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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  Luv My Liberty - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By Colleen Ewald - May 16 - 2:00 am

  I have never owned a Jeep. I love mine. The preformance of this vehicle is fantastic. The best handling and turning radius I have ever experienced in a vehicle. The 4x4 is great. I had never used a 4x4 until this winter and my Liberty put the BIG BOYS to shame. I could go through anything, and the others could not get the traction that the liberty gave me. I work at UPS and several of the Drivers wanted to test drive mine. Now 7 (seven) of us are happy Jeep Liberty Owners. All of us agree it has great preformance, style and is very unique. I will never turn back to the other brands. Great Product Colleen Ewald

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  Cheap PLastic Parts/Beware of RECALLS - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By Sweetxoxo - May 16 - 2:00 am

  Truck Vents,Plastic body parts/mud flaps fall apart.Beware of NOT getting Recall notices promptly! Ball Joint recall found by Chrysler in 12/03, My Ball Joints failed unexpectedly in 2/04.They never sent recall notice until mid Feb. The company takes their sweet time contacting you, very uncooperative with the assistance I needed.This was a serious issue that was not approached immediately by this company and they say "You had Bad Luck"?? I say I had good luck cuz this could have cost me much more than $$ it could have cost my life when it fell to the ground while driving, without warning.

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  Grand Cherokee - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Andyslove - May 16 - 2:00 am

  I think that my Gran Cherokee is quite possibly the best car of I ever owned. I am a mother who is hauling kids everywhere, and I feel very safe in my jeep. I have owned a Mercedes and a BMW and now I am on my 4th Grand Cherokee and love it.

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  mediocre experience - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By astacker - May 16 - 2:00 am

  The Jeep is a fine SUV until things start to go wrong. I am tired of hearing "we see this all the time in these Jeeps" from my mechanic when I have a little problem. It performs excellent off road, but compared to other SUVs it is noisy and has mediocre handling. Chrysler designs these vehicles so that when little things go wrong with them - big things have to be replaced.

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  Jeep Rules - 2005 Jeep Wrangler
  By Jilian - May 15 - 7:06 pm

  Jeeps in general are amazing, but I love the Wrangler. Its fun to drive, stylish, and you cant beat its off-road capabilities. So the gas mileage isnt the best--are any SUVs that great on gas?

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  Happy in Denver! - 2007 Jeep Wrangler
  By 2 Door Sahara - May 15 - 7:50 am

  Have had my 2 door silver Sahara since July and still love it! This is my second Wrangler. The ride has been improved greatly and does well in the snow when in four wheel. Love the freedom hardtop (no leaks). Power windows and locks are a nice change. This is my only vehicle and I love driving it (especially in the mountains)! Get lots of compliments!

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  What A Ride! - 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By papaphil08 - May 14 - 11:23 pm

  I LOVE MY JEEP! This is my first GC. I purchased my 08 Overland last summer when gas prices where over 4 dollars a gallon, got 11 grand knocked off the price because they were not selling. Whos laughing now! I test drove a Lexus IS350, Ford Explorer, Edge, Lincoln MKX and Acura MDX. None can compare to the quality of this Jeep. Great fit and finish! For a SUV it rides like a Dream! Leather and Wood is Beautiful! Black with the chrome really turns heads, HIDs are flawless! And lets not forget enough power under the hood to really humiliate the kid in the Mustang at the red light. Bustin a** with a EMPTY baby seat in the back! HaHa, I Love My HEMI. German styling/American Muscle, Awesome!

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  Good Solid SUV - 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By campnut - May 14 - 10:00 am

  I have only had two problems so far with my Jeep. The multi-function switch for the headlights, and the lens for the foglights came off. No problems with air conditioning this summer. Love the handling and the comfort of this vehicle. Dont know the history of it, but it has 110,000 miles on it and doesnt show signs of any tranny problems. It is much more easy to drive than an Explorer, but if the suspected problems show up like everyone says, I may wind up buying something else. Great family car, tows like a dream, good gas mileage for a V8, room for kids and stuff, adults are comfy in the back seat. I really like it.

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  I love my Jeep! - 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Ms Suzi Q - May 14 - 10:00 am

  I purchased this Jeep used and with 145K miles on it. The only repair Ive had to make was to replace the water pump, which cost a whopping $23. I saved on labor by having a relative do the work. The Jeep is very comfortable and has the feel of a car. I have owned other SUVs and this is by far the best one Ive had. I put a lot of miles on my vehicles and reliability is a big issue. 13K miles and 7 months later, its still going strong!

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  Great Jeep - 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By B1Mario - May 14 - 10:00 am

  Great SUV, no trail unaccessable, hauls and drives great. Never had a problem mechanically or comfort wise. Great car overall.