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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  CRD for America - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By James - August 12 - 1:20 pm

  Good that Jeep offers diesels in the American market. We drove diesel powered cars in Europe for years so its not surprising to see them gaining more acceptance in the US due to higher fuel prices. Our Jeep is powerful, very capable off road and quite livable as a daily commuter. Fuel consumption is OK but could be less -- it is a heavy vehicle, after all, and the full-time 4x4 on the Limited makes winter driving much more secure.

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  Great Jeep - 1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By compgeek789 - August 9 - 11:13 pm

  My Jeep has a substantial amount of power, and it has more acceleration than my other previous vehicles. Its compact design makes it easy to fit into parking spots, and has excellent handling on bad roads due to its all-time 4X4. It also offers a smooth ride, and good gas mileage.

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  Nice for price - 2015 Jeep Patriot
  By Amy - August 8 - 5:41 pm

  Love my jeep. Great vechile for the price. I have had it for 7 months and no problems with it. Somtimes I do wish it had better take off speed.

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  My Jeep Cherokee - 1996 Jeep Cherokee
  By Calvin Bevard - August 6 - 10:00 am

  This jeep has alot of miles on it and the inline 6 engin is a good strong engin0

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  1998 Jeep Cherokee Classic - 1998 Jeep Cherokee
  By Roger Smith - August 6 - 10:00 am

  Coming up on 5 years of ownership. This is the bright red (Flame Red) Jeep color. Paint has held up extremely well. Mechanically, this has been a very sound car. I have the 4.0 6 cyl. engine. "Bullet proof." This is the 3rd Jeep Cherokee that I have owned. Quite pleased and a safe car. Easy to maintain and very reliable. Ride is more "truck like" than a Grand Cherokee - I own one of those, too...Make no mistake - in the snow or in slick conditions the Cherokee out- performs the Grand Cherokee

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  1993 grand cherokee - 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By reber1 - August 5 - 12:07 pm

  bought mine new in 93 and now have 235,000 miles on it. In the life of the vehicle I have only replaced the fuel pump, water pump, and transmission lines. not bad at all for a vehicle of this age. Liked it so much I just purchased a 2011 GC Larado. I loved my old 93 so much I couldnt get rid of it. It now does winter plow duty. Still going strong!

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  Whats yall problem! - 2008 Jeep Wrangler
  By AHM - August 4 - 8:56 am

  Everyone is complaining about leaks. Well the only leakage is on 4 door, sundowner tops 2 or 4 and hard tops. I bought a 2008 X w/auto, a/c with standard top. No leaks! Only two pain in the behind areas are the weather stripping on top on opposing corners that come flying off, and the front passenger seat that does not slide froward enough to access back seat. Mileage is good,18 around town and 21 hwy. Not a racer, just a regular ole hippie/biker guy. Performance is adequate, ride is comfy and handling is pretty darn good. Turning radius is outstanding. Yes there is some wind noise, but it is a rag top. What other vehicle gives yall as much fun, reliability, and enjoyment for 21 grand.

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  Eh. - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By rachel152 - August 4 - 7:15 am

  Ive had my Liberty for about two months now. In these past few months I have spent over $1000 in repairs. First, the rear-axle had problems, and second there was a crack in my radiator. The Libertys gas mileage is absolutely horrid. I at least get 17 mpg hwy. The interior design of the Liberty is impressive, but the audio system is bad, too. The speakers in the car do not go loud enough. It is also very loud, getting up to 70 mph in the car is like being on a jet plane. Otherwise, does good in bad weather, and is rather stylish looking. If it werent for all the repairs and horrid gas mileage, this car would be perfect.

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  Pleasures and flaws - 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By chief46 - August 3 - 10:50 pm

  Great highway ride and handling -- strong, quiet, smooth, precise. But there are some annoying flaws that should be fixed -- and hopefully these fixes will be offered to 2011 owners. First, someone forgot the "sport utility" part of SUV in designing the really lame roof rails. Even Yakima wont try a fit for them. I need to load two canoes, and will apparently have to spend hundreds on a new Thule system and then Dremel some plastic to get a decent crossbar spread. Second, the dial speedometer is almost totally useless in the daytime. Fortunately you can set up a digital speed readout in the center. Also, gap when rear seats down & no bumpers.

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  Good Value - 2007 Jeep Liberty
  By Jim - August 1 - 5:20 pm

  Simple layout with a lot of features, great bang for the price Hi, I bought the car new because of the warranty and that it was the only one at this price with the features it has (leather, heated seats, etc). Three years later, the car has been good. The gas mileage is worse than my previous Grand Cherokee which had a V8. Though Ive loaded it up with books to the roof (and then put suitcases on the roof) and it didnt really change the gas mileage. The car handles well off road, though the stock clearance and tires suck. Ive never had an issue with the windows (I was told by a dealer that the last series of 2007s got the 2008s electrical system). Find a good dealership-its the dif