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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  Fun SUV with Great Value - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By DEMucha - November 7 - 5:23 pm

  I love driving this Jeep! It handles and brakes extremely well and is fun to drive. I have had no mechanical repairs with 80,000 miles. The paint was quick to chip though. The cost to own is very low. The cargo area is a bit small and fuel mileage is lower than it should be for a small SUV. For a $27,000 SUV, it was an excellent value. I would recommend this Jeep for small families with limited hauling or trailering needs.

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  2014 JGC Summit Review - 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By mr_kranky - November 6 - 9:18 pm

  Picked up my Grand Cherokee Summit with the EcoDiesel last week. Power delivery is exceptional with the 8 speed automatic and diesel engine. Averaging about 25 mpg in mixed driving with winter blend diesel. Fit and finish is flawless. Found a delivery checklist at Jeep Garage dot org and went over the Jeep with a fine tooth comb upon receipt, no issues. More snow headed our way this weekend so well see how the 4wd system works. So far, I am loving this vehicle. Truth be told, this is the nicest vehicle that I have ever owned, and I have owned quite a few.

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  I LOVE MY JEEP LIBERTY! - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By John Watts - November 6 - 7:13 pm

  It is a great little SUV; fun to drive, plenty of room unless you have a lot of kids - Im retired. Handles well, lots of EXTRAS on mine: power sunroof, SIRIUS radio, 6 CD changer, AM/FM, display of tire pressure and lots more on the compass and temp computerized display. The V6 3.7 engine is plenty for this baby. I LOVE it ... and my last car was a Cadillac Eldorado, which I put 140K miles on. I cant say enough about my Jeep Liberty Limited.

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  wrangler unlimited fun daily driver - 2009 Jeep Wrangler
  By jw44 - November 6 - 10:46 am

  I have had my Wrangler 4-door Sahara for 3 months and have had no problems. I have a long daily commute to work, but since I bought my wrangler I dont mind the 68 mile round trip. This Jeep is fun to drive. The 3.8 v6 engine has plenty of power and with 4,000 miles my combined city/highway mileage is 20.6 mpg as of today. My hardtop has no water leaks and is surprisingly quiet at highway speeds. The standard 18" Bridgestone tires are the best rain tires I have ever driven. No snow here in LA (Lower Alabama) but we have plenty of rain.

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  Grand Cherokee Overland V8 4x4 - 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By defender97 - November 6 - 5:02 am

  We bought this because it can be towed behind a Motorhome easily and the Landcruiser we had was at 100k plus miles. July 2012 . Overall nice ride. Comfortable no mechanical probs. Has 24 k miles on it now. We noticed the dash was bubbling up near windshield . Showed it to the dealer service dept . They stated they had seen it before and ordered a new on under warranty being installed as this is written.

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  Not bad overall - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By alenart - November 6 - 2:00 am

  So Im not the only one who has had an unexpected rotor warping or two. I love the power of the V8, but dont love the fact that Im stopping for gas every 250-275 miles. The whine from the quadra-drive is very noticeable above 65mph. At 32k, the drive shaft to the front wheels had to be replaced since it clunked every time I would take off from a stop. The front window pillars are so thick that it makes it difficult to see other cars at 4-way stops. Im short, but there isnt even enough leg room in the rear seats for me. All that aside, the heated front seats, decent ride for an suv, 4wd system overall, sunroof, and stereo all exceed my expectations.

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  Overland/Overpriced/Overfed - 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By JWR-11 - November 6 - 2:00 am

  2003 Jeep Overland -My 2nd Jeep - 4000 miles later.....plastic trim falling off,glass chipped on both side windows when delivered, engine performance at highway speeds poor , gas mileage terrible, build quality worse. Handles like a boat. For $39,000 I expected more Should have purchased a laredo 6 cyl for a little more than 1/2 price of this Overland. Wont buy another one.

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  Run away from this GREEDY manufacturer! - 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By BlueSnow - November 6 - 2:00 am

  Another disappointed Daimler-Chrysler buyer gets the shaft! From day one corporate has been the worst when it came to getting things resolved. The care for customer is nonexistent and the attention to quality leaves much to be desired. Do yourself a favor and save yourself many ulcers and headaches, forget the Daimler-Chrysler lineup until they can get their act together. Boosting the corporate bottom line is their primary concern while deleting 26,000 jobs and refurbishing top-level executive offices. Dont reward the crooks like so many of us have already done due to poor research, heres your warning.

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  Fantastic!! - 2016 Jeep Patriot
  By LARRY COPLEY - November 4 - 9:41 pm

  Wasnt sure how we would like the 4 cyl after our previos Liberty with a V6 and our Dodge Van with the big engine, but it performs very well.

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  Not the 300, but.... - 2016 Jeep Patriot
  By Ray G. - November 4 - 7:55 pm

  I own a Chrysler 300 AWD and a Ram 1500 Tradesman RWD truck. I bought the Jeep Patriot with a five speed manual because my wife and I wanted another Jeep, and the sale price of this Patriot 4WD was never to be repeated... under $18000 new, with air. I love the manual transmission, brings back memories from my younger years. My wife loves the ride and seating so much that we often leave the 300 at home when we go out together. The machine is fun to drive, surprisingly quiet for a jeep, and reasonable on gas. My reason for a four star rating is not because of any disappointment or fault found in the vehicle... other than the lack of telescoping steering... I was rating it according to looks, style, and appearance of similarly priced SUVs on the market today. For me, I love the older look, the manual crank windows and manual locks, and all the other stuff that I wanted to have when I was a youngling but couldnt afford to buy a jeep then. If youre looking for a fun machine that you can take out for a cruise, fight a sudden snow squall in, or drive along a sandy beach or wooded field on occasion, then I recommend the Patriot.