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 the compass - 2008 Jeep Compass
  By dustin woods - May 2 - 3:43 am

  Really like the Compass. Very practical for children, loading groceries, and even pull a jet ski concept boat all summer to the lake behind it. So glad that I traded my Jeep Wrangler in for the Compass.

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  i love my jeep - 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By lgay - April 29 - 10:00 am

  i have only had my jeep for a couple of months, but i love it- my only problem is a plastic design peice is moving away from my drivers seat. its not a big deal. i think jeeps are great cars and i would def. buy another one.

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  I love my jeep, for the most part.... - 2008 Jeep Patriot
  By aurora182011 - April 26 - 6:36 pm

  I love my jeep and I plan on keeping I will say it runs great and its comfortable, and good on gas but this water leak thing has got to be fixed i was on my way to work today and water started pouring out of my map light and all over my stereo and into my shifter housing......not happy, dealer ship said its not their problem..... not happy, auto body shop said they had no clue but pressure tested it for 50 dollars and found out nothing.....not happy. I still dont know how to fix it without spending all my money....not happy

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  Jeep 2006 New - 2006 Jeep Liberty
  By dslizzy - April 26 - 2:36 pm

  So, I have had this Jeep for 4 months now. Runs okay, no major defects. However, I am getting 13.3 MPG. My low fuel light or chime does not work. Loses power and does not shift correctly when putting strain on Jeep , like going uphill. Took it to dealer, and they naturally found no problem. The dealer told me as far as the low fuel light not coming on, "You have a fuel guage dont you?" I told him yes, and he said that I must have more reserve fuel than what I thought. So I went to fuel up. I put 18.5 gallons in. That chime and low fuel light should have worked. In my opinion, there are better SUVs out there. MPG on sticker is no where near the actual MPG that you get.

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  Like it. - 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By SI - April 23 - 10:00 am

  Got it at 124000. It was a fleet car, well maintained and garaged. Several things were tuned up by dealer. So far I like it a lot. Knock on wood...Good handling in wet weather, especially helpful here in Seattle. Roomier than any sedan. Overall I like this car very much.

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  X-Factor: Why I love my Jeep! - 2002 Jeep Wrangler
  By Zaks Dad - April 23 - 10:00 am

  Had my X for 1.5 yrs now, and still love the bugger! It is fast, nimble, goes over any obstacle, and parks like a Geo! A Tonka Toy that I drive every day, it is most high on the grin factor. Must haves: full steel doors, with real windows, premium sound, good sunglasses for top-down enjoyment! I have the 3.73 gearing option, and it launches like a jackrabbit. Only thing I wish Id gotten was ABS. This is the best convertible/truck/toy/go- anywhere vehicle ever! Ive owned musclecars, foreign sports cars, trucks, and various other vehicles, but nothing has turned my crank like this Jeep. I fall in love all over again every single day!

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  RELIABLE WORK HORSE - 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By jerrymax - April 19 - 11:06 am

  I bought this as a third vehicle. I also have a 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee and a 1997 Nissan Maxima that I keep on Long Island. I bought the 1997 Grand Cherokee with 138,000 miles on the odometer to keep at my other residence in upstate New York. As with my 1996 model it has been a reliable work horse. My 97 has the SelecTrac system that allows you to shift between RWD and AWD. In AWD it handles upstate winter weather conditions beautifully. The inline-6 engine is noisy but tough as nails. Good as a second (or third) car and local daily driver. A bit bouncy on long trips. No problems to report in first 5000 miles of driving. I recommend using 89 octane fuel rather than regular.

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  love it - 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By sprtsphntc - April 19 - 1:57 am

  came out of a 2000 expedition.wow, what a difference on so many levels. 1st, expdt. was very comfortable, but other than that, car gave me too many problems. jgc is awesome, love everything about it. handling, comfort and all the technology!!! everything is where it should be and lots of great features. upgraded to x package with all weather package which gave me a sunroof, quadtrac II, daytime running lght, h.d. rubber mats (got carpet ones too, free).and some other goodies. got the navi. works good. stereo is awesome and already had some snow and ice in philly and handled excellent. different than exped. compared it to 4runner, edge and mdx and liked this the best!!

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  High cabin noise - 2007 Jeep Patriot
  By Dissatisfied - April 18 - 12:53 pm

  I purchased this vehicle two weeks ago. I was drawn to it by the exterior design. The price also seemed like a bargain. I went on a long trip this weekend and I noticed that the cabin noise was high at 60-65 miles/hr. The vehicle has poor insulation from road noise. I can hear the sound of my tires on the pavement. It also drowns out the the stereo system and ones conversation. Dont try using your cell phone either. You wont hear a thing. Also, a high RPM at speeds of 65 miles adds to the noise. The high cabin noise is such a major nuisance that I cant see myself driving it for another month. On Monday, I am going back to the dealership for a trade, or better yet go with another make.

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  Nice Jeep - 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By alamo889 - April 17 - 2:00 am

  I work on jeeps for a living, so I knew what to expect when I bought mine. Mine has the 4.0L engine. The only thing my Jeep needed when I bought it was an exhaust manifold ( they crack all the time on the 4.0)> Jeeps are high maintainance people! They need alot of T.L.C. You didn`t buy a Toyota. Keep the oil changed every 3k miles, rotate the tires every 6-7k miles (very important on a jeep) and dont beat the vehicle up on the road. Take care of your jeep and more than likely it will take care of you.