and Scramblers in the past I am well pleased with this Jeep. I dont understand the previous reviews complaining about room, MPG etc. This is an off road vehicle, not a cruiser/SUV. It is very comfortable compared to the previous Jeeps I have owned and has almost every feature you could ask for. I live in East TN close to Windrock Mountain and Tellico. Although not great in the mud in its stock form (you need a lift & bigger tires to do any serious mudding), it will climb a brick wall. Snow and bad weather are no sweat for this thing. For years I would not buy a Jeep because I thought they were not as tough as the older models. This may still be true, but I am well pleased.

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  Cherokee SRT - 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By tom w - February 24 - 8:10 pm

  Ive had my Cherokee SRT for 2 weeks now (am the second owner of my SRT, 4K miles) and what a vehicle. The performance of a sports car and ride of the smoothest suv. Decked inside and out. Zero to sixty in 5 seconds. Thats right. If only there were more open roads in LA. The perfect combo of speed and accuracy. Decked inside and out. Aggressive yet classy styling. Get yourself one if you can.

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  This truck rocks... - 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By jeepowner - February 24 - 10:00 am

  Just bought a new 2003 JGC with the 4.7HO. I must say for ans SUV Im passing amost everything on the road. I mean this truck really cruises. A bit noisy and a bit bumby when truckin along, but thats exepcted...its a Jeep thing. Sound system cranks, the interior lighting is very clear and colorful (wife loves it)and its very roomy. Also very pretty looking truck.

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  The Fun Love to Drive - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By Richi57 - February 24 - 10:00 am

  Fun to drive vehicle. Has the heart of a jeep. Handles well in traffic, easy to drive and easy to judge distances. Good commanding view of the road. Buy it youll like it!