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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  does good off road - 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By josh - March 11 - 12:36 pm

  I bought this for a family vehicle and it has done very well it was a 1 owner when purchased @94,000 miles. It now has 121,000 and has had no Major problems I think this is due to the owner before me taking care of it I have had to replace the radiator and idle air control (the iac was causing it to die at idle) and its due for a tune up I do all my own work so no labor to pay for and most of the time after a little searching I can find the new parts I need cheap oil gets changed every 3k miles with mobile1 10w-30 its had it share of offroad and did well overall a decent vehicle if its taken care of I think I love it and would drive on or offroad anywhere

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  Great SUV - no issues - 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By 07gc - March 9 - 12:45 pm

  This has been a great car to own and drive. Car has been mechanically sound and Ive only had to bring it into dealer for regular maintenance. Very confident handling in snow and solid feel to drive. Only recommendation in AWD is to rotate tires every 5K miles for even wear.

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  Jeeper for Life - 1999 Jeep Cherokee
  By Love my Jeep - March 9 - 10:36 am

  With my 91 Cherokee Limited having 258000 miles on it I decided to buy something a little newer. I have always loved jeeps. The boxiness is great. The L6 pulls my trailer and 2 atvs with no problems (sportsman 500,600). The fuel is decent for something like this. The auto trans is bullet proof. They should never have stopped building these. My only complaint is the power windows. The sport is the most expensive to replace as it is a dealer only item.

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  Jeep Commander - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By Chris - March 8 - 8:56 am

  I purchased this model to replace a Liberty that I rolled with no injuries. I bought the 4x4 sport V-6 and as for the performance it is lacking in the take off power however the weight difference over the V-8s is very benificial for off roading. The V-6 has plenty of power (with a few modifications less than $500, made my own cold air intake; gutted the exhaust system and a Jet II performance module) I have had this Jeep in some very precarious positions and I never had an ounce of trouble getting through the mud, rocks, or anything else that was in my way. As for gas mileage it stinks but you cant ask for good gas mileage on a full time 4x4 .17 is best on highway and 13 in the city.

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  not too bad - 2007 Jeep Liberty
  By jeepers - March 4 - 9:26 pm

  We too noticed right off the bat that the gas mileage was horrible: about 16 mpg average: we took our jeep to a great mechanic who laughed and said you need to understand that Chrysler uses crap parts: he started by lubing with amsoil synthetic, threw away crap spark plugs and installed Bosch Platinum +4s, nitrogen in the tires and now we average 25 mpg which is a great improvement. Dealership wanted $500.00 + to change spark plugs every 30k said would take 1 1/2 hour, they lied: mechanic showed me how easy it was, took 20 minutes and Bosch plugs are 100k mile plugs. Dont trust dealerships they steal your money.

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  LOVE IT! - 2012 Jeep Patriot
  By 5loaves2fish - March 2 - 3:57 pm

  I was torn between the Jeep Patriot and getting another Caliber SXT (which I loved and ran faithfully without a minute of trouble for 64,000 miles). After rigorous shopping and research, I was able to get a loaded Jeep Patriot Latitude; 4 x 2; CVT; sunroof;Sirius radio for about $22,000. I spend a ton of time in my car, so the fact that it is comfortable is of utmost importance. Traction control is a great feature. Heated seats; smooth drive; 2.4 litre engine has nice pickup; manuevers well in parking structures and around town. Looks like a Jeep, but drives like a car. Being 51, I love that I sit up high. I think were going to have a lot of good years together. Ill keep you posted!

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  2008 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited 4x, 4dr, V6 - 2008 Jeep Wrangler
  By M7 - March 1 - 11:43 am

  Hands down best 4x4 i have ever driven. i work in the mountains east of San Diego and i drive it over some really tough terrain (its my work vehicle). it climbs like crazy and i can go places that the other trucks cannot. we beat em up and drive em hard out here, but this thing is solid. even rides smooth on the highway; it feels more solid and stable than the smaller jeeps. i love this truck.

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  2008 Jeep Patriot - 2008 Jeep Patriot
  By GPS Tech - March 1 - 10:50 am

  I have owned a Patriot for one year now and havent had a problem with it yet. I heard people were having problems with leaks but mine went through hurricane Ike last summer and didnt get a drop inside. Replaced the factory tires with yokohama high performance since 99% of driving is city. Now it handles more like a car. The front end is really stylish and the optional foglights illuminate backroads well. Very satisfied with my Patriot and would recommend it to anyone looking for a small suv.

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  I miss my Jeep - 2000 Jeep Cherokee
  By Johnny - February 28 - 11:36 pm

  Toughest and most reliable vehicle I have ever owned, foreign or domestic. Had to sell it at 150,000 miles so I could get my wife a new vehicle, but it was still going strong. Tough, reliable and simple.

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  love my Jeep - 2008 Jeep Liberty
  By G. Carter - February 28 - 8:46 pm

  Ive had the Liberty for 1200 miles and so far really like it. Weve had 3 major snowstorms in Maine recently and the Jeep performed as though there was no snow on the roads. Its comfortable, handles nicely and forward visibility is great. I like that Jeep has removed the spare tire from the rear door which opens vertically with a pop up window. Theres plenty of space for storage when you fold down the rear seats and with my model the right front seat also folds flat for longer items. All in all its a great vehicle especially with all the incentives and financing available.