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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  Beware of interior LEAKS - 2009 Jeep Patriot
  By spy178 - July 8 - 12:26 pm

  We just picked up our new patriot 09 limited, sun and sound package on 8/5/09 and noticed our 1st leak (water pouring out of the front Dome Light) about 2 weeks later (1st rain storm). Come to find a Recall was issued by Chrysler on 8/7/09 for the same issue. Everything else is great about the jeep, but ive already had to take it in to have the leak issue looked at. Dealer claims to have resolved the issue by clearing a drain in the sun room. Judging by the many online posts on this issue, the same leak or a new one is likely to return. I would suggest that if you are in the market for a new patriot, to at the very least take it through the car wash a couple times on the test drive.

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  Go Anywhere - 1993 Jeep Wrangler
  By T-Good - July 6 - 4:43 am

  We bought our 1993 Jeep Wrangler to pull behind our 2007 Winnie Aspect. The really nice thing is we dont have to run any brake system on it. Our RV is rated at a max 20,000 lb GW and we only have a 14,000 lb RV on a Ford 450 Chassis. Hell, dont even know its there when tooling down the interstate. Have a modified military tow bar thats permanently attached to the jeep. Folds up and secured by 2 bungee cords. Hangs in there in the draft of the RV. Only loose 2 MPG of 12.6 MPG so 10 MPG with a 26 foot RV with Wrangler in tow is fine with me. I cut the wiring harness to the rear lights system next to the foot brake and attached a 4 wire trailer hookup. Its that easy. Unplug & plug in the trailer

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  Jeep - 1998 Jeep Cherokee
  By samwerd - July 6 - 2:00 am

  Fun car. It was in mint condition when I bought it. It still is. Been off roading few times.

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  Jeep Liberty Limited - 2010 Jeep Liberty
  By belvis1 - July 2 - 9:10 pm

  We replaced our 2008 Commander with this Liberty. The Command Trac 4 wheel drive makes it up our driveway. Unlike the Commander or Audi Q7 could. The vehicle drives good. We do not pay for fuel, so this is not a problem. The Uconnect works great. With all the options and off road features, the Liberty is hard to pass up. A lot of people and companies love to pass it off as being slow, outdated or just not as good as the Toyota or Honda. Well, these people would have another opinion when they had to walk up their 250 foot driveway when the others could not make it.

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  Its been a year of ownership - 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By D.Brisson - July 2 - 8:06 pm

  See my earlier review here, still a fun vehicle but has its problems. Still very fast and have caught a few very quick cars off guard. Transmission planetary spacer destroyed itself from the factory install resulting in damaged transmission and torque converter. Dealer service spotty at best. Took 2 tries to finally find a Jeep dealer that allowed for confidence, Century in Mt Airy MD. Brakes wear fast and replacements are 3 times that of a typical brake job. Parts for rotors and brakes alone online are $650. replacement brakes are better than the stock units, less dust and squeal. Interior very plasticky in its build it will grow on you. Several Electrical Tech service bulletins

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  Love my Jeep! - 2011 Jeep Wrangler
  By nyc6 - July 2 - 1:40 pm

  I have a 2011, 4 door Wrangler and havent had any problems at all -- no water leaking and I have the freedom top. I wish I would have waited for the 2012 to see if the acceleration when getting on a highway is better and better gas mileage. The only thing that is questionable is sometimes when I step on the brakes it doesnt feel smooth and Im short so I have to have the seat all the way up--pedals are not close enough.

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  love it - 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By glbbn - July 2 - 1:30 pm

  This is the second Jeep Ive driven. Own a 1998 also. Seems there is a recurring problem with the rear ends of jeeps. Loud noise or screech when going over bumps or putting car in reverse. Problems with 2001 brakes and with window regulators. Replaced passenger side in July. Now the drivers side is stuck in the up position til I can fix it. The hood and tail gate dont stay up. Sensor 2 light goes off and on. I like the way it handles and goes anywhere in the snow. I feel pretty safe driving it but worry about the brakes and Windows. Have never replaced window regulators ever before and have driven many different makes and models of cars.

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  So far, so good... - 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By ramblinhusker - July 1 - 8:15 pm

  Must admit, I was initially weary of jumping-in to the Jeep (i.e. Chrysler) family after reading a number of reviews over the years. However, the overall design of the Grand Cherokee, plus the pricing and the engine performance, had me negotiating very hard for a lengthy extended warranty (I know some folks dont like purchasing extended warranties). There were a couple of cosmetic things that needed to be fixed. One of the exterior trims on the passenger window needed a new fastener, and there was something rolling-around underneath the passenger front seat. Both items were taken care of. I drive a lot of miles per year, usually 20k+. One long trip was comfortable.

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  Cant figure this thing out? - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By Ben - June 30 - 1:30 am

  When I bought my Liberty I made the mistake of thinking I was getting a nice new smooth running vehicle. Well not exactly, I bought and Jeep and thats what I got. While its been reliable, very useful for hauling things and plenty powerful, it can also be somewhat annoying. In my opinion it has too many squeaks and rattles for such a new vehicle - or maybe it is just one of my OCDs. Bottom line, if you want a vehicle that is truly ready to go offroad straight off the lot and want a true Jeep, then this is the SUV for you. If you like the more cushy and refined driving experience then you should look at one of the more car like SUVs

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  Wear a raincoat. - 2009 Jeep Patriot
  By cwing54 - June 28 - 4:00 am

  I originally bought the vehicle because of the interior space. It had more backseat leg room than even the Commander. Like everything about the vehicle except the leaking sunroof. Had it to the dealer 8 times and they have not been able to provide a permanent fix. Dealers been fair but cant get anywhere with Chrysler