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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  Has some problems - 2008 Jeep Wrangler
  By Mike - June 27 - 2:03 pm

  I have owned a few Jeeps and this one does have a comfortable ride compared to the others. Mine is a right hand drive, I use to deliver mail. Any snow at all and I have to use 4 wh. drive or the right rear just spins. With 4 wheel I have had no problem. Auto. trans. feels "soft". Will roll backwards on the slightest incline when you take your foot off the brake and you are in Drive. Have to use a lot of throttle to force a downshift when climbing any grade. Leaks in around top of doors. Rear window washer hose comes loose and sprays fluid all over the interior. Engine is noisy when you first start it at 20 degrees or below. Steering damper is shot at 16,000 miles. Tires wear fast.

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  Not for Teens - 1995 Jeep Cherokee
  By vacottonking - June 27 - 2:00 am

  My 17 yr son rolled this vehicle, He was unharmed which is probably a plus from that stand point. The body of the vehicle held up even though it was unrepairable. In my opinion, the short turning radius, power, and top heavy nature of this vehicle require above average driving skills to be safe. I am sure most SUVs fit this category. I still want another one. I also had a 1991 Explorer that was much more comfortable and quiter, but not nearly as fun to drive as the jeep. The jeep was better off road and was lighter. Jeep was Better on the beach. Pick the jeep for fun & recreation, but get something else for trips if you are over 40

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  I want it to last forever. - 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By mathteacher - June 27 - 2:00 am

  I have replaced tires, belts, fluids regularly. The only non-routine expenses have been replacing the air-conditioner and the boot... A very inexpensive vehicle for us.

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  Overall Good Quality - 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By rrussell - June 27 - 2:00 am

  Second Grand Cherokee that my wife and I have owned. First was a 93 with the I-6 cylinder which was a little under powered for towing a medium sized trailer (17). The 96 has the 5.2 liter (318 cid) which has been more than adequate. The only problem we have had with the vehicle is an automatic transmission rebuild at 100, 000 miles. I felt this was totally unacceptable for a transmission to fail at this mileage and the response from the dealership was less than what we had hoped for.

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  Not bad for a Jeep - 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By DonWillis - June 27 - 2:00 am

  Other than the fact that its a pure gas hog, I love this vehicle. I average about 13 or 14 mpg in the city and about 18 or 19 mpg on the highway. Theres plenty of storage, which is nice, and the factory stereo system was so good that I kept it. Thats a first for me. Usually, the first thing I do is yank out the factory stereo and pop in a high-powered sound machine. Its also very fun to drive. As far as comfort though, its not the best car. Its a little cramped for me, plus the steering wheel is a little hard to turn. Other than that, its fine.

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  Awsome Jeep! - 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By ben yothers - June 27 - 2:00 am

  This is the best Jeep ever Built

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  Its a toy thing. 97 Sport 4.0L Manual - 2004 Jeep Wrangler
  By ColeP - June 27 - 2:00 am

  I love my Jeep, unfortunately my wife hates it. Thats the story of life. Cars are a bad investment, but a Jeep is different. It can get you or others out of sticky situations, and as far as an SUV nothing could be more fun to drive. Its just not for everybody. Dont speed or race around in it, even though they try to make the new ones feel like cars, they are far from it, and they should stay that way. Make sure you can trust your mechanic, I found that mine had been running with no transmission fluid for 3 years, when I checked the fluid level myself, and the mechanic who filled it up for me forgot to secure the skidplate to the tranny. These people....

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  Wonderful. - 1995 Jeep Cherokee
  By Brad Pullins - June 26 - 9:23 pm

  I have the 4Dr 2WD speed. I bought it when I turned 16 and it has been the best vehicle as far as reliability Ive ever seen. I bought it with 128k in 02 and now, in 05, I have 172k on it. Oil leaks a little, but that is expected for a 10 year old car.

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  Great Experience - 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Jim Bolton - June 26 - 10:00 am

  My 2001 Limited is great. The exterior styling is sharp while the interior quality is exceptional. Ive owned 28 vehicles since I started driving and this is one of the best vehicles that I have owned. And no...my previous fleet did not include Gremlins, Pintos or Ygos! My Jeep experience has ranked up there with my Infiniti and Lexus experiences.

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  Urban CUV - 2007 Jeep Compass
  By UrbanGuy - June 26 - 1:23 am

  Sport 4x4 26E pkg. Tough American look in a sea of foo foo Asian lookalikes. Simple and easy to clean interior with just the right amount of functions. Lots of get up and go, steep hills and merging on highway no sweat. 511" and I have room to stretch in all seats. Snow & ice are no challenge and ABS stops jeep straight and true on ice. 2,500 miles and no problems.