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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  Great Jeep! - 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By W. Roberts - December 16 - 3:43 pm

  Purchased Jeep new on Oct 2002. Jeep has never been back to the shop except for the seat warmer recall. Tires and brakes are original with 63,000 miles and have plenty of wear left. Lots of pep and very comfortable. This is my second Jeep and a great vehicle.

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  Jeep is Great! - 2000 Jeep Cherokee
  By Matt - December 16 - 10:00 am

  I was throughly impressed with the Jeep Cherokee. I drive it all the time and it rides so well. I recommend getting the upgraded suspension cause it makes a difference in the ride. It has plenty of power and room. I am glad i got this and not the Jeep Liberty. Liberty was way too small, seems like they are making all cars smaller.

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  Its okay - 2007 Jeep Patriot
  By cnccot - December 16 - 12:30 am

  Im learning to live with it but been hard to leave a fully loaded Suburban. I wanted to save gas money and I have certainly done that but the loss of power and luxury has been a hard one to swallow. Nice when it only cost me $30 to fill up and Im getting 26-28 miles to the gallon

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  Interior Lacking - 2009 Jeep Wrangler
  By Yooper - December 13 - 5:23 pm

  Overall, pretty satisfied. Didnt buy it for the ride, although the 4 door rides better than the 2 door. Seats better than expected. Stereo system is OK. Gas mileage not great, but OK.

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  Love My Jeep - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By lacdep - December 11 - 2:00 am

  I love my Jeep Liberty. Its fun to drive, is solid and well built and very comfortable.

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  great 2nd car - 2007 Jeep Wrangler
  By Mike Garry - December 10 - 11:26 pm

  use it to tow behind a Motorhome works great not a hiway vehicle. great for two people and a little gear. Wish it had more towing like the 4 door

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  Northern vehicle for crappy road conditions - 2017 Jeep Patriot
  By Christy Oslund - December 9 - 8:48 pm

  Havent had this Jeep Patriot Latitude long enough to comment on reliability but I can say, if you live in an area with challenging road conditions and a lot of snow, this is a great choice. Bought during a winter where we regularly received 6 inches overnight and plow trucks were leaving my former car stuck in my driveway every morning. The Jeep has handled these conditions admirably; under the worst conditions the 4 wheel drive ads an element of grip and helps get up and down steep, poorly cleared streets. Ive always driven practical vs. plush vehicles, so from my point of view, this is a comfortable vehicle to drive. My first with heated, leather seats and honestly - I love them. So why not a 5 star rating? The drivers door often creaks on opening and I do have some concerns about how this will hold up long term. My need to get over rough roads and living with extreme winters though, made the clearance and 4 wheel capacity of the Jeep more important. Sure, if I was going to spend at least another ten to twenty thousand, I could buy a vehicle that was equally good on rough roads and more likely to hold up better over time. Id rather spend a lot less up front, and re-evaluate my needs in four or five years, by which time car technology will have taken a few more steps.

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  Last of the originals - 1994 Jeep Wrangler
  By 4x4offroad - December 9 - 10:00 am

  Has been the most fun and reliable new vehicle I have ever owned. I have 160,000 mile and have had very little problems. The big problem is the c- converter (lucky if it makes it to 50,000), IÂ’m on my third, and the mirrors rust on every 94 that I have seen. Only on my second set of brakes and still has the original trans and alternator. Very easy to do the maintenance yourself, saves lots of $$

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  hope it comes back - 1996 Jeep Cherokee
  By djb - December 9 - 10:00 am

  My jeep is used for pulling heavy loads, hunting, fishing, scuba diving, trapping, and fun. My friends always comment on how jeep should use me in their commercials. I find that it is extremely nimble off road, and has great power and handling on the highway (even when pulling a load). Bottom line is that it`s reliable and practical. It carries a large canoe well with it`s sqaure racks and it`s size is just right. I went on a 10,000 km trip across canada and it was loaded to the max. It drove like a charm, both on and off the road. From anyone I know with a jeep, mine has many years left. Hopefully the jeep will be brought back by the time I need to replace this one.

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  Very nice vehicle - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By sleepyweasel - December 6 - 10:00 am

  This has been a very nice vehicle so far. We have put 1300 miles on it in the month that we have owned it. Have averaged 17.8 mpg with the V8 in a mix of city and highway driving. Biggest complaint so far comes from a fat kid that put a door ding in it on the third day of ownership. The dealership we purchased the vehicle from was very pleasant to deal with, especially after being lied to by a Mitsubishi dealer. The Jeep handles well on the open highway and has a tight turning radius for the parking lots. Ample power and torque from the V8. Quiet at highways speeds. 5 speed transmission always seems to be in the right gear for the situation.