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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  Really Bummed - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By Very Unhappy - December 19 - 2:30 pm

  This car was amazing during the first months I drove it. Then it became riddled with all sorts of software and functional issues. In addition, the service department is only looking out for themselves, not the end user. Horrible customer service - I had to tell THEM that my car had a recall. I had the entire dashboard go black, my brakes failed, I couldnt accelerate, and lost my anti skid. The stories I got to support "fixes" were ridiculous, and every time I drove away, I knew Id be back within a few weeks. I would never recommend this car to anyone - it is a safety hazard, and all the faults are out of even EXTENDED warranty.

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  Very disappointed - 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Edmund K. - December 4 - 12:38 pm

  I had a Dodge Durango for a few years and since it was almost out of its extended warranty I figured get a new Jeep. What a mistake that was. After owning for only two weeks the car spent 11 days at a dealer for the following problems: Faulty paint on the spoiler, Extreme wind noise, clunk noise when going over speed bumps, clothing hanger loose & rattling. They repainted the spoiler, replaced the two front door rubber seals, a front & rear shocks were leaking so they replaced the front shock (rear shock is on extreme backorder, whatever that means because no one knows), replaced clothes hanger. Well, after 11 days at the dealer, the wind noise issue is not resolved as once I hit 50+ miles per hour, I cant hear anything inside the car and the clunk noise when going speed bumps is still there. I even made sure that the technician had driven over a bump to ensure the problem was actually the leaking shock. Im not sure how he couldnt hear the clunk as its as loud as it can be. So, now I have to go back to the dealer and leave my car for God knows how many more days there. Now the headrests on both seats have started rattling every time going over rough road. I havent even made my first payment yet and Im already disgusted with the car. Update: took the vehicle back to the dealer. It sat there for another 5 days (now total of 16 days at dealer). Apparently it were the two front shocks leaking & not the rear, bad communication from the service adviser. They replaced the second front shock. Clunk noise is still there. Technician couldnt replicate the wind noise, so we took a ride and then he heard how loud it was and agreed it wasnt normal. Next step is to wait for a Chrysler representative to come out, test drive the car and do a cabin pressurizing test to see where the air is leaking from (Im not sure how you can pressurize a cabin when there are so many vents located all over). This keeps getting better and better. 2nd Update: Vehicle back at the dealer. The clunk noise is still there. Took a ride with the technician and went over small bumps at about 5 miles per hour and you could hear the noise. His suggestion: driver over them slower!!!!!!!!!! I suggested maybe I should get out of the car & push it over the speed bump. After all arent Jeeps suppose to be off-road vehicles and yet they cant handle a small shopping center speed bump. The wind noise still there, apparently the technician made the whole thing up about a Chrysler representative coming out and doing the whole pressurizing the cabin thing, because according to the service manger that never happens and Chrysler reps never come out. So, now Im back in my cheap piece of junk, dirty loaner car for the 3rd time this month, crossing my fingers that they will actually fix these problems on a car that I paid well over $40k for.

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  Brakes N Windows - 2007 Jeep Liberty
  By hawaiiansnikers - November 23 - 10:00 am

  I purchased this Jeep with 17,000 miles. At about 21,000 I had to replace the drivers side brakes. Two months later I had to replace the other side. My window broke when I was driving cross county. OMG the stains on the seats, simply from water?! The worst car I ever owned. I am happy I sold it last week.

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  Hate It - 2010 Jeep Liberty
  By Hate It - November 23 - 10:00 am

  This is my second Jeep and because of all the headaches of this one, I cant say I ever want to buy another one again! The gears give me problems, the clock is constantly losing time (although its been repaired), the drivers floor vents are directed at the wall and not at my feet, and the list goes on! Im now dealing with Corporate to get the car off my hands because I absolutely hate it!

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  Window problems - 2007 Jeep Liberty
  By Dianne - November 7 - 2:16 pm

  I Bought my 2007 jeep liberty with 16,000 miles on it. I just reached 44,000 miles and guess what both rear window regulators are gone. This is really pathetic. Its a damn shame that this has not been resolved yet! How many more complaints do they have to receive before they resolve this issue. I will definitely let my friends and family know not to buy a Chrysler product.

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  I hate this car..... - 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By jlp60 - October 27 - 7:30 pm

  This is my 3rd Jeep Grand Cherokee, and by far my least favorite. Every feature in this car has been thought out (excuse me - not thought out) to be for driver safety and passenger comfort. 1) I love that quick automatic turn signal that only blinks 3 times. Works so poorly in heavy traffic. Its a great feature when you drive put a turn signal on and when finishing changing lanes the signal flashes as though you are turning back to thee lane you came from. 2) I always love a car that lurches when starting to move forward. 3) I have driven rear wheel drive cars that handle snow better than my 4x4 Jeep.

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  Scared to drive - 2016 Jeep Cherokee
  By Jmklaers@gmail.com - October 19 - 9:59 am

  I just bought this car and its been in the shop 3 times already to no avail. Car cuts off in the middle of driving and leaving me with no power on a busy Interstate several times. Dealership cant find anything wrong with it although I barely got it there. Car States vehicle needs transmission repair service and brake service. Seems no one can help! Do not buy this car. Lemon warning.

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  Always something broken on this jeep - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By kg89 - October 17 - 6:24 pm

  All I did was pay to repair this thing. Faulty radiator, brake calipers, two engine fans, ignition coil, camshaft sensor, wiring harness, engine computer, engine oil cap broke off and oil had to be put in through the dipstick shaft, power window motors, bad adhesive on insulation on all the doors led to many wet seats after rainy nights. And my personal favorite, the drivers seat became a rocking chair after becoming completely detached from the track. This car was always broken. Not to mention the terrible gas mileage, which I would have been fine with if it were not for the constant cost of repairs. It ended up costing me more money to repair it than it did to buy it in the first place.

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  All my window regulators have failed .. - 2006 Jeep Liberty
  By reggio - October 13 - 11:06 am

  I purchased the diesel model to get better mileage, am happy with the vehicle with the exception of the window mechanism. Each window regulator has failed at least once and had been replaced while still under warranty. The driver side rear modulator has been replaced twice and now failed for the 3rd time (now no longer under warranty). This is crazy, these regulators are way overdue for a recall, shame on you Jeep! This is my third jeep in in the last 10 years, and probably my last.

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  Never again... - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By krey - September 26 - 7:53 pm

  My car is in the shop once again for transmission issues. The engine malfunction light is getting to be my constant driving companion. Not only is the vehicle a gas hog (dont believe the window sticker folks) but its totally unreliable. And the service I receive at the dealership matches the vehicle: SUB- PAR. No wonder the big three are in so much trouble...you get what you give.