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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  Fun and Functional - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By urbanwest - January 6 - 3:53 pm

  My Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited with the 330hp hemi engine is an absolute blast. Although its difficult to pass a gas station without stopping to top up. If you can ignore the horrendous gas mileage its great fun to drive. What caught my eye initially was the new aggressive styling. After an inordinate period of time researching and test driving, the Jeep won hands down. The drive is smooth and comfortable and the acceleration is a rush. It offers far more bang for the buck than BMW or Infinity with all the creature comforts and then some. Perfect for us 60+ guys.

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  Sky Slider Problems - 2008 Jeep Liberty
  By danielleboyd - January 6 - 3:46 pm

  I bought my 2008 jeep liberty suv in May 2011. The sky slider (moonroom) very loud. Now yesterday March 28, 2012 the sky slider broke on the pasenger side. Took it to the jeep dealer today March 29, 2012, and was told that the rod that goes throught the track on the pasenger side was broke and needs to be replaced. Also I was told that it would cost $4-$5000.00 dollars to me its not worth fixing. So I found this site and am shocked to see all the reviews in reguards to this same year and problem. Thank you to one of the post and gave me the number to call DMV to report problem so maybe they will recall this. To those of you with this same issue please call this number 1-888-327-4236.

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  Brings out the kid in you - 2001 Jeep Wrangler
  By Eric - January 6 - 10:10 am

  Dont buy a Jeep Wrangler expecting Corvette performance or Cadillac comfort. This vehicle offers minimum luxury and very little power. The great thing is the positives definitely outweigh the negatives. Everything else about this vehicle is awesome! You feel like a kid again when you drop the top and hit the beach. The Wrangler is amazingly versatile also. YouÂ’ll ride comfortably in a business suit to work during the week, while enjoying open air driving in shorts during the weekend. If you love the off-road, then there are plenty of options for rims/tires and lift kits. So far, I have spent very little on maintenance. I highly recommend the Jeep Wrangler.

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  RUBICONROCKS! - 2003 Jeep Wrangler
  By TAMU92 - January 6 - 10:00 am

  VERY FUN! VERY CAPABLE! NO OTHER 4X4 COMES CLOSE.(PERIOD)

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  Great if you realize what youre buying - 1991 Jeep Wrangler
  By bigticket42 - January 5 - 11:26 am

  I had alway wanted a Jeep and I finally bought one. First of all I love mine, but you need to realize what you are buying. These are loud and ride very stiff from the factory. I have the 4 Cylinder and like it because I get 18 - 20 around town. The downfall with the 4 is that it is not fast. I think 75 mph is pushing it on a flat surface so it is not great for going out of town in (although my daughters will drive these when they get their first car) I recommend the soft top, although loud one person can take it down and back on in under 5 minutes. The hardtop is a pain to get off and on and is a multiple person job. If you have both the hardtop is ideal for winter. Mine has been reliable.

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  Great Buy!!! - 2016 Jeep Patriot
  By Nick - January 4 - 10:07 am

  The Jeep Patriot is a great purchase - a great combination of all factors we needed to take into account. Mileage is okay; room is quite spacious. The big key for us was to have a second vehicle that handles the snow pretty well. We had a Jeep Wrangler for years. We live in the hills in Kentucky and when it snows heavily the roads are not well kept so we need something that can handle deep snow, slippery conditions, and can handle peaks/valleys/curves in heavy snow. The Patriot FDII WIth Low Gear is just like owning a manual transmission in the snow in the hills. The low gear reduces speed (you can shift from D to L as you go down a hill) and never go higher than 3-4 mph without touching the brakes. And when going up hills in the snow, it doesnt even slip. And now we have a vehicle that can pull our trailer, get decent gas mileage and have a vehicle that is easy to drive in all conditions. Its been a great purchase! The expert reviews are not high on the Patriot (doesnt have a lot of fancy bells/whistles - technology) but the owner reviews are usually pretty positive. Very reliable/dependable and good purchase for its price.

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  A rare right hand drive Cherokee - 2001 Jeep Cherokee
  By hot_burrito_1 - January 4 - 1:10 am

  I found my Cherokee on the side of the road for sale. It is a factory right hand drive. Aside from replacing nearly all of the original parts (previous owners were not proactive in taking care of the vehicle), it is a very durable vehicle. I use this vehicle daily to carry mail and it is stronger than the government owned vehicles. It has twice the power. The only downside to the 4.0 is the poor gas mileage. Overall, this is one of the best vehicles I have ever owned. The best I have ever owned was a 1984 Honda Accord.

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  Works for Me - 2010 Jeep Commander
  By kennyj - January 2 - 11:36 am

  I was looking for a reasonably priced smaller SUV with a 3rd row for my 2 kids if an extra adult or two wants to come along. So far I am very pleased with the overall package. The rear seat TV is a blessing with the kids but I will agree the 2nd and 3rd rows are a bit cramped for adults, especially if the front seat passengers are tall. But the front seats are comfortable and spacious and it works for a family of 4. I have had 4 adults plus my 2 kids in the back for a short trip and its a bit cramped but it works. An excursion or Yukon XL it isnt, but it fits in my smaller garage and easy to park and maneuver. Blind spots are huge, but no worse then any other boxy SUV I have driven.

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  2007 JEEP GRAND CHERKEE - Love it! - 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By disgustedagain - January 1 - 10:22 am

  We Purchased the 2007 JEEP Grand Cherokee used with 41,000 miles on it. Now has 75,000 Miles on it. We have had a few warrenty issues with bad differencial gaskets, and leaky transmission hose. Starter - All Covered - No cost to us. We have done nothing but preventive regular maintenence you have to do with any car. Gas, Tires, Oil, Transmission check at 70,000 --Drain, Flush, All OK. We have rough Winters here in Minnesota, and this is the vehical to own. Goes through 2ft or more like it is not there. Very stable ride, smooth, quiet, sits up nice. I was so happy with this one, I bought another JEEP Grand Cherokee 2998 Limited, Love that too!

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  A lot of good - some bad - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By traildog - January 1 - 9:56 am

  Bought new, now 138K I6 Quadradrive Ltd - had her in mud, mountains, rocks, washes, desert, snow, hunting etc - never got stuck! Get 19/22 and have put less than $500 in 7 years (other than tires, brakes, and oil). Now I am facing tranny, CVs, A/C, power window, water pump, cruise repairs, tires and who knows what else. It aint cheap to get fixed.