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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  rubicon..gotta have one - 2004 Jeep Wrangler
  By DRCLAYLEE - June 19 - 2:00 am

  this has been a fun ride........ would highly recommend a rubicon to everyone this is the ultimate jeep

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  great vehicle - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By uglytuna - June 18 - 9:53 am

  We bought this new in 2002. In six years, the only two items that have failed are the A/C compressor ($1100) and a battery. Not bad considering we do quite a bit of off-roading, and tow a 1000 pound pop-up camper. The Liberty is easy to drive, easy to park, looks good, and is great off- road. The mileage is only about 18 around town, but if you want 3 more miles per gallon you should consider one of those cute little "SUVs" that are built on a Toyota Corolla chassis. Ive seen those get stuck in a gravel driveway. The Liberty is the real thing off road, but does just as well in a Wal-mart parking lot (more dangerous than the Kalahari, by far).

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  Good Affordable SUV - 1999 Jeep Cherokee
  By judge09 - June 17 - 2:00 am

  I have had this cherokee sport for 3 years and have been very happy. The power is great, the ride is fine, its a solid truck. The only problem I have had is both front power windows crapped out. $400 they work fine. Overall great jeep.

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  Great Jeep - 2000 Jeep Wrangler
  By judge09 - June 17 - 2:00 am

  This was the absolute best college vehichle ever. I had a blast driving it with the top down and doors off and it handled great in a foot of snow. I never had any problems and it takes abuse. I found this jeep not very practical for long trips cause you cant talk period. My roommate actually wore ear plugs (wuss). But a canvas top on a box you have to expect noise. Not unbearable either. An AWSOME jeep. I am going to buy an older one as a play car. The wrangler just wasnt a good everyday to work driver. If I bought the I-6 engine I would probably be keeping the jeep.

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  Going on 9 years and still kicking - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By RAM - June 16 - 9:06 pm

  I brought my Jeep with 111 miles. In the beginning I had some break issues and some repairs where I found out later the dealership was ripping me off. I did a lot of travel with this jeep and I received I thought excellent mileage. Ive been able to travel a max of 4.5 hrs on one tank of gas and I like to speed. AC is still kicking, but driver seat needs to be reupholstered. Other than that not a bad deal considering Ive been able to keep it this long and its still pretty when cleaned.

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  Just bought another one! - 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By HTB - June 16 - 2:16 pm

  I do admit, I joke about my Jeep being a POC. But to be fair, I got my first last year (2WD) from a dirtbag liar, and it had never been serviced aside from oil- the battery was 13 years old!! Now that Ive seen to the old and rotting Engine bay, the car is a gem. Still rock solid engine and transmission. Got it with 170K and Ive put over 40K on it in the past year. The car was overpriced for what I was getting, but the interior was spotless. The speakers still sound really nice with classic 80s playing. The seats are in a lot better condition than my SOs 07 saturn. I love this car so much Ive bought another. This one is a 4WD, and in rougher shape due to leather seats and a busted front light but Im ready to get it just as nice as mine currently is. I wouldnt ever trade my Jeep for another. If you want to buy a JGC Laredo, just make sure you focus on a few things: Is the PCM in good shape? How does it sound on the test drive? What do the hoses look like? And lastly, if the interior is good, then youre golden.

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  Nice Ride - 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Rob - June 16 - 7:26 am

  Issues with the shifter are overblown. The paddle shifts are a little redundant but okay to ignore them.

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  Seriously... my best friend in the world. - 1999 Jeep Cherokee
  By SnowBray - June 15 - 7:13 pm

  My Jeep is the first car I ever bought for over 2k. Ive had it since 2001, and it has been the greatest car ever. I never want to get rid of it -- its like family to me now. It has required little maintenance and has taken me all over the country. Its got about 82k on it, but drives and looks brand new.

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  Grandmas Jeep - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By Darlene - June 14 - 5:56 pm

  The reason I wanted a Jeep Liberty was for more space. Ive always wanted a Red Vehicle and the little Liberty came out and I knew I wanted one. They have lots of extra space and are very comfortable. My grandkids think its great also. I just got it for my Christmas gift. I have had no trouble with it.

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  Loves new Jeep - 2004 Jeep Wrangler
  By big Phil - June 12 - 2:00 am

  Hasnt gotten stuck yet