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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  Holzn1 - 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Kenny2 - January 30 - 2:43 pm

  Thorouhly pleased with this Jeep. My third. They just keep getting better.

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  Love my Jeep, but its not for everyone - 2003 Jeep Liberty
  By scottsvillesteve - January 30 - 1:10 pm

  I have never had a vehicle that I enjoyed more. I had sliding around issues in rain, but that went away when I replaced the original stock el-cheapo tires. The only issues I can think of are the back seats wont fold down flat and the gas mileage-otherwise it handles like a sports car on the road, and off road its quite capable

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  Great Vehicle - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By The Geo - January 30 - 3:00 am

  I purchased my 2004 Jeep Liberty Ltd. in November, Fortunately we have had plenty of snow for me to try this thing out. Found an empty parking lot with about 8 to 12 inches of snow in it and i was very very pleased at what this Jeep will do. With this motor it had plenty of torque and went through it without bogging down one bit. I currently have 5200km on it and have no major complaints.The only thing i can complain about and that most other people do is the gas mileage(20-21 imperial miles per gallon in mixed driving). The other is a small and useless glovebox.That being said i still would recommend this vehicle to anyone .

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  Got Gas? - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By Pat - January 29 - 3:10 pm

  I have the HEMI and am getting 12 miles to the gallon. The gas tank is small and I am forever filling up. Child seats are difficult to fit into 2nd row and impossible to fit into the 3rd row. I traded in a Durango for this Jeep and all I can say is I want my Durango back.

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  jeep liberty - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By ken peters - January 29 - 2:00 am

  the jeep liberty is very nice but has a few flaws. these include small trunk space, and the fuel economy is not the greatest.

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  2007 Wrangler Unlimited X - 2007 Jeep Wrangler
  By jeepranger - January 27 - 3:20 pm

  Overall a great Jeep so far. Seating for five, power windows, and door locks, but it still has the classic Jeep feel. The on road ride is much smoother due to the stiffer frame. The new 3.8 liter is much quieter and has more torque overall, but it seems like less is available at idle. I have not taken it offroad yet, so more to follow.

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  Love my Compass - 2007 Jeep Compass
  By JILTHOMA - January 27 - 2:03 pm

  I started looking for something that was fun to drive and had a unique look. As soon as I pulled out of the dealership for my test drive, I fell in love with how it handled. I have taken it on a few road trips and had amazing gas mileage. My only gripe (which is actually a good thing) is that I have had to learn to be to overly cautious with blind spots because I am a little shorter. That aside, I have recommended not only my Compass but Jeeps in general to anyone and everyone who will listen. It is an amazing SUV that gets great mileage (I average 30 mpg highway), havent had any problems with upkeep, and is it a lot of fun to drive.

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  I love my Jeep....except - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By penneywise - January 26 - 3:13 am

  I bought my Jeep used with 35,000 mi. I test drove 2, and the other one had more pep (both were V8s). I now have 69,000 mi and the brakes have "hot spots" that cause the front end to shake. Suggestion is to upgrade to racing rotors ($$$). The radiator still leaks after being replaced. The turning radius is poor, and on hard turns it makes an awful noise. Truck looks great though! Cargo space is good. Needs shoulder belts for middle rear seat; only accomodates 2 children in booster seats. Mileage averages about 16. Thinking of upgrading to Durango to get extra seating with similar style and mileage. Audio controls on steering wheel are fun. Even with the problems, I will still miss my truck.

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  On last leg - 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By 300game67 - January 22 - 11:00 pm

  We bought ours in 2001 October. It stopped on us a year after we purchased it. It just stopped in the middle of the road but they fixed it. The maintenance cost started to get high in 2012, 2013 and so will be in 2014, with expected repair cost of 5000. We have 135K miles now and it still looks great inside and out but maintenance cost is going up. We are seriously thinking not to do any more repairs and just let it fall apart. What do you think?

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  Known it since day one! - 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Brad Pollard - January 22 - 11:56 am

  I just bought my 96 JGC Laredo from a friend who was the original owner. The mileage is still real low at under 45k. From what I know to be factual, the ONLY things that the previous owner had to buy/replace were a new battery at about 35k, and new tires at about 30k. EVERYTHING else has & continues to function properly. The oil on the 4.0 litre 6 cylinder has been changed every 3- 4000 miles, & car has been washed & waxed (black in/out) frequently. My personal experience & observations after only putting about 1500 miles on it are all positive. I find the vehicle highly optioned, quite comfortable, & predictably reliable.Of course I will know more in years to come, but so far I LIKE IT!