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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  Edmonds verse me - 2010 Jeep Liberty
  By onefofun - December 16 - 4:09 am

  I have owned the 2010 Jeep Liberty for about 8 months and have found the negative press given to this vehicle to be just subjective preferences. The first knock by professionals is the power...well this Jeep has plenty of power and in fact is very zippy and torquey at low end. It gets up and scoots off the line but does lose some punch at 50 and above....but what is the speed limit? This Jeeps power is more than enough. The handling? love it! It is stable on the highway, fun to drive in town and has answered every task I have given it off road including 15 inches of snow mud combo and very rugged terrain. The interior cleans up well and while not fancy remember..its a Jeep.

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  Its a Jeep thing! - 2006 Jeep Wrangler
  By Leonard - December 15 - 6:30 pm

  There is nothing like a Jeep Wrangler. I live in Montana, and This is the perfect recreational vehicle! Nothing out preforms my Wrangler. It is built with the highest quality on the market.

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  CRD 2.8 first thoughts - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By CRD 2.8 IN - December 15 - 9:43 am

  Purchased on 2-14-2005. Drove to Alabama the next day. Seats are terrible. After 100 miles, it gets uncomfortable. 200 miles and you have to get out for a few minutes. Poor tires, Goodyear STs. Those are the bad points. Overall, love the engine and most other things about this vehicle. It could use a deeper cargo area.

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  Better than some at high price - 2007 Jeep Patriot
  By JeepRunner - December 14 - 7:36 pm

  After researching the price compared to the amenities on all SUVs this size, I have found this jeep to be great. With proper maintenance, the jeep has never given me any trouble and works great when having to take it offroad. After owning it for over 2 years the only repair needed was the speakers which were on recall and I brought it in before the speakers go out. I bought the manual transmission due to the troubles still with the CVT transmissions and have no problems and getting around 32mpg. This vehicle goes long distances and goes offroad alot. I love this vehicle.

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  dont buy it !! - 1997 Jeep Wrangler
  By robert mcneil - December 14 - 5:33 pm

  jeep sells a ton of these cars and doesnt care that the transmission etc all die young...mine died at 59000...my honda has 270000 and is all original

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  My third Grand Cherokee - 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By naughty0519 - December 14 - 12:46 pm

  Bought the Limited with the 5.7 Ltr hemi (not an option in the Edmunds drop down menu). After owning a 95 and 99, decided to go back to my old friend. So glad I did!

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  2000 Jeep Cherokee 4x4 - 2000 Jeep Cherokee
  By pweimar - December 14 - 10:00 am

  Excellent utility. One of the few vehicles made in the US which can be relied upon to exceed 200,000 miles if regularly serviced. "Jeepers" refer to them as BABY TANKS!

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  Great Vehicle - 2003 Jeep Liberty
  By Mark Hensley - December 14 - 10:00 am

  This is a great vehicle. Its all that I hoped it would be. So far, no mechical problems what so ever. Fuel economy has remained constant. I have a 2002 YM.

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  Amazing car on and off road - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By the Bear - December 14 - 10:00 am

  Great car on and off road

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  08 Liberty - 2008 Jeep Liberty
  By Ridarc - December 14 - 8:00 am

  I like what Jeep has done to the liberty. It has great Jeep looks, the Ride is car like, and feels roomy inside.