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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  327,000k and still going! - 1996 Jeep Cherokee
  By Stillgoing - November 27 - 3:20 am

  My 96 Jeep Cherokee Country was handed down to me with 280,000 miles on it and me being the 4th driver! It came from Texas and driven all over the eastern coast. Very reliable! The motor has been rebuilt, new transmission, but other than that, just typical wear and tear maintenance. It has been a great vehicle for our family and we plan on buying another Jeep soon.

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  Scotts - 1999 Jeep Cherokee
  By Scott Phillips - November 27 - 2:00 am

  We love our Jeep

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  looks good...runs bad - 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Ryan - November 26 - 9:33 am

  Bought in 05 with 65,xxx miles on it. Other then routine maintenance, just switched out the alternator. Been through 3 serp belts,no idea why. CD player is crapping out on me. Front two speakers are going out. Cooling fan went out at 89,xxx. At 126,xxx, needing new relay switch, A/C light wont come on unless the defrosters are on. Alignment keeps going out. Rear axle keeps leaking. Fuel pump is starting to go out. All not major problems...but when they add up it gets annoying. My favorite part is that the car leaks water every time it rains. The weather stripping is fine except for around the sunroof. No mechanic I know can figure out why it does...

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  Love it! - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By Jake - November 26 - 12:26 am

  Bought for my wife. Great vehicle. Rides like a luxury car, very quiet. Decent mileage. Looks great and fun to drive. Excellent trip car with plenty of headroom even with the sunroof. Loaded with standard features, traded in a Grand Cherokee Limited and all I miss are the heated seats. No major complaints.

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  Not bad, Not bad at all. - 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Justin Brown - November 25 - 7:03 pm

  I recently purchased a 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee 65th Anniversary Edition with the 4.7 Liter V8. I do a lot of highway driving an was instantly impressed with the Gas Mileage. I average 20, sometimes event 21/22 in a V8! (and i am a 23 yr old male, so believe me when i say i dont really baby it) The city gas mileage i average around 16/17, which is "ok". I mean it is a V8, cant expect a lot. I love the power the V8 offers, and the towing capabilities. The looks are sleek, and I always get compliments. I HATE the seat belt chime doesnt turn off. Overall I am really happy with the purchase, I have had it for about (2) months now and no real complaints so far.

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  Poor on Gas - Great Otherwise - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By Alleygal65 - November 22 - 9:20 am

  Ive been hit and my Liberty comes out smelling and looking like a rose. It handles beautifully on and off-road and in snow. Its great looking too. BUT the gas mileage is a REAL problem.

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  Beautiful, powerful, but frequently in the shop - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By costeld - November 21 - 7:09 am

  Until the 2011 Grand Cherokee was released I thought the 2004 was the best looking year of the best looking bodystyle. Has robust suspension and agressive approach and departure angles for offroading (though most are just daily commuters). Interior on the Overland was very nice and had unique styling. Nice engine/exhaust note, felt more powerful and faster than its 265 bhp rating. Good towing ability: 5000 lbs hardly noticable.

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  . - 2000 Jeep Cherokee
  By LGH - November 21 - 2:00 am

  Overall, were pretty happy with our Jeep. Here are a few items which needed to be improved on the model: (1) there was a piece of trim over the right rear windows which came off in a car wash; (2) there are no rear headrests for kids too big for baby/toddler seats; (3) the vehicle isnt as manueverable in tight spots as our 89 Bronco II (oddly enough).

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  Fits my needs perfectly - 2012 Jeep Compass
  By wmillonig - November 20 - 4:38 pm

  After 2 months and 2k miles, am ready to give you observations. Theyre almost all good, Ive been been very happy so far. Fit & Finish is fine and Ive had no issues at all during the break-in period. I chose this over a comparably equipped 2012 Ford Escape. Would I buy another someday? Probably, but if they gave it better thigh support? Definitely!!

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  The best of what we are made of? - 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By racing_s2k - November 20 - 2:28 am

  To make a long story short, I picked up my 2014 JGC on June 13 with 12 miles. Made a right out the dealer lot and the radio (8.4a) would not stop flipping. Transmission would not shift out of first gear. Took it right back to the dealer. The steering column sensor was bad, which controls the radio and transmission. This part had to be approved and shipped by Chrysler. It took over a week for the dealer to receive the part, and another couple days to install the item and test the vehicle. I understand that mistakes happen and you can not expect perfection. However, a DOA vehicle, Chryslers taking so long to repair a vehicle, and other little defects cause me to questions the build quality.