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:

• 

  Less than 50 miles and I have a Problem - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By walk213 - August 10 - 2:00 am

  I just leased 2 GC SE yesterday (one for my wife and one for me). Last night my GC SE had an engine light go on and the right directional started flashing right even though I was not turning right? The engine light indicated that there could be a manifold problem with the car. I brought it over to the dealer (nice guys) and they said they would make immediate repairs. I have had 2 Saabs and NEVER had an issue (never mind one after 50 miles of driving). Hopefully I did not pull a lemon. The car rides and looks great--we will see about the reliabity.

• 

  My First Car - 1999 Jeep Cherokee
  By Jeep-it - August 9 - 9:56 pm

  I bought my red, 5-speed Jeep Cherokee in Sept. 2006 and still have it to this date. I bought it with 85k miles on it and it now has a little more than 100k miles on it. In that time, the only problems Ive had are glitchy power windows and a cracked evaporator. I was slightly weary about buying a gas guzzling SUV for my first car but after driving it for a while, Ive found that it does real well. It gets about 19/20 city, but I find that keeping it just below 65 on the highway will get me 30 mpg for highway trips (and thats with a fully loaded college vehicle!). This has been and will remain a fun, reliable, and efficient first vehicle. I plan to hold onto this for a long time.

• 

  This is fun to drive! - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By MAW - August 9 - 6:36 am

  This GC is just plain fun to drive! Its interior is comfortable, has all the toys to make the drive a real treat. I have the Sirius Satellite radio and absolutely love it! I got a great deal on a 2 year lease and jumped at it since Ive heard both good and bad about the GC reliability of previous years. Mine will remain under warranty for the duration of the lease. I expected poor gas mileage and am getting it.

• 

  143,143 miles to date - 2008 Jeep Patriot
  By west_lawn_mark - August 8 - 10:12 pm

  We purchased our Patriot new in 2008 and I have put on quite a few miles in that time. I enjoy the car. It is fun to drive, and good in snow. I have heard people complain about FWD Compasses in the snow but I have no similar complaints. I do not worry about driving in the snow at all (except for other drivers). With the electronic traction control I rarely need 4 x 4. I have even taken the Patriot off road on the beach in Corolla, NC and it performed pretty well. I that situation it benefited from being light and not getting bogged down in the sand. The adjustable seat works from my 5 2" wife and my 6 4" son in law.

• 

  Mixed bag - 1998 Jeep Cherokee
  By spikester - August 8 - 7:53 pm

  This is the second Jeep 4.0 motor vehicle that I have owned. This version is the high output version (approximately 190 hp). I bought this used and specifically wanted the "sport" version for its increased off-road ability. These small Cherokees are very reliable. A bit snug inside - the rear seat isnt made for adult Americans. Gas mileage is about 16 combined which isnt bad for a 4x4 with a/c and auto trans. Rides too stiff for the wife. The price you pay for the "sport" suspension. No cruise control either.

• 

  Good Choice! - 2007 Jeep Compass
  By BS PA. - August 8 - 2:23 pm

  I was a little nervous about going from a Grand Cherokee to the Compass. I have owned 4 Jeeps up to now and was very lucky with all of them. This little thing turned out to be BETTER on bad roads than the Cherokee! Never even "Fish Tailed". It rides nice, get 24-25 miles per gallon, and has a terrific stereo system. Over all Im very pleased.

• 

  Its ok, but not great. - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By Micahel J. Terrell - August 7 - 1:13 pm

  It doesnt get the mileage promised, and I dont like the shortened cargo space. The extra headroom is actually a bother. I have more trouble putting kayaks and bicycles on top of the car versus the old Cherokee. I like the design, not the height, and it performs well and dependably; just like a Jeep should.

• 

  Plenty of small problems... - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By dbaker - August 6 - 10:20 pm

  I was ready to get rid of this car after a year because I have never owned a brand new car that had so many problems. In a period of 6 months, I had to take the car back to the dealer 4 times to fix a water leak in the moonroof. The drivers door seal had a tear in it that was there since the day I had the car, and after the seal was replaced, I had to put up with the worse wind-noise. When I took the car back to the dealership to ask them to look into this problem, they informed me that they were unable to reproduce the problem, so they could not fix it. I do like driving my car, but I would not buy another Chrysler/Jeep again.

• 

  Great Purchase - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Joe P - August 6 - 10:33 am

  Great looking SUV. Handles nicely. Comfortable for my long commute to work, especially with my heated seats on winter mornings.

• 

  Great mid-life crisis car!!! - 2011 Jeep Wrangler
  By mtgvolvo - August 5 - 10:08 am

  All-around great vehicle for what youre expecting: rugged and simple with the extra comfort elements that make it perfect for the non-off-road enthusiast!