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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  Highly recommend - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By give me liberty - October 31 - 10:00 am

  I have enjoyed my Jeep Liberty from the very start. I bought it in June 0f 2001. I had literally one of the very first on the street. It got a lot of looks and many great comments. I have just turned 30K. I have had a few very minor concerns, nothing even worth mentioning.

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  I love it! - 2010 Jeep Liberty
  By Jessie - October 31 - 1:06 am

  We just took delivery of the car yesterday, so I cant address the reliability issues people state, but I know people that have the car and have had no problems. My husbands lease was up on his 07 Grand Cherokee, which was our third Jeep, all with no problems. I convinced him to get the Liberty for me, and Im thrilled with it! Im a nurse and I have to get to work, regardless of the weather, and the Jeeps have never let us down. They go through everything! And Im sure this one will too. The car pros and Consumer Reports all give these cars a bad rap, but since having a Jeep in the family since 1997 and never having a problem, I dont know where they get their information from.

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  My First Jeep - 2007 Jeep Patriot
  By Bryan in Akron - October 30 - 3:43 pm

  The Patriot is the first jeep I have ever owned and I have to say it is surprisingly good at everything. The first weekend after I brought it home there was a snow storm and most of the town was shut down. I went out anyhow. It performed very well in the snow and on unplowed streets with and without the 4x4 turned on. The electronic stability control does its job. The interior of the Patriot is spacious considering its overall size. The interior could be of a higher quality, even in the limited, however it is acceptable for its price. Overall, I have no major complaints about the Patriot. The price point is phenomenal and the quality is great.

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  At home on the road and rocks - 2007 Jeep Wrangler
  By mike - October 29 - 8:43 am

  This Wrangler rides great. Traded a 2003 Rubicon in on it. What a differance in ride. Jeep keeps doing better and better. Just keep the solid axles. i.f.s. would ruin the Wrangler

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  Switched out X3 for V6 Trailhawk and couldnt be happier! - 2014 Jeep Cherokee
  By loisc - October 29 - 5:34 am

  I went for all the bells and whistles. The car is sharp on the outside and luxurious on the inside. It is solidly built, downright peppy with the V6, and full of high-end technology and safety features. On the third day of ownership, the crank shaft sensor failed and car was in the garage two days; however, it is working well since the repair.

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  Quality, Fun, & Excellent Driving Machine - 1995 Jeep Wrangler
  By Travis - October 26 - 2:03 am

  Great fun in the summer time when you can take the doors and roof off. Excellent 4wd capabilities enable you to have fun in the winter or take off road excursions without the worries. Great part availability. Excellent, fun, and quality for the first time drivers to the older, mature persons.

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  Love this thing - 1998 Jeep Wrangler
  By JMAC - October 24 - 10:00 am

  I bought a 98 sahara, the thing is badass. Get the 4.0 the 2.5s are slow. And if you can get a sahara, the thing has the best off-road suspension i have ever seen. Oh yeah, and i nice shifter.

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  Expectations meet - 2002 Jeep Wrangler
  By royboy - October 24 - 10:00 am

  I live in Southern California with an active family. We enjoy hiking, the outdoors, and getting off-road responsibly. I wanted a fun, outdoor- enabled, short commute vehicle. After much searching I decided the ‘X’ was the perfect vehicle for us. I looked at other SUV’s (the Suzuki Vitara/Tracker, Nissan Xterra, & Isuzu Rodeo) and even other AWD cars (Subaru Impreza WRX & Forester). Wranglers have a healthy aftermarket products community, simple utilitarian style, and are just plain fun to drive. Yes, they are less fuel efficient and comfortable than a car but I knew that coming in and have no regrets. We’ve had “the bee” (its yellow) for 7 months and look forward to many more.

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  I love my Liberty - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By Gaston - October 24 - 10:00 am

  I changed from a Cherokee Limited to the Liberty Limited and I am amazed at the change and the increase in drinving pleasure as well as comfort. The quality of the Liberty definitely has a German flair in the craftmanship not equaled in the previous models. It is certainly a bonus. The handling and road holding ability of the Liberty outperforms that of my old (1999) Cherokee. I am very happy with that SUV.

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  Great SUV - 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Goodguy - October 24 - 10:00 am

  I love this vehicle. It is quiet, rides great, comfortable, and has great performance and fuel economy. I am averageing 18.7 MPG. We drove a lot of vehicles before we decided to purchase the jeep. We drove a Trailblazer, Durango, Explorer. For just over $29,000.00 MSRP with Leather, V-8, Dual Power seats, Power windows and lock, AM/FM CD Cassette, and much more. Any thing from GMC, Ford, Chevy with the same option was $4000-$7000 more. The jeep is more responsive and performs better than the other vehicles. It rides better than the Durango or Liberty. The 5 speed auto-transmission and V-8 work great with each other. Before you buy anything else go drive one of these.