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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  disappointed - 2008 Jeep Wrangler
  By rob - September 16 - 8:20 am

  Bought this 2008 used with 13k miles. I have had an issue with a leaky soft top since I bought it. Taken it to the dealer 3xs to fix it and every time it rains, the floor boards in the back are soaked. Had to replace one of the tie rides already. Transmission line is leaking. Death wobble happens all the time, dealer cant fix it. The vehicle lacks power, should have stuck with the 4.0. Factory stereo is horrible with the top off. I used to have a 79 CJ7 witch was a mistake to get rid of. I think I will be trading the 2008 in for some sort of SUV and maybe buy an older jeep again. Jeep needs to get back to thier roots.

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  It was trusty... - 2007 Jeep Patriot
  By joe_e - September 15 - 2:12 pm

  Drove a 2007 AWD model for 5 years. Note: at no point in time is the machine EVER 4x4. Even when you flip that little switch up, it never goes into a true 4x4. Got it as a daily driver, as my 99 Cherokee was a bit heavy on gas usage. When you buy this vehicle, youre getting exactly what you pay for. The CVT is one of the most worthless inventions for automobiles, mileage notwithstanding. Leave it for ATVs and snowmobiles. It worked well in Wisconsin snow with the AWD, but still was no more than an AWD car, not a Jeep by any stretch of the imagination. It began to be a bit much. Caught fire on some grass, burned the entire machine into a skeleton of itself. Not. A. Jeep.

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  Great All-Purpose Rider - 2001 Jeep Cherokee
  By Dan - September 15 - 3:36 am

  So far Ive had no problems mechanically with this car. Ive taken it off-road and it handles nicely, while on-road is even better. In general, for a vehicle with this kind of mileage (+50000) its in good shape. It does have some problems, though. When 4 wheel drive high range is engaged, if you make a sharp turn the wheels lock. Also, when put in reverse for too long, it sometimes stalls or sputters. You need to find the right kind of tires, too. Wet handling is below average, even with 4WD. The vehicle corners well for an SUV and has a good turn radius, just make sure its not cornering heavily above 50mph. At speeds above 80 on a straightaway highway, it becomes very shaky.

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  Extremely dangerous in wet conditions! - 2003 Jeep Liberty
  By tclaryuk - September 14 - 11:00 pm

  Ive owned my Liberty for 2 1/2 yrs now, with 47,000 miles. In the past year or so we have had terrible experiences of this car sliding and skidding when there is the slightest bit of rain on the road. The dealership recently checked it and said that the tires did not need replacing. Now we drive as if we are on ice when the road is wet. Even then we still have instances where we lose control. Unfortunately due to employee pricing incentives it will cost a lot of money to replace this car now as it has a low trade-in value. We have just taken the decision to spend $10,000 to replace this car with a Honda Pilot. A cheap price to save a life!

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  Almost 2 Months Experience - 2008 Jeep Compass
  By cmthov - September 9 - 11:56 am

  Approaching 2 months and 2000 miles of commuting in Washington, DC -- avg 23.5 MPG (not bad for second worst traffic in the nation). CVT should be traded for Avengers 4 spd auto even at expense of mileage. Love the overall driving position and utility. Wish there was less flash/rough edges where hands spend most time -- steering wheel and gear shift handle. Wide a-pillar width is distracting when rounding curves. Adequate rear seat leg room, but wouldnt want to sit on those seats for any length of time. Overall a competent beater, but its quirks probably give it the lifespan, and legacy, of an AMC Pacer.

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  Buyer Beware - 2006 Jeep Liberty
  By Lamont Johnson - September 8 - 4:06 am

  Have the 2006 CRD model w/tow package. Pros: Small size, good acceleration and towing capability. Fuel mileage in town is acceptable. Cons: High maintenance vehicle. Numerous recalls and limited engine part availability causing more delays w/service. Have had to replace EGR valve ($230.00 dealer part) twice (once was under warranty). Local dealer (San Angelo, TX) and manufacturer support and service is substandard. Overall, could be a good "project" vehicle but be prepared to invest time and money to get it to its full potential. Highly advise researching the Jeep forums to learn of other "issues" before buying.

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  Not sure what to think - 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Terry - September 4 - 1:53 pm

  This vehicle has been fun to drive but has had problems since day 1. Bought it at 55,000 miles, it had the 318 V-8 engine in it. Dealership could never fix engine "pinging." Rod bearings went, then entire engine had to be replaced at 101,000 miles. It was my wifes vehicle and she used it to commute back and forth a short distance to work. This vehicle has never been driven hard or abused. We also had trouble with the 4WD slipping out of 4WD low--wouldnt engage. The CD player quit working, radio shorts out. Sunroof leaks during big rainstorms. Vehicle has bled us dry for repair bills. Gets 15.6 mpg. Trannie seems to shift back and forth unnecessarily when going up hills.

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  rented one to see if i wanted to buy one - 2018 Jeep Compass
  By nyjt - September 3 - 7:52 am

  ok the biggest problem the 9 speed transmission, wow what a disappointment on otherwise a great car. Its a perfect size for me. acceleration is great if you put it in manual mode. the a/c worked well the infortainment system was nice but had a lag in it. the seating was roomy for the size. the exterior is very nice looking. I really liked everything about the car except. the start stop technology was the worsttttttttttttttt when at a stop light engine turns off a/c goes lower and radio stayed on but got a fraction of a second turn off. very annoying like you know something that would have been a test and not perfected and not put in the car but they did anyway! When taking foot off break you feel the car restart and same thing. If I was in stop go traffic I would be miserable and embarrassed if anyone was in car with me. Thirdly how would this be in a year or 5 years down the road this car only had 900 miles on it. The shifting is subpar also and on highway I read other reviews where people say it can be dangerous trying to accelerate (I thought they were being dramatic) they were not. I know in order to pass of step on it it just well didnt . Putting it in manual mode it changed the entire thing to a very very peppy and strong feeling engine that accelerated perfectly. SO its the 9 speed transmission not the engine. I found the engine to be very peppy. So bottom line ON most thruway drive 200 miles each way through virginia I averaged 30 mpg with a/c blasting and 100 degree temps. I did not beat it just drove normal so I thought that was decent. I am not going to buy it, I had my heart set on it but with Jeep reliability ratings and this 9 speed those really cut into the rating of this car. Too bad jeep you always have soem great designs etc but?????

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  wow - 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By badasdart - September 2 - 11:36 am

  We purchased new, first thing was the vibration. Started at 55mph. We took it back they replaced the tires 11 times(they were out of round). did not help. they replaced the dry shaft (bent) the rear end(crack)and the front wheel(crack)the Heated seats quit the windows quit the gas gage quit, the winshield leaked,they could not figure what caused this. Headlined was reuined, Exaust leaked, they fixed the wiring problem. it kept shorting out. it was in the shop 9 out of 11 months of ownership. my third jeep and very disappointing. I love jeeps, they recalled mine and purchased a different one.

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  Perfect Description - 2002 Jeep Wrangler
  By TP - August 31 - 10:00 am

  Yes the exterior mirrors paint comes off, yes the plastic windows scratch, yes the gas mileage is crummy, yes the interior is cheap, yes the sound system is inferior, yes the ride is bumpy, yes the tires clamshell, yes the softop is a pain, yes you need two people to change back the hardtop, yes the cargo room is small, and yes, I have bought two Jeeps in a row, because the driving experience is something to look forward to every time you get into it, from the day you buy it to your last day with it. Open air driving is incredible. Not worrying about every tiny imperfection, getting a little dog hair in it - priceless. Its stress free driving. Every time.