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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  A kid again - 2008 Jeep Wrangler
  By Manny - March 10 - 3:30 pm

  I just purchased the 2008 Wrangler Unlimited Sahara, and it a joy driving it; I wish the 4 doors had been out a few years earlier. This vehicle is well adapted for the off road environment, more like amazing. ItÂ’s able to maneuver the harshest terrain. I find it to be the most solid built vehicle I have ever owned, and I have owned many SUVs in the past ten years. My average MPG is anywhere from 18.4 to 19.3, this is better than my King Ranch F150 (2WD). No buyerÂ’s remorse here.

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  Unbelievable - 2004 Jeep Wrangler
  By Trogdor - March 9 - 10:00 am

  With out a doubt the best Jeep DC has ever turned out. Its offroad capabilities are insane. On road fuel economy becomes a problem especially b/c of the gearing but one cannot deny the fun factor in this car. In the interior space is at a premium and this car was definetly designed for two people. There is very few things you cannot do in this vehicle.

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  Nice Truck - 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Roger d - March 7 - 1:53 pm

  Nice Truck, poor mpg. very Nice interior, great power, I have the 5.7 Hemi, it goes along great. This truck needs more places for storage items. I would rate it at about an 8 on a one to ten scale

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  Only in a jeep - 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By dale - March 5 - 5:00 pm

  Love this vehicle. 140,000 miles and the only fixes I have had to make were the drivers side window motor at 60,000 miles, water pump at around 133,000 miles and the front drive shaft at 137,000 miles. The drivers side seat heater went out, but who cares I dont drive naked and the heater still works, so I stay plenty warm. Bought it used with 32,000 miles on it and have made weekly trips from Ft Bragg, NC to Jacksonville, Florida. Ft. Benning, GA to Jacksonville and then the trip From NC to Ft Bliss, Texas pulling a trailer. In Texas now and make a trip every weekend to Tucson, AZ and still get 20+ MPG on the highway. Would definitely buy another, but not till this one wears out.

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  Compass rocks! - 2007 Jeep Compass
  By Gloria - March 3 - 4:26 pm

  I am really happy with my Compass (purchased 7/13/06). The name was a little hard to remember at first but since I starting calling her "Compass Rose" the name fits perfectly. Funny though the car is NOT equipped with a compass. I traded in my 99 Jeep Cherokee Classic so, needless to say the ride is smooth, merging into traffic is effortless even with the 2.7, 4 cylinder engine, and not remarkably slower than the 4.0 liter in my Cherokee. The interior is comfortable, plenty of room in the backseat and the back doors are very accessible. I would however, change the headrests in the rear seat, as they are a bit high and tend to restrict visibility out of the rear window. Odometer: 158 miles.

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  Love my Jeep - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Flo - March 3 - 10:16 am

  I have owned my Jeep Grand Cherokee for only a few months, and I love it dearly. It is fun to drive, easy to handle, and very comfortable. My only complaint is the gas mileage. I am getting about 15 in the city and 21 on the highway. I drove a Honda Accord prior to the purchase of my Jeep. Even though there is no comparison on gas mileage, I STILL LOVE MY JEEP!

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  Jeep Unlimited: a step up in quality - 2005 Jeep Wrangler
  By jdf - March 3 - 10:00 am

  My 2000 Wrangler Sport was great, but this 2005 Unlimited is a quantum leap forward in build quality and comfort. The long wheelbase makes ride comfort really good. Almost bought a 2004 but could not do the 4 speed automatic tranny. I like to shift a manual in a Wrangler. So when 6 speed manual came in 2005 I bought as soon as I found what I wanted. Impact Orange color rocks...new gray soft top combo looks good. This is a daily driver for my wife and she loves it...course she drove the old Wrangler daily and liked it as well. First tank of fuel avg. 15.2 mpg. Not bad for this size SUV. Buy the manual tranny its the way to go.

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  EXCELLENT - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By LAG47LG - March 3 - 10:00 am

  ALWAYS OWNED A JEEP (EVEN BEFORE GRAND CHEROKEE) AND THIS IS THE BEST

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  good suv - 2011 Jeep Liberty
  By robert c - March 2 - 7:19 pm

  i have owned this liberty for about 3 years bought it used with about 37000 miles on it . live in a snow belt area so we get dumped on really good . never got stuck at all . it holds the road like you would not believe . has the power to get around people on the hiway . would really not say it floats down the road for a smooth ride but it is better than some . mpg isn’t to bad . maintance is low . just keep on the basic maintance and this will last a very long time

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  Solid car, happy buyer & owner - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By hshah - February 28 - 8:36 pm

  At 5k miles and glad I went with the Grand. I had also looked the 4Runner and the Pathfinder and had made the decision to go Nissan until Jeep offered incentives that brought the Ltd. Grand with V8 in cheaper than the high end Nissan. Overall, Im very happy with the car. Its a pleasure to drive. Though somewhat boat like at times in its billowy suspension response, thats a plus for me though as this is going to be a baby hauler. Soft=good. The MDS system is seamless but hasnt had as much of impact on MPG as advertised and can be stingy to give back the V8 when in a pinch to accelerate. Interior is plush & comfortable and gets an undeserved bad rap in reviews.