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:

• 

  My 1st Jeep 75th Edition.. move outta my way Ford! - 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Lisa J - October 16 - 12:07 am

  I love my JGC 75th Edition.. Its black with bronze... it is beautiful. My only complaint is the start/stop feature. I dislike it! I wish there was a way to disable it until I want it, not the other way around. If I had my druthers, I wish that LED lights came standard on this vehicle; Especially since it is a Special Edition. Love the handling, ride and get up and go of this vehicle. It is definitely a head turner.

• 

  Thirsty jeep - 2006 Jeep Liberty
  By Lori w/ thirsty jeep - October 15 - 11:36 am

  I am 5 tall with a boyfriend of 66", we both fit quite well and comfortably to drive the jeep. I have had 2 recalls since I purchased ( no big deal). It drives great, looks good, the interior is designed very well. The 1/3 and 2/3 split back seats fold down easily. Leather seats with heater great. However, my mileage is 13 - 15.7 (15 on highway) per gal. I drive mostly highway and conservatively, no sudden stops or starts. I can see the gas gauge go down as I drive. The overhead says avg mileage stays at 14 - 14.8 MPG, manual calculations show it correct

• 

  Fills the niche - 2007 Jeep Compass
  By schill27 - October 14 - 1:26 am

  Ive only had this vehicle for a short amount of time but in that amount of time I have come to truly enjoy it. What many consider negative features of the Compass truly dont understand what theyre driving. Yes, from a stand still it takes the CVT some time to get to full highway speeds. However, short of drag racing or awkward on-ramps, how often does someone get on an expressway starting at 0 MPH? Lack of cargo space? Not really. The Compass has adequate space for everyday necessities, and with the 60/40 back seats I cant imagine not having enough room. Id target this vehicle at a younger audience who want nice features with an affordable price tag.

• 

  it wont Die - 1998 Jeep Cherokee
  By vtags - October 12 - 11:30 am

  267,000 miles...more worried about the rust possibilities than anything mechanical. It is a dependable tank. Not glamorous, just reliable

• 

  Fun Ride - 2003 Jeep Liberty
  By jayrider - October 12 - 2:00 am

  Exceeded expectations in quality and fun to drive. Absolutely stunning good looks. Great in snow and rain with good visibility. Very quick in traffic and solid on the interstate. MPG about what you would expect for a heavy duty small truck.

• 

  Uh Oh! - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By 2ndJeep - October 11 - 10:40 pm

  Fun to drive, love the style. BUT problems with auto trans that dealer cant seem to fix. When below 32 degrees, trans locks in 2nd gear and check engine light comes on. Had it to dealer 3 times so far, and it just happened again today. Also two symetrical dents on either side of hood cracking the paint. To be fixed under warranty. Starting to think I got a lemon, although I do love the vehicle. very concerned. Gas mileage disapointing.

• 

  The 02 sure is better than the 99 - 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By thewebmine - October 10 - 10:00 am

  It looks like Jeep did something right compared to the junk 1999 I had, I couldnt pass up the 02 JGC SE because of the price, Listed for over 32k and paid 25k. So far I have no complaints like I did on the 99. One thing that stayed the same is the HORRIBLE GAS MILAGE. I average 13MPG, but what can you expect from a 4000lb vehicle with QuadraTracII

• 

  good suv but! - 2017 Jeep Renegade
  By LAne Crocker - October 8 - 3:30 am

  Trailer hitch--- out of sight price! $1200 plus if dealer installed. traction control can be turned off. if you dont you loose power in a tight turn entering a highway. ( I never liked it on other cars but i could turn it off) ride is good. fairly quite. and a lot of fun to drive. arm rest are poorly position ( door side is to far out, console is not confortable.) and it got noisy ??? its not a car that I can sit back and relax ( electric power steering) oil change $52.95 at dealer. stupid! I do it my self for $22 or go to muffler man for $25.

• 

  Great for the price....BUT - 2008 Jeep Patriot
  By Murph - October 8 - 2:23 am

  Look for the price that you pay, this vehicle is great but there are some drawbacks that you should know about. The first is that the CVT has a serious lag when accelerating from being stopped. The car has great pep when punching it in the 50-70 mph range. I actually like the interior design but I upgraded the seat material etc. The tailgate is low and I crack my head on it like others. The mileage I get is about 24mpg. Even on a full highway trip, I get this b/c the RPS get a little high. Four wheel drive handles great in the snow. All in all a good little car. It isnt great but I would say you get more than what you pay for. The CVT is clearly the thing that needs to be improved.

• 

  Jeep 6 month review - 2000 Jeep Cherokee
  By DMBstang21 - October 7 - 10:00 am

  Had a 94 Mustang and wanted an opposite vehicle to compare it with. This is it, exactly; with the exception of power being comprable (the jeep feels as fast as the v6 mustang) and them consuming about the same amount of gas (18-20MPG). I can help my friends move, tow small loads, pass on the grass, take all the short cuts I can find, not slow down to 1MPH everytime I see a bump, and park where ever I please. Try doing that in a 2door sports car with z-rated tires. This is not your typical SUV, this is not a living room on wheels. It is similar in size to an Escape or CRV and remains true to its herratage of off-road capable vehicles.