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:

• 

  leased 2016 Jeep Compass - 2016 Jeep Compass
  By francis - November 7 - 3:08 pm

  Great steering, braking and acceleration. Nice cockpit display and instrumentation panels. Radio and satellite radio was a bit cumbersome at first but go the hang of it. Back seat is not very comfortable if you are not skinny and cargo space is decent.

• 

  My Commander - 2009 Jeep Commander
  By Rodney - November 7 - 2:50 am

  I luv my jeep. The ride is smooth n a joy to drive on long trips. The room is comfortable for a family of 3. The mpg could be better. If it could just get about 19-22 on a average would be great.

• 

  Tough look but practical car - 2008 Jeep Liberty
  By J - November 7 - 12:00 am

  Bought this car for my wife. After looking at mom mobiles this one stood out as a much cooler ride that fit our needs of towing capacity, safety, and styling. She like that it was not too big and I like that it doesnt look like a space ship. The ride is much better than previous jeeps on the road and road noise is almost nil. The back seats have plenty of room and the roof rack is great for overflow luggage. Also discovered recently that the back seats recline which is a huge benefit since most SUVs this size make you feel like you are sitting in a church pew.

• 

  Looks arent Everything - 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Summer Raven - November 6 - 11:16 am

  correct me if Im wrong, but a new trans before 80k is NOT OKAY and this seems to be a common trait among jeeps. I bought mine at 60k. I got sucked in by the super comfy interior, stylish exterior and the price range. It felt luxurious to me at the time and I went for it despite problem jeeps Id heard about. And guess, what they are all true. Lately it seems one thing after another so I am selling it now because Im sick of pouring $ into it and having more things happen. I think a good car should easily go 160k with proper maintenance. Hopefully my next will be more sufficient.

• 

  actual off road user - 2004 Jeep Wrangler
  By teds - November 4 - 2:00 am

  I use the jeep for a lot of trips to places where the four wheel drive is required, i.e. death valley, anza borrego ect. I love my Jeep and have owned a series of five of them over the last decade. The wrangler is relatively inexpensive with premier off road ability, it sacrifices in the comfort area. If comfort and good off road ability is what you want, look at the jeep grand cherokee and stay away from the BMW X-5 and Mercedes M class!!

• 

  My First Jeep - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By goldnugget - November 4 - 2:00 am

  I considered other SUVS before buying the 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee. And I was very close to buying the 2004 Ford Explorer. I had owned a 2000 Ford Expedition with which I was extremely pleased. So, I was assuming the Explorer would give me the same satsifaction. But a souring experience with the Ford dealer brought me to the Jeep dealership. Im extremely happy that i did. The vehicle, outside of its rough on-road ride, is just marvelous. Ive been geting about 18 MPG so far. It has all the features I wanted in a vehicle. I especially like the small cargo carrying capability and the flexibility of having a nice car to take to important functions.

• 

  Solid on and off road - 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By M. Swanson - November 4 - 1:20 am

  Purchased from dealer with 49,000 miles. Command-trac works very well off-road. This thing will traverse logging camp paths that look impossible. Very little mechanical problems - cat converter and exhaust manifold. An honest vehicle - does just what it was designed to do very well. I have 87,000 miles and plan to keep it for at least 3-4 more years.

• 

  Got Lucky I Guess - 2008 Jeep Patriot
  By dandt1 - November 3 - 8:28 pm

  Why wont Edmunds let me select a Patriot Sport 4x4 CVT? After reading all the bad reviews on this car I thought Id share my experience with our 2008 Jeep Patriot Sport 4x4 CVT. My wife purchased this car by herself brand new in December of 2007 and it currently has 93,000 miles. She wanted AWD and decent gas milage and liked that the Jeep Patriot came with a lifetime power-train warrantee. When I met my future wife, the car was a little over a year old so Ive had a lot of experience driving it and dealing with the problems.

• 

  Good for off-roading - 1997 Jeep Wrangler
  By Clayton - October 30 - 3:03 am

  SOOOO fun to drive off-road, can handle just about everything. Weve gone up VERY steep hills that most likely not very many other Jeeps can handle like this one! My first time driving it off-road was hard since Im only 15 and dont even have my permit yet. But it was fun, we even went over some pretty big rocks with it. Can handle the heat -- we tested it out in about 98 degree heat and the color is black. Its a dependable car.

• 

  There really is only one Jeep! - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Jerseyshoreboy - October 29 - 2:00 am

  This is what I consider to be the best looking SUV on the market. My GC offers the perfect mix of style,practicality and is a joy to drive! I feel its what a premium SUV should be.