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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  Love my Jeep - 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By BPM - January 24 - 9:30 am

  This is my familys 5th Jeep and I love it! We purchased an 08 Commander in March and this rig a few days ago - by far the most comfortable Jeep I have owned or rode in. I have no preconceived notions, it isnt a BMW or MB Its a Jeep and meant to be dirty and ridden hard. It is responsive, quiet on the road, reasonable at the pump (22 MPG so far), and an overall fun experience. Not to mention I purchased on last day of July and got the $6000 factory rebate before it expired. I have found Jeep very responsive at the dealer level to customer issues in the past - far more than the company car Fords and Mercs I had been driving.

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  Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo - 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Karon - January 24 - 2:00 am

  This is our fifth Jeep Cherokee or Grand Cherokee. We have found the vehicles to be very dependable. We have driven on long trips through the Arizona desert in August. We have driven in the cold Nebraska winters. They perform wonderfully in all situations.

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  Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo - 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By karon - January 24 - 2:00 am

  This is our fifth Jeep Cherokee or Grand Cherokee. We have found the vehicles to be very dependable. We have driven on long trips through the Arizona desert in August. We have driven in the cold Nebraska winters. They perform wonderfully in all situations.

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  My Liberty - 2003 Jeep Liberty
  By bdr - January 24 - 2:00 am

  I didnt like the Libertys when they first came out, but I took one for a test drive, and bought it a few days later.

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  Happy Jeep owner - 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Pleasantly surprised - January 22 - 11:06 am

  I have had Jeeps for many years and have learned to love the quirks (e.g. wandering on highway, bouncy ride, poor MPG, noisy, etc.). I recently bought an 06 base model Grand Cherokee Laredo 4x4 and have been pleasantly surprised given that I had very low expectations as far as performance, ride, MPG, etc. The car is a pleasure to drive. For my current needs I saw no need for the 4.7 or Hemi engine since I will not be doing any heavy towing or rough off-road driving. The one concern that I have is that the city MPG is currently awful. I only have 3,000 miles and hope that it improves with break in and gets closer to the estimate of 17.

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  Love It! - 2015 Jeep Cherokee
  By mellman - January 20 - 11:05 am

  Im a few months into my lease with a 2015 Latitude V6 4WD, and I couldnt be happier with it. Its the smoothest, quietest, and most comfortable car Ive ever had. I took it on a 500 mile road trip with 4 adults and a fully packed trunk and averaged 26mpg according to the trip computer. Not bad for a V6 with almost 300hp. Ive read mixed reviews about the 9 speed transmission, and I dont know what all the complaints are about. Ive had zero issues with mine. Im really impressed with how quiet and smooth it drives. I feel like a lot of the bad reviews Ive read are unwarranted and people just dont know how to drive their car, or they dont understand its features.

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  Best of the rest! - 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By hafwgthere - January 19 - 4:20 pm

  Bought to get rid of 2007 Tahoe incapable of towing my boat(up ramp) or parking without hitting a curb(no clearance). 3rd Jeep Grand Cherokee and best so far. Had to replace power steering hose, manifold gasket when i bought it but has been flawless ever since. Wife and daughter love the feel, fit, and finish of interior and exterior plus the power 0-60 --6-7 seconds. Like so much we bought a 2001 as well. If you use the internet you can easily find and fix any problem with a vehicle and save the dealer rip off and run-around. Every vehicle has problems even run away Toyotas.

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  You need one - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By sthomps81 - January 16 - 10:23 pm

  During the last week we have had two major snow storms along the front range in Colorado. Thought I would take the opportunity to let people know how great this vehicle is. Our 2005 Grand Cherokee Limited with Hemi is my wife’s daily driver. We use the Jeep to take the family into moderate off road areas and to pull a utility trailer (for toys) from time to time. Just a great vehicle. Virtually unstoppable in the snow—very impressed. P.S. Have an experienced Jeep Dealer balance the wheels if you have the "vibration" issue. After some frustration, my dealer was able to fix my issue (3rd visit). Bought new tires elsewhere--did not balance wheels properly.

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  Love My Liberty - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By bponik - January 14 - 2:40 pm

  I purchased this vehicle to replace a minivan (which was overkill) and wanted to be able to tow a 21 foot boat. My old 1989 4.0L Jeep Cherokee had trouble pulling the boat, so I was worried. No need to, the Liberty is more than capable of towing this load. It also handled the Northeast winter like a Jeep, Snow problem. :)

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  Love my Jeep! - 2003 Jeep Liberty
  By Sybil Moon - January 13 - 10:00 am

  I also have a 1997 Jeep Cherokee Sport and I loved driving that one until I got my Liberty! I have nothing but good things to say. It handles great, the suspension makes it a comfortable ride on the highway. I travel about 2000 miles per month and I know I can count on my Liberty! When we are ready to trade in our Cherokee it will be for another Liberty.