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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  Chrysler is no help - 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By kselle - October 7 - 10:00 am

  The Jeep is great with the exception of the brakes. With only 22,000 miles on it the brake rotors warped. Chrysler has had a huge problem with this in the past but would offer me no assistance. This will be my last Chrysler product. I refuse to buy from a company that will not stand behind thier product.

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  Rough riding Laredo Grand Cherokee - 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By DONALD GOLD - October 6 - 4:43 pm

  Bought this Jeep used. So far no serious problems, v8 is great specially in mtns. Lots of pick up and go. I am 75 years old and I find riding in back seat is very uncomfortable. I was thinking about changing shocks. Perhaps some type of air shock to add to comfort of riding. Materials used for seats is horrible, stains easily, even when my dog drools a little, it will stain, water does also. I had them cleaned with steam clean and really worked, try it. I have fellow that does it for me. I wish it would ride more comfortably.

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  Dont do it...run - 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By lwk1019 - October 5 - 5:33 am

  Buying any Jeep GC? - reconsider and run the other way. Me, I/ve owned 3 of them - every year the engineers figure out how to make them cheaper. 1993, 1998, 2000 have finally learned my lesson. They are oh so beautiful but what a mechanical nightmare. Yea, yea, yea I know all about maintaining them - simply junk, mopar junk. The paint is world class and thats it folks.

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  Jeep Wrangler - 2002 Jeep Wrangler
  By Carrie Cowell - October 1 - 10:00 am

  The Jeep Wrangler is definetly not a car for everybody, but for people that like a fun ride and dont mind the bumps, this car is great. The pros are that it has 4 wheel drive in the winter and is a convertable in the summer. So you get the best of both worlds, and how many card do you know that you can do that. Also I like the feeling of freedom I get when I drive this car. Every time I get into my car it puts me in a good mood. The down sides are, it is not really great for groceries because there is not much storage space. And sometimes people complain about the bumpy ride. But all in all for me it is a daily escape and makes driving fun.

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  Love this Jeep - 2006 Jeep Wrangler
  By pjb1966 - September 29 - 2:26 pm

  This is the coolest vehicle and lots of fun! I wish It had come with a few other options like a console and steps and "cruise-control" other than that I love it!! its a nice quiet smooth ride the only downside is the "gas" mileage is not so good!! other than that you"ll be VERY HAPPY!

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  Cup holders and compartments i need more! - 2016 Jeep Renegade
  By Pamela - September 27 - 6:08 am

  I love the car. But the placement of the shift and cup holders is awkward. There are no side cup holder and not enough cubbyholes to place items like key cards convenient but hidden. The rear door is heavy needs assistance to open and close.

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  Wouldnt Trade It For the World! - 2005 Jeep Wrangler
  By Alisha - September 22 - 4:03 am

  Ive wanted a Jeep for a VERY long time and finally got it! Regardless of what the overview on this site says, the soft top is not that hard to work with once you get used to it. (Im 57 with very little arm muscle and can do it!). Now we have 2 Jeeps in the family and can count on mine to do everything the other one does (and its more reliable than our 91 Wrangler too). A little noisy at 75mph, but it was never meant to be an interstate vehicle really, and the noise of the soft top is a good sacrifice to make with the unpredictable weather of New Mexico. I wouldnt trade my Jeep for the world!

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  1998 Jeep Wrangler SE - 1998 Jeep Wrangler
  By Kathryn - September 22 - 2:00 am

  First of all, there is nothing like a Jeep. What it lacks in ability it makes up for in fun. I regret not getting glass windows rather than plastic because they are considerably noisier. Plus, plastic windows are sort of a pain when you go through a drive through and its raining. I have never regretted not getting a hard top. They seem like an inconvenience not worthy of something which is an aesthetic improvement. Plus, I would like to dispel the myth that Jeeps are cold. A soft top suffices in keeping a jeep warm. The heater is awesome as is the air conditioning. Overall, this car rocks and Ive loved it since the day I got it!

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  patriot lover - 2008 Jeep Patriot
  By val smith - September 18 - 4:56 am

  Ive got over 30000 miles on my patriot already and am very pleased. I live in the N Ga mountains and drive 65 miles one way to work. Im getting 26 mpg which I am pleased with considering the terrain. The brakes are holding up well as as are the Goodyear tires. I bought the base model but wish I had spent the extra money for the 4wd. I thought the front wheel drive would be adequate enough and it basically is but I do miss the 4wd. This vehicle will see well over 200k miles before I trade it for a new one. Love the lifetime powertrain warranty and will definitely consider another patriot.

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  DINOS JEEP - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By DEAN DAURIZIO - September 17 - 10:00 am

  LOVE THE ROUGH RIDE,AND HIGH SEAT VISIBILITY. HAVE NOT HAD ONE THING GO WRONG,AND THIS IS MY THIRD JEEP GC.RELIABILITY HAS IMPROVED DRAMATICALLY SINCE MY FIRST ONE IN 94