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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  I LOVE LOVE LOVE MY JEEP - 2003 Jeep Wrangler
  By Laurie - September 13 - 9:13 am

  I love my Jeep - everything about it. Only thing that I have recently encountered is something called the "death wobble"... pretty scary, but I think we finally got it in order after replacing the track bar and steering stabilizer and found that there was 45 pounds of pressure in one tire and 36 in the other (was that way when I purchased it - unbeknownst to me). In any event, so far it is back to being "my baby".

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  Not Sure - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By notsure??? - September 13 - 2:00 am

  It is a great looking vehicle for the money. But I have owned for 2 weeks and the dealer has had it for 11 days of those 2 weeks. Bad vibarations and air bag straps had to be replaced. They have changed the tires twice and are now working on replacing drive shaft to rectify vibration. I am now seriously questioning the quality, maybe I should have continued to shop around? It only has 400 miles on it and the dealer has put 300 of those on it trying to fix the problems. It is a thirsty little bugger but it is packed with a lot of options for the dollar. I would recommend if they can solve the quality issues. It built like my 97 wrangler that is for sure!

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  Great Mid-Size SUV - 2003 Jeep Liberty
  By PStardust - September 13 - 2:00 am

  My Partner has had a Liberty( 2002) for a year now and loves it. I had driven it for a while before I decieded to get one myself. I love the turning radius and the heighth of the car.The Liberty is a very utilitarian car. Simple quality with a little style.

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  Jeep Cherokee the greatest Car - 1996 Jeep Cherokee
  By David2 - September 11 - 10:00 am

  I bought this cherokee 96 around January 2003 with 90000miles. Now, mine has almost 120000, but still runs strong!!! No major or minor problems so far. Great car! this vehicle is built really well. Only thing I have little complain with is its fuel economy. However, this vehicle has 4.0 L engine meaning that naturally fuel economy cant be good as one expects. Moreover, this vehicle has fast acceleration.~ good good good. I dont see any bad things.

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  more fun than my c5 corvette - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By james40 - September 11 - 10:00 am

  Ijust puschased a 05 laredo and i cant believe how great this suv is. driving for my job ive had an envoy and a 04 jeep over the last 4 years. I loved the 04 jeep in the snow but hated the looks and the body roll in turns and the seats of the o4 would roll you around..this 05 is quiet better on gas and it has great looks, a great interior and to be honest is more gun than our c5 corvette..and believe me we love our corvette..in facy the wheels are the same as the 97 98 99 corvette style..this jeep will sell like hotcakes ..its fresh we got the kakai green pearlcoat and its beautiful..the sound system is as good as bose and the adjustable pedals are the best...buy this jeep you wont be sorry.

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  CRD - 10 Rest of vehicle - 7 - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By railguy - September 10 - 8:00 pm

  Best fuel economy in a 4WD in the US. Diesel has great power all the way to 11,000 ft. elevations on mountain passes. Best 4WD Ive ever owned for winter driving. Diesel performs marvelously off-road. Without serious suspension modification (at least a 2.5"-3.0" lift) and larger tires (245/75R 16 would be ideal), though, it lacks adequate ground clearance for anything but mild off-highway use. A Subaru Forester has much better ground clearance. As noted the factory tires are crap. EGR valve failures are a common problem, though mine have lasted pretty well. Fuel economy ranges from 16 mpg in dead winter starts and stops to 31-32 mpg on highway at speeds 65 mph or less.

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  Pure Jeep. - 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Neill - September 10 - 6:16 pm

  This vehicle has been great with regular maintenance and a fair amount of care. I love the features of the car and the engine is also just fine for me. Everyone says this vehicle has reliability issues. Although I have had the same problem as everyone with the brakes, Ive had no other unusual problem for the life of this car. To fix the brake problem I simply replaced the front rotors and calipers (&pads) with an aftermarket setup and Ive had no further problems. The Jeep isnt known for being perfect. Its known for being able to go anywhere, do anything, when you want to. This car allows me to do that, and in comfort.

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  Its a Jeep - 2004 Jeep Wrangler
  By Pratt - September 10 - 5:36 pm

  I just bought this January 2010 as my first Jeep (SE trim, 5-speed manual). Overall I dig it, but I you gotta be sort of a Jeep fan to in my opinion. The ride is harsh (more bumpy than the average car, and the wind noise can be unbearable if youre just getting out of a Cobalt or anything other quiet car ride). On the other hand, from what Ive seen, theyre pretty reliable (I know mine is), and off roading is great alongside the many many accessories from tops to lift kits, you name it, theres probably an accessory for the jeep and thats always great!

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  Red Jeep - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Limited - September 9 - 12:46 pm

  This is the fourth Jeep we have owned and each time we buy a Jeep we think to ourselves that we will never have a better vehicle to drive. We have a bright red Limited with the GPS system but what really sold my husband on this Jeep was the Hemi motor. It is by far the best vehicle we have ever owned!

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  Almost 2 Months Experience - 2008 Jeep Compass
  By cmthov - September 9 - 11:56 am

  Approaching 2 months and 2000 miles of commuting in Washington, DC -- avg 23.5 MPG (not bad for second worst traffic in the nation). CVT should be traded for Avengers 4 spd auto even at expense of mileage. Love the overall driving position and utility. Wish there was less flash/rough edges where hands spend most time -- steering wheel and gear shift handle. Wide a-pillar width is distracting when rounding curves. Adequate rear seat leg room, but wouldnt want to sit on those seats for any length of time. Overall a competent beater, but its quirks probably give it the lifespan, and legacy, of an AMC Pacer.