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:

• 

  Great Buy - 2009 Jeep Compass
  By Bones - December 29 - 10:23 am

  This is a great small SUV. I have repeatedly driven a 07 Ford Escape, and a 06 Toyota Highlander and the Compass is a lot more fun to drive. Its not exceptionally quick or powerful, my previous vehicle was a Dodge Ram with a 5.7L Hemi, but the car-like handling makes up for it. Also, the fuel efficiency seems to be better than the 25mpg stated. I have worked it out to be roughly 30mpg city and 40mpg highway. It felt a little sluggish when I first started driving it, but when I became more familiar with the CVT nuances, I feel the performance has increased. The interior is more than competent and rather comfortable, even considering my 66" frame. Also, the entertainment options are a plus.

• 

  Awesome vehicle - 2006 Jeep Liberty
  By Gina - December 28 - 4:50 pm

  Great during snow storm, felt safe driving. Great overall comfort, easy to manage.

• 

  Pillars Block Vision - 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By carm2 - December 28 - 5:09 am

  Ive been driving my Limited Jeep Cherokee for a year and really love it with a couple of exceptions. The pillars on the front windshield really block my vision significantly. Ive driven over curbs more times than I like to admit. Also, even though I knew the cargo space was amongst the smallest for this size SUV, its worse than I thought. All in all, knowing what I know now, I would not have purchased this car after all.

• 

  Great Car - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By seaisle129 - December 26 - 10:00 am

  This car is great. Good part is its subtle design changes through the years and the older models still look new. Family member has a navigator the seats in the Jeep are far more comfortable !

• 

  Next one will be another Jeep - 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By BigTom5 - December 24 - 10:00 am

  Was very leery about buying this vehicle with all the negative reviews from earlier years. Dealer offered a 48000 mile warranty no charge to clinch the deal. Havent regretted my decision from day one. Very dependable vehicle, excellent dealer service, respectable milage (17.5 mpg overall). Now with 121000 miles on, it rides like the day I got it. Next one will be another Jeep.

• 

  Boy do I love my Jeep Cherokee! - 1998 Jeep Cherokee
  By leigh - December 22 - 8:56 am

  Best used car I ever owned after 25 years of driving. Zero maintenance vehicle, fun to drive steady, easy to handle, stable on all kinds of roads.

• 

  great vehicle - 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By trailblazer1997 - December 21 - 10:00 am

  Excellent vehicle to drive. Minimal repairs. Good power, well thought out interior,looks great

• 

  Best of the Bunch - 2004 Jeep Wrangler
  By KSnodgrass - December 18 - 3:50 pm

  This is our third Jeep from the Wrangler family. Love it so far. Best ride and functionality of the group (we still own the other two). They finally catered to those of us in the south and added functional A/C. The only downside is the vulnerability. Weve been broken into 3 times in 3 weeks. I guess thats the drawback of the soft-top.

• 

  excellent - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By jeep101 - December 16 - 7:50 pm

  Trust me when I say this thing is fun to drive. Its off-road capability is just unbelievable. I just cant think of another SUV that has the kind of capability like the Jeep. The on-road ability is just incredible. The acceleration will rock you back into your seat. Its a beast!

• 

  Great SUV - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By Jack D. - December 15 - 4:56 am

  I bought this Liberty Sport V-6 4a in June 05. I am a previous Wrangler owner. This Liberty rides well and is comforting on long drives of 400+ miles. The gas mileage is ok if you dont have a heavy foot, but if you need power it has it! The stock tires are limiting if you off road much. I purchased some BF Goodrich T/A tires and that solved the problem. The interior is great. I have hauled 600 lbs. of wood pellets in the back with no problems. People complain about the window controls but I like where the are located. All in all, it is a great 4WD. I kinda wish I had bought the CRD. It will probably be my next vehicle.I installed a K&N air filter and it made it better.