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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  Fun little car! - 2012 Jeep Compass
  By NWDriver - June 27 - 2:54 am

  Love the stick model 4cy. Goes when you need it. Like the hill assist, great turning radius too. Gets on avg 25 city and upto 32 mpg with surfboards on roof rack. Not fancy but fits our family needs! Serviced for electrical 1x, wires rubbing under dash were causing the dash panel to go out. Tough little car, ran over a deer @ 45 mph with little damage. 90k and going great.

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  My second Wrangler - 2007 Jeep Wrangler
  By 2climbbig - June 26 - 3:33 am

  The on-road drive is Wranglers best... the off-road driver is even better. I waited 2 weeks before hitting the trails. I out performed a friend in his TJ (no lockers). We did some crawling, some mudding, and a bit of a mix. while in a mud pit, I pulled out a Grand Cherokee. Definitely better than Toyotas FJ Cruiser.

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  Things to know - 2009 Jeep Liberty
  By herc - June 24 - 10:14 am

  People say they used to drive a crossover and dont like the Liberty ride. The first thing to know is that the Liberty is a real Jeep. It will not ride like a car based crossover. That said, it actually does pretty darn good on regular roads. Our Liberty has 90k miles and the drive train has been solid. No squeaks or rattles. Overall our Jeep has been reliable. Weve owned Hondas and other brands so being objective here. Items that will likely be a problem sooner or later on the Liberty include automatic climate controller, trans cooler, and totally integrated power module (when this goes bad the car seems haunted). Wife loves driving the Liberty year round. We would buy another one.

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  Love My Jeep - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By Blake - June 21 - 7:13 pm

  What an amazing vehicle this is. I purchased it used from the original owner and have not put a great deal of miles on it (so I have yet to see long term reliability). This is a true SUV with luxury appointments for interior comfort. It motivated a cross country power on the freeway and capable for trip and did not disappoint. Great the off road excursion along the way.

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  So far so good - 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Ralston - June 19 - 2:00 am

  We bought our Jeep new and have had it for 7 years and 90,000 miles. It is a pleasure to drive, particularly in the snow or for towing a boat. We like the way it handles and the power of the V- 8. We have been diligent in doing the regular maintenance and so far we have had few problems. We have had to replace the rear main seal ($325) and valve covers to fix minor oil leaks ($100). We had a sensor or two go out (covered under warranty) and recently replaced the watter pump ($400) Other than that it has been a great car so far.

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  hmmmm-towed twice,here we go again - 2009 Jeep Wrangler
  By 10purrs - June 18 - 7:40 pm

  This beauty (orange sunburst) is my 3rd Wrangler and the only one Ive had trouble with. Towed twice with <500 miles and have an appointment for a check engine light at 2700 miles. Anyone had trouble with sensors/wiring?

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  Jeep - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By april - June 17 - 2:00 am

  My husband and I have enjoyed this Jeep, but were glad the lease is up. We tried to sell this vehicle and got *no* hits (probably because it was devalued by the dealerships with all the 0% APR). No real probs, but it did stall in the middle of a hip-high river once, while an old chevy and even a Suzuki Samuri made it through no prob. We had to be towed over 12 miles. Through the desert. Pushing down on the gas to pass, a half-second wait for power??

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  Best Jeep Ever! - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By Jacques - June 17 - 2:00 am

  As a former owner of a Grand Charokee, I was drawn to the new Jeep Liberty. So I bought one and love it! Its the best car Ive ever owned. Its a blast to drive, its got great pick-up-and-go, and it handles like a dream. Its rugged and comfortable. And best of all... its AFFORDABLE!

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  1996 lifted cherokee country 4wd - 1996 Jeep Cherokee
  By kraig - June 16 - 2:00 am

  i have owned my jeep for elven years and it has been lifted for about 7 years, and have over 300,000 miles and running strong. the 4wd drive system is indestructible, as well as the 4.0 straight six, it wont ever give out and has never left me stranded other then a dead battery in minus 20 degree weather.

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  Wobbly Tires - 2006 Jeep Wrangler
  By GAPeach - June 16 - 2:00 am

  Ive had my Jeep for 4 months. We have had issue with the tires wobbling so bad that the front end shakes - took it back to dealership first time, the stabilizer was replaced. Started back up again after 1 month. They argued that nothing wrong - not giving up, they looked again and found that the bushing needed replacing. They said this is an issue with Dodge vehicles. Had the map sensor replaced also - only 36,000 miles. Hopefully this is the last of the issues Otherwise - LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT