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:

• 

  Satisfaction plus - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Jim Liberacki - September 21 - 10:53 am

  Our Jeep Grand Cherokee is the best overall vehicle for the money we have ever experienced. It is particularly easy to operate in traffic and park in tight places. The continuous 4 wheel drive allows the freedom of off-road maneuvering at the ranch. Plenty of road power. The mileage is actually less than our 97 Cadillac with the Northstar engine system. The Jeep is consistently around 19 MPG sometimes a little less. Love it.

• 

  Pure Jeep - 1999 Jeep Cherokee
  By Matt The Hammer - September 21 - 7:00 am

  If the interior was too small, why did you buy it? Cherokees were a low cost SUV that were passed by the modern minivan/"SUV" that are being sold now. It was one of the last real SUVs. SUVs were not nice to ride - they were utility vehicles. That being said, my Cherokee does exactly what I need it to do. It rides nice, decent mileage, and can carry a few people. Jeeps are easy and cheap to maintain. Use aftermarket replacement parts (there are A LOT of them out there) and youll be happy with the Cherokee for quite some time. If you want a cushy, roomy, nice riding car: buy a minivan. If you want an SUV: buy a Jeep (except the Liberty).

• 

  My Joyride - 2001 Jeep Wrangler
  By Ang & Mic - September 21 - 5:03 am

  I love my Jeep. I wasnt really sure but after a trip to the mountains and being able to take the top off and enjoy the breeze and going through a drive through zoo. It was awesome letting the animals come up to the Jeep. A camel was looking above us and a zebra tried to eat our back seat. It was just a great experience and I would not trade my Jeep for anything.

• 

  Beware: fun but unreliable - 1999 Jeep Wrangler
  By Fun but unreliable - September 20 - 10:30 pm

  Purchased 99 Wrangler in 2004. In 06 engine dropped a rod with 127K miles. Replaced engine and it has been nothing but problems since. Its embarrassing how much money Ive spent on maintaining this vehicle. I LOVE driving it but the last few years have been a major disappointment

• 

  Jeep liberty - 2006 Jeep Liberty
  By ggall661 - September 20 - 11:10 am

  The Jeep liberty is fun to drive and is reliable, Im a little disappointed with the gas mileage and the positioning of the power window buttons. It has a sporty look and handles well on snow and ice.

• 

  Our first AWD Jeep GC - 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By JerryP - September 20 - 10:00 am

  Vehicle purchased as a lease return with 36K miles. Overall it has been a good car for comfort w/o big money spent for repairs. AWD is nice in wet & rainy Puget Sound weather. The V8 gas mileage is just over 12 MPG after almost 5 years of ownership. Recently hadthe car at a Seattle dealer and were advised that the rear-wheel bearings and CV boots needed replacing. Other reviewers have also noted the interior failures of the linings of the doors but stuff like that IS fixable! Overall we are generally satisfied and feel we have chosen widely, having bought it used and not shelling out the original invoice of around $33K.

• 

  A deal despite the warnings - 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Tony Ford - September 20 - 10:00 am

  I was warned not to buy a used Jeep because of several problems with wiring and such. So far, at 129000 the worst proble I have had was the squeaky fan belt and occasional slip of the transmission when the fluid got low because of a loose cooler line.

• 

  MANNYS TRUE REVIEW...SO FAR !. - 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By EMANUEL GARRETT - September 20 - 10:00 am

  MY TRUTHFUL experience with this vehicle has been very favorable thus far as I have not encountered any problems of any significance as of today -5-11-03 (nearly 6 months after purchase).I have no complaints about the ride as I have confidence the vehicle will navigate any driving situation I might encounter during my driving experiences on the job which includes going up hilly terrain to remote telecommunications tower sites when required to .Driving the vehicle does not seem to create any unneccessary effort as it is a plain pleasure for me to steer it and make the vehicle perform as I want it to.

• 

  First Jeep - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By JamesFGir - September 20 - 10:00 am

  I am very imperssed with the overall quality of my Grand Cherokee. It is fun to drive and has easy access,(in & out).The features included in my Limited Edition Jeep are all I could ask for or imagine. The V8 is powerful and smooth.All wheel drive gives a very secure feeling. The road noise is just a bit more than a car, but my car could not do what the Jeep can.

• 

  6M Sport 4WD - 2006 Jeep Liberty
  By Marc - September 19 - 1:13 pm

  I did a lot of research before purchasing. My previous experience with Jeep vehicles helped in my decision. The 6 speed manual make the Liberty extremely fun to drive and can tow my toys.