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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  Nice car...but with some problems - 2006 Jeep Liberty
  By Crudasill - October 6 - 8:26 pm

  Ive had my 06 Jeep Liberty for almost 3 years and I do love the car. But there are some major flaws. The back left window fell one day (I didnt even try to roll it down, it just fell). Dealership wanted like $460 to fix because my warranty was gone. Seats stain so bad, even with just plain water. It is smaller on the inside than I ever expected. I have a 2 year old and have his car seat in the middle (because it is safer to put the carseat in the middle in all cars) and it is a tight squeeze to get another average size adult in the back seat. Ive had no major complaints about the car. It has held up nicely. I would buy another Jeep in the future.

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  Jeep Grand C LTD - 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Matt Steichmann - October 5 - 10:00 am

  Bought it with 80K on it. Like the ride, but prblms with a/c, radio, sunroof. Not very quiet. Solid, fun to drive. Comfortable and roomy & Im 64" 200#. Daughter drove from Chicago to Boston and Chicago to Orlando in it and was very happy. Id buy another. 16- 18mph around town. 20 hwy.

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  What is that car, a Hummer? - 2008 Jeep Wrangler
  By PopPop - October 2 - 11:53 pm

  We love our new Unlimited X 4 door. It rides nicely. We had a 2001 Wrangler Sport and it rode pretty well but was noisy. This Unlimited X far exceeds my expectations on ride quality and noise. It also has better gas mileage than the smaller Wrangler Sport. We are averaging around 20 mpg so far. It is a great looking vehicle. It has lots of room compared to the Sport. The engine is smooth but could use more power. The freedom top leaks a few drops but I think they fixed that. It is a great Jeep compared to its predecessors.

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  Great SUV - 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Ron - October 1 - 4:46 pm

  I bought my 1996 JGC new. I now have 215k miles and it still runs very well. I do regular maintenance; had to replace radiator twice. Still original motor and tran.

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  Practial ride, so-so gas mileage - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By GP - October 1 - 9:30 am

  Bought the car in October 2008 with 42K miles when my first kid came. Its the 6cyl 3.7L so its not the fastest thing on the road but it gets the job done. 13 months later it now has 58K miles on it. Only trips to the dealer have been for oil changes every 3-4K. Gas mileage is not that great 15-17mpg city average, around 22mpg highway average. Lots of room in the trunk to haul things. Interior is pretty simple but rugged which I like because its easy to maintain.

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  03 Jeep Liberty - 2003 Jeep Liberty
  By City Girl - September 30 - 7:06 am

  I wanted the sporty look, but live in a city so I chose the Jeep Liberty. Looks sporty, not like the updated station wagons (Crossover vehicles), great interior, the ride was a little rough at first but changed out the stock tires and it rides like a luxury car. The one big minus the Liberty has, it has always been a little gas guzzler from day one! Dont let the small tank fool you - you will be filling it quite often. Now, at 61,500 miles it looks as if I may have to trade it, although I really dont want to. Everything works great, except we now have a knock in the transmission in first gear. Im just not into making car payments and major repairs. Sorry Jeep Liberty.

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  Liberty Sport CRD 4x4 - 2006 Jeep Liberty
  By D W - September 28 - 11:23 pm

  Had about 4 1/2 months and so far so good. One road trip I did find the odometer to be off, by a whopping 18%. Thats bad, but the value will last longer I guess. Taking that into account with a Minnesota winter fuel, Im getting approx 20 mpg winter and so far 28.2mpg summer with a 30 mile commute each way and most of that is freeway driving. Passed 500 miles on the last tank! Much better engine setup than my previous Jetta TDI, and so far no electrical problems either (just try looking for a Jetta without a tail light burned out).

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  I love my jeep but its just too noisy. - 1998 Jeep Wrangler
  By j hall - September 28 - 2:23 am

  Single guy, 25, buys new 1998 wrangler sport. Same single guy, 30, really wants to get rid of it. Its just too loud, too bumpy, easy to break into. Having said that; very reliable. Never needed to do anything to it. Simple is best, folks. Just dont plan on having it for too long. Itll drive you crazy. P.S. 4.0L a must. 2.5 is a dog. P.P.S. Sahara is stupid. Why pay an extra $6k for seat covers and a wood gear shift? PPPS. get a trunk added on the back.

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  by owner - 1993 Jeep Wrangler
  By John Gerbrandt - September 27 - 10:10 pm

  This is a used Sahara ragtop Jeep, green in color with tan top. It has been used with care. Mileage is approximately 65,000 miles. Was used for some off road travel for rockhounding. Otherwise was used for travel around town for short distances. Has been stored in a garage and well taken care of. It is a 6 cylinder 4 wheel drive, 1993 model in better than average condition. Has been regularly maintained. Has new tires. Has been in one fender bender accident, but was completely restored by the dealership.

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  Commander - 2007 Jeep Commander
  By Elias - September 26 - 3:56 pm

  I have owned it a couple of weeks and I love it. The only drawbacks are gas and the rear view window. The rear view is mostly covered up by the 3rd row seat. But overall I love this SUV. I switched from my mid-size Camry and so far I think I did a great choice.