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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  2nd Patriot, even better than the first! - 2017 Jeep Patriot
  By Banjo - July 3 - 8:37 pm

  This is my second Patriot, after owning a FWD 2012 Altitude Ed. with the CVT. I can definitely say the 6spd unit is an improvement in every way. Worth every penny getting a 4x4 over a FWD. Gas mileage is only slightly less, but I drive mostly highway so I barely notice a diff at all. It may not be the quietest on the hwy, but I dont think it is all that much louder than my Acura trade-in was. Rides very well on city streets with the Goodyear Wranglers, especially given the ohio road conditions. Uconnect is pretty basic, but gets the job done. There is something to be said for no distracting screens in a car these days. I test drove this back to back with the new renegade expecting the renegade to crush it, but I actually much preferred the look and feel of the Pat. Looking forward to many more years of enjoyment. The Sport SE package has every thing I wanted, and nothing I didnt - perfect bang for your buck. Out the door for under 20k on a brand new Jeep 4x4 is too good to pass up. **6 month update** Still loving my Pat. I have put over 12k on it since June and have had zero issues. Decent highway cruiser, and averaging about 26 mpg with my mostly highway commute. Has survived a couple big ikea trips and can haul most anything in the back. Forgot how comfortable the front seats were, and the storage nooks are great for phone/wallet etc. Definitely recommend upgrading the headlight bulbs and speakers, but both of those take about 15 minutes to do, super simple. Looking forward to many more miles and having some fun in the snow this winter.

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  so far ,so good - 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By shepherds2 - July 3 - 9:00 am

  We have had a few problems, but overall very good luck with this vehicle. 123,000 miles on the car. Break rotors warped and replaced 3 times. Chrysler finally paid for a really good set of slotted rotors (class action suit) and we have had no problems since. A few lights have burned out and a seat heater went out. Overall very pleased with the SUV. Love the smooth,tiny, but powerful V8 engine.

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  I love my 4 door Wrangler - 2007 Jeep Wrangler
  By Peter - July 2 - 7:26 pm

  I feel this is the perfect blend between the toughness and utilitarianism of a Jeep and a family vehicle. My family of four fits comfortably in it for the drive to school and trips yet I still have the ability to take the top and doors off fold the windshield down and ride offroad trails in my Jeep. My mileage for the year will be more but I have not had it a year however I feel I have put a hard 5,000 on it and given her a thorough shakedown and love everything about it. I have found it hard to come up with a negative for all the positive things I could say about my Jeep.

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  Love my Jeep - 2004 Jeep Wrangler
  By Jeep Wave - July 2 - 5:13 pm

  The Jeep Wrangler Unlimited is extremely fun to drive and the little extra cargo room the Unlimited offers goes a long way. I plan to get a 3" lift and put some 34" tires on...which the wife is against but what does she know. Mine came with a grille guard and fog lights which look very nice.

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  Nothing like a jeep - 2000 Jeep Wrangler
  By Stewey - July 2 - 10:00 am

  I bought my jeep about six months ago and love it. A lot of fun to drive with the top off. The four cylinder is fine for around town but too slow for the interstate. My next jeep will have a six cylinder. Has been dependable and good on gas.

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  First Jeep - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By phllyntv - July 2 - 10:00 am

  I really like my Jeep Liberty its my first SUV and first jeep and it rides very smoothly and handles well. My previous car was a honda del sol and I was nervous about the size and parking with the liberty but come to find out its shorter in length then my wifes toyota camry and it rides better to me then her camry but definitely better than my del sol.

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  Love My Compass! - 2012 Jeep Compass
  By polarbare49 - June 29 - 12:31 pm

  After doing 4 months of extensive research on various small SUVs, the Compass Lattitude 4x4 proved to be the best value for my dollar. Love the new baby Grand Cherokee design. Decent gas mileage with surprisingly more power than I was lead to believe from reading the expert reviews. Handles like a car but still has the solid build of a Jeep SUV. All in all, IMHO, beats the Rav4,

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  2003 Jeep or Heap? - 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By GRUNE - June 29 - 12:56 am

  When I first bought the Jeep I loved it. Fun to drive, looks great. Now it has become a hazard and fear to drive. It loves to just quit for no reason. I could be on the highway going 60 MPH and it just quits! Then trying to steer off the hwy with no power steering is always fun. It also likes to buck, or just shut off when slowing down for traffic lights or turns. I now hate driving it. I have taken it to several mechanics and they use the computer to read the codes and all it tells them is "Vapor Locks" None of them can fix it. They all tell me to get rid of it. I cant because I still owe to much. So I will drive it til the wheels fall off or it kills me.

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  Best car ever! - 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By MOD and ANGRY - June 28 - 11:23 pm

  My aunt bought the car new in late 92, then sold it to my grandfather in 99, and he then gave it to me as my first car. The car now has 220K miles on it. Ive only had to replace the valve gasket and the brake booster. I dont think Ive ever driven a more reliable car. I havent taken very good care of it, I know the rest of my family abused it, but it still keeps running. Im now considering selling it to pay for repairs on my Volvo S60. I wished I would have just invested money in fixing up my Jeep instead of buying the Volvo.

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  Like a member of the family - 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Burger - June 28 - 9:13 am

  We bought this Jeep for the wife and kid, used it for a year and then #2 showed up, so we went to a minivan. Thats when I took over. This truck has been used for beach driving, mountain 4-wheeling, daily commuter and at one point I used it for carpentry work and it was loaded down with a compressor, saws, nail guns, etc. Ive carried 6x6s from Home Depot in it, 10 sheets of plywood on the roof; this truck just wont stop. Gas mileage is now getting to me, but I just cant let go of it, its like family. Change the oil, keep it clean and it will run forever.