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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  Definably a good buy! - 2006 Jeep Wrangler
  By Rob - October 6 - 8:46 pm

  I love my Jeep. It is also the cheapest vehicle to insure, including 16 year old male drivers. I spent countless hours researching insurance and the Wrangler is the anomaly of the insurance world. The newer the Wrangler the cheaper it is to ensure! Fuel economy is not great but I have installed a cold air intake that increases gas mileage. It is a fun car and I would never trade my Wrangler for anything else.

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  my fourth Cherokee - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By doug wolfe - October 6 - 9:50 am

  Looks good, and is comfortable. The gas mileage is poor (I had the 4.7l in my previous one, which got 2 mpg better); head clearance is awful if youre 59" or above, and to make matters worse they removed the 6-way power seat and put in a 4-way so that you cant lower the seat height. The four wheel drive is suspect (I have gotten it stuck twice already). Jeep has sacrificed little comforts also such as removing the sun visor extensions which is annoying, but that "trail rated" badge sure is nifty. Forget changing your own oil, or doing other "minor repairs" unless you have a garage with a lift, and a degree from MIT. Somewhere jeep has lost its identity to the soccer moms. Good luck.

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  My all black 2017 Altitude - 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Sarge - October 6 - 8:52 am

  This is my third Grand Cherokee. And this by far is the best. I am in love with the updates and the comfort and obvious appearance of the Altitude. A few outward mods and I feel it represents me well driving down the street. Everything from turning radius to the feel of the wheel when driving, Stereo system, seat comfort, etc... Heads keep turning and the positive comments keep on coming in. I am a Mopar- Jeep guy at heart and am truly glad I leased another grand Cherokee. The comments about the engine turning off at stops is a bit ridiculous. All you have to do is PUSH a BUTTON to turn that feature off. Cmon. And this V6 is quick. Very quick with a "Sport" mode which I rarely use. How fast do you really want to go in an SUV ? But this one is quicker than my previous two. Plenty of power if you need to avoid someone or something, or pass another vehicle. I Just love this Jeep.

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  My all black 2017 Altitude - 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Sarge - October 6 - 8:52 am

  This is my third Grand Cherokee. And this by far is the best. I am in love with the updates and the comfort and obvious appearance of the Altitude. A few outward mods and I feel it represents me well driving down the street. Everything from turning radius to the feel of the wheel when driving, Stereo system, seat comfort, etc... Heads keep turning and the positive comments keep on coming in. I am a Mopar- Jeep guy at heart and am truly glad I leased another grand Cherokee. The comments about the engine turning off at stops is a bit ridiculous. All you have to do is PUSH a BUTTON to turn that feature off. Cmon. And this V6 is quick. Very quick with a "Sport" mode which I rarely use. How fast do you really want to go in an SUV ? But this one is quicker than my previous two. Plenty of power if you need to avoid someone or something, or pass another vehicle. I Just love this Jeep.

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  2009 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara - 2009 Jeep Wrangler
  By Aaron - October 5 - 7:13 am

  The best feature of the Jeep is its ability to go through anything. It has great ground clearance, a solid four wheel drive system, and room for four with plenty of gear. That being said I have been disappointed by the cheap grade hard plastic interior, weak engine performance, and white knuckle highway driving experience.

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  Fantastic Vehicle! - 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By SEKOTDCOB - October 4 - 6:40 pm

  I was looking for a full size truck, but found the ideal vehicle for me and my family. This car fits exactly want we want in a vehicle. 4WD with comfort and style. It was not a selection for this review, but we got the V8 Hemi. I drove the V6 and V8, the V8 is the way to go. If you are loaded down and traveling through the mountain passes, you will want the V8.

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  not happy - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By not happy - October 4 - 5:03 pm

  My ac has also gone in my jeep. I have replaced the speed sensor 2 times. I got into an accident last march and I barely slid and then tried to steer into the correct line and lost control and man can i tell you the jeep can roll. It is not a good vehicle to have!

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  We love our Jeep - 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Stache - October 4 - 2:36 pm

  We love our Jeep. Our only complaint....road noise. Its a little loud.

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  Definitely Glad I Bought One - 2003 Jeep Wrangler
  By TBNNashua - October 4 - 10:00 am

  After my SUV was totalled in an accident, I decided to get the vehicle that I wanted since I was 4 years old - a Jeep. I am so glad that I did. I cannot imagine getting anything else in the future. The Jeep does not have much pickup and not so great fuel economy (I do have the V6) compared to other vehicles, but that is fine by me. I can deal with that one item for all the other pluses.

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  My 4th Jeep - 2004 Jeep Wrangler
  By psnolte - October 4 - 10:00 am

  This is my 4th Jeep. I tradeded in my 02 Cherokee Overland for a Rubicon. My CJs/Wranglers have been the most dependable vehicles Ive owned. Theyre simple and easy to work on. As long as you know what yourre getting into, I cant see how youd be disappointed. The Rubicon is designed for off road use, although it rides fine on the highway. Because of the gearing, its not the quickest horse out of the gate however. If you want more car like performance, choose a traditional Wrangler. One tip: always keep up with the drivetrain maintenance.