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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  Window problems, cheap interior - 2007 Jeep Patriot
  By farmwife - March 18 - 10:16 pm

  This is my first jeep. I bought it because of price and fuel economy. We had a snowy winter, and it handles well in snow. I have a toddler, so the plastic back on the seats and the YES fabric work great. Controls are in odd spots, and that took some getting used to. Window noise from rear windows is annoying. Seats are uncomfortable, and the arm rest is terrible, cup holders very inconvenient. For the second time in a month, the power windows have failed. All four windows get stuck down, the controls get some working after repeated effort. Rear driver never responded, stuck down. In zero degree weather with a toddler, a real problem. Today it did it again- thinking of trading...

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  1st time Jeep - 2009 Jeep Liberty
  By Car Buy Guy - March 18 - 11:53 am

  This is my first American car after many years of driving foreign. I feel very fortunate to have purchased a new vehicle during such hard times and decided to give the American car companies another chance. This is my first Jeep and so far I pretty impressed. Quality and workmanship have definitely improved but the amount of product has lessened. Metal and materials have taken a back seat to technology. One of the reasons I chose Jeep was for safety. A full frame,rear wheel drive,and superb styling brought some of the important basics back to an industry that has become "boring". Looking at other SUVs, they all looked and drove the same until I met Jeep. Its a buy recommendation for me..

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  Woohoo - 2005 Jeep Wrangler
  By Tyler - March 17 - 3:26 pm

  This is my second Wrangler as I had one back in 99; a Sahara. There have been vast improvements in the sound system and I dont think the newer one has a distributor cap like the 99 did which seemed kind of archaic. Its a lot of fun, though not very comfortable on long trips. The under 30 set would love it though and there is nothing quite like the top down on a nice day, or being able to go through snow like it does.

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  Good hunting rig - 2000 Jeep Cherokee
  By MNtrailhunter - March 17 - 3:06 pm

  My XJ has been a good hunting vehicle. With a minor lift and larger tires, It can go through just about anything. It sucks the gas and isnt the best for larger people to be in but it has a lot of cargo area compared to the TJs.

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  Die Hard Jeep fan driven away from Jeep, by Jeep - 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By bboston1724 - March 17 - 2:43 am

  Great car let down by crappy components. When will Chrysler get it? The car was in the shop for almost a month. Dealer recommended having it bought back, but I just traded it in for a BMW. The transfercase failed, which was replaced and then had all sorts of driveline problems as a result. Rear shock failed, and brakes were warped by 7500 miles. The last 100 miles was just driving it back and forth to the dealer for problems. Im disappointed as a former die hard Jeep fan, that was my 7th and probably last Jeep. The dealer and Chrysler did little to keep me happy.

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  Quality keeps improving in JGC - 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By JerryP - March 17 - 2:00 am

  This is our fifth Jeep since the 84 Cherokee(which was totaled one night but my wife walked away from.) We bought this used off a lease return with about 21K miles. It now has over 48K and has been a rugged performer driving through some very harrowing winter conditions here in the Cascades; all of it without any major failures of any equipment. Better gas mileage than any of its predecessors(18.1mpg)with more power than expected. Great visibilty, good road feel: just an easy car to drive.

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  What an interior - 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By LDZermeno - March 16 - 9:53 am

  After having three separate friends owning Jeep Grand Cherokees (and having to hear how fun, and convenient they were), I decided to trade in my 2004 1500 Ram with the Hemi. In exchange I purchased an 06 Jeep GC Limited with the 5.7 Hemi. With the employee discount and fair trade in value of my truck, I think I got a very good deal. I couldnt be any happier. The ride is excellent, the pick up is great. But it still has a high center of gravity, so I wouldnt recommend going fast on those turns, lol. After 1200 miles, I am finally starting to realize why my friends were happy with their Jeeps.

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  Solid - 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Zimmer - March 12 - 10:00 am

  My wife and I bought our JGC in 98 with 56k and although we dont drive it a lot, we both like it and now have 87k on it. I like the aggressive Jeep ride, it starts very well in winter, smooth transmission and a person can pull utility trailers easily also. I have only replaced the rear brakes, tires all around and added a little a/c refrigerant.

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  I bought it for the seats - 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Soulgar - March 12 - 10:00 am

  I traded in a 87 4Runner for this car . After sitting in serveral other SUVS , the buckets of this car just screamed BUY ME. So I did. 50k later Im trading it in . The interior looked great but didnt hold up. The mechanics were jacked too. Changed the water pump 3 times and replaced both the o2 and exaust sensors. The V6 also lost power at around 50k.

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  GOOD OFF AND ON ROAD VEHICLE - 1997 Jeep Wrangler
  By JULIUS - March 12 - 10:00 am

  I ALWAYS WANTED TO BUY A SUV THAT CAN HANDLE OFF-ROAD AND ON-ROAD. I HAD A INFINITY QX4 WHICH WAS VERY GOOD FOR ON- ROAD, BUT NOT GOOD IN A OFF-ROAD. AFTER THAT I DECIDED TO BUY SOMETHING FOR BOTH WAY. AND I HAD TWO CHOICES ONE IS HUMMER AND OTHER ONE IS JEEP WRANGLER. BUT THE PRICE WAYS JEEP WAS MUCH CHEAPER TO GET, AND IT HANDLES THE OFF- ROAD LIKE IT WAS BUILD FOR IT. IF YOU DARE TO TAKE IT TO THE OFF-ROAD, YOU WILL NOT HAVE THE SAME KIND OF FUN IN ON-R0AD. THE ONLY PROBLEM IT HAS IS, IF YOU HAVE SOFT TOP, IT MAKES A LOT OF NOISE ON THE FREEWAY DRIVING. BUT, IF YOU TAKE THE TOP OFF, THERE ARE LOTS OF FUN TOO. MOST OF ALL IM VERY VERY HAPPY WITH IT.