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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  Love My Liberty! - 2007 Jeep Liberty
  By Jennifer - June 29 - 9:23 am

  I bought my Liberty Sept. 07 and have been in love with it ever since. Previously I had a Ford Focus which I disliked and wanted something bigger and better in the snow since I live in PA. It drives great in the snow and on anything you throw its way. Quick on the highway. Approx. 20 mpg which isnt awful but it would be nice if it was better. Im not sure why people complain about the window controls. I had a Mercedes and they were in the same place. I like them there since the driver and passenger can control them. Comfortable driver seat. So much fun to drive. Ill never own anything other than a Jeep.

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  Review - 2008 Jeep Wrangler
  By chez - June 28 - 11:43 pm

  This is the second Jeep I have owned. By far the best ride, but there are too many Plastic parts (i. e. the skid plate, grill, and door interior). I improved my mileage by 3 mpg and horsepower by 23 with after market products. Great off road performance. A joy to drive.

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  comparison buying - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Mike Manning - June 26 - 11:40 am

  I traded in a Range Rover for my Grand Cherokee (5.7 Hemi engine). Rovers are good but very high maintenance, and too many mechanical problems. My Jeep is very reliable, and the upgrades make it a pleasure to drive. I feel safe and at the same time enjoy driving my vehicle. I have owned two Rovers, and this is my third Jeep. I will never go back to the overpriced Rover with all the maintenance headaches. Jeep off-road performance is excellent, and like most 4x4s, it depends on off-road driver knowledge to fully appreciate its ability. I am as proud driving my Jeep on the highways as I was with the "prestigious" Range Rover. I receive as many compliments on my Jeep as I did with my Rover.

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  Love the return of the boxier Jeep style - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By LBK - June 25 - 1:43 pm

  This vehicle has been fun to drive around town and was very comfortable on a 600+ mile trip we took within the first 3 months of ownership. It rides well, corners remarkably well and has ample interior room. It holds 5 adults very comfortably and can accommodate 2 additional kids in the 3rd row. The V8 engine provides plenty of acceleration power.

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  Jeep with Mercedes influence - 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By MBnewby - June 25 - 9:03 am

  We just bought a new 2011 Jeep GC Limited Overland 4x4 with the 5.7L Hemi V8. I had read a lot of rave reviews so we had to see for ourselves and this truck is as close to perfection as it gets!!! Forget its a Jeep and you will think your sitting in and driving a Mercedes ML or GL, probably because Mercedes-Benz helped design this new Jeep GC before they cut ties with Chrysler. Design, materials, build quality, ride quality, etc. are on par or better than all other luxury SUVs most costing much more than this new Jeep. This truly feels like a 50-60 grand vehicle but we got it in the low $40K range. If all new Chrysler products follow this new Jeeps lead they will be around for years.

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  4 Jeep vehicle and all were great - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By Mark - June 24 - 3:13 pm

  Very good vehicle so far. Do lots of driving - 24/25K miles a year. Will soon get Jeep # 5.

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  Fun - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By Rica - June 24 - 7:10 am

  Jeep is very fun to drive, the V6 has enough power to go on and off road, handles great off road.

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  AWESOME - 1997 Jeep Wrangler
  By mousmc - June 24 - 2:00 am

  Great vehicle! Gets good gas mileage. Comfortable ride. No maintenance problems. Easy to clean. Plenty of power.

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  1999 jeep Grand cherokee - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By ESTANLEY1961 - June 23 - 8:10 pm

  What can I say this is a fun SUV and has style it is at home in the city or the farm It has taken three kids to college. Pulled trailers my daughter car after she had an accident. It also got me to work which is 40 miles away in all kind of weather snow pouring rain it takes everything you throw at it and comes back for more. the only problems are normal wear and tear and minor little annoying things clock spring door lock speed sensor. I like this one so much I bought a newer model I hope I like it as much

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  A smooth, comfortable and delightful SUV - 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By insmanblue - June 22 - 4:03 pm

  One of the things that really sticks out is how quite and smooth the vehicle is. Its almost like riding in my Acura TL. There is no squeaks or rattles unlike my TL. The GC has many techy things like backup camera, auto dimming headlights and auto wipers that I think are great. I like the new HID lights that really light up the road and adjust automatically depending on road/load conditions. Build quality overall is an 9 overall. Some door panels do not line up. Also the drivers seat bottom needs to be replaced because of a pucker in the leather.