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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  Great fun - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By vostok - December 27 - 6:36 am

  I have the 5 speed. This has been a great vehicle to own. I now have over 19k on the car, and its still going great. No problems and it still has that awesome pickup, especially with my 5 speed. And in the snow, this baby goes. Worth every dollar.

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  Still going - 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Jwimm - December 27 - 6:00 am

  Bought this vehicle with about 35K miles on it. Up to about 120k now. Thing still going well. Problems to date: A/C leaks, on 3rd cat conv due to recalls, and just found out that exhaust manifold is cracked. Only regular maintenance beyond that. Like to get a new car but this thing just doesnt want to give up.

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  One hot hot rod - 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Dade - December 27 - 1:53 am

  I love the performance of the Grand. I put in a K&N air filter and Bosch platinum 2 plugs. Handles great. She is a daily driver as I deliver pizza with the Grand; not the best gas mileage but stuck until VW gets fixed. Very comfortable, best vehicle to make deliveries with. I have not had any major problems yet. The transfer case was shot when i bought it and was replaced by the warranty. It does have the mechanical whine and the rotors and calipers are starting to warp, but there is a settlement to replace those now. The transmission does shift funny from time to time and the rear end is starting to groan when making slow sharp turns. She does have 132,000 miles and still running strong.

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  Jeeps are the best - 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By bubba200678 - December 24 - 2:00 am

  They are fun to drive. They have lots of power and go anywhere. Theyre nice to go on vacation in because of the smooth ride.

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  Skeptical - 2008 Jeep Patriot
  By Sarah - December 23 - 7:03 pm

  About two years ago I purchased a 2008 Jeep Patriot brand new and have had an overall good experience until it started making weird noises whenever I accelerated. Well, it turns out at around 30,000 miles I need to replace my CVT. Thank god it is still under warranty! Other minor problems are that the tires constantly squeak whenever I go around turns and it does no handle well at high speeds, especially with the windows down.

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  I Love it! - 2014 Jeep Compass
  By abbeykadabbey - December 23 - 4:48 pm

  I have read a lot of poor reviews on this vehicle and I have to be honest, Im quite surprised. I absolutely love my 2014 Jeep Latitude 2.4 4x4. It drives amazing in the snow. I feel so safe and I also test drove a few other vehicles, including the Nissan Rogue. I absolutely hated the interior of the Rogue and felt it display screen was very outdated as compared to the Jeep touch screen 6.5 display. I definitely recommend the Lattitudes. I didnt test drive the sport though, so maybe thats what people were unhappy with.

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  2003 Jeep Laredo is a Danger on the road - 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Valerie - December 23 - 10:43 am

  My Jeep is now in the shop for the 6th time in 5 weeks, for the same problem-it keeps shutting off; at lights, stop signs, on the road, in the parking lot. Lose power steering and brakes. Only has not quite 58,000 miles on it over 6 years and 3 months. I will NEVER buy another Chrysler car again.

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  Love my Jeep - 2007 Jeep Wrangler
  By Laura - December 22 - 5:56 pm

  I have owned 2 other jeeps ( a 78 cj5 and a 94 cj) my husband has owned 3 jeeps (a 89 cj and a 99 cj and a 02 liberty)) we have both Loved our old jeeps but with the single life gone they werent practical any longer... Until Now! we have only had our 07 for a couple of weeks but we love it and fight over whos turn it is to take to work. we can fit the babe, the car seat and the groceries with room to spare, still look great... and have fun driving again! The sound system rocks and the drive great. A+ in my book

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  Fun to Drive - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By tmcmull - December 22 - 10:00 am

  I have had my 2004 GC Loreado for a year and have 16,000 miles. It such a joy to drive, every trip is an adventure. The I6 engine has such great torque it always seems happy to respond. I have always been a driving enthusist, but the Jeep has me thinking up places to go just to drive it. Reliability has been outstanding, I wish I had bought one years ago.

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  Tough and Reliable SUV - 1996 Jeep Cherokee
  By cc - December 22 - 5:30 am

  It has been a very reliable vehicle, and still runs great at 219,000 miles. I used to drive it daily until it was hit from behind. Now I use it mainly for hauling and plan to let kids drive it eventually. I would not hesitate to buy another Cherokee. They are a great value for the money.