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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  Rocky Mountain Wrangler - 2009 Jeep Wrangler
  By JetMech - July 24 - 3:03 pm

  I recently purchased a orange 2009 Sahara 2dr hardtop. It is loaded with all the goodies that make driving fun and comfortable. It is very quiet even at highway speeds and free of rattles and squeaks. Handling is good and it has a very tight turning radius, the ride can be a little choppy at times. The auto trans/eng combo works well, smooth shifting and adequate power along with 20 mpg economy. The exterior.... Awesome! The interior... Is somewhat unrefined with a lot of hard plastic, the seats are very comfortable. The climate control works well as does the my gig system, all of the controls are easy to use and the instrument panel is easy to read. I really enjoy driving my wrangler, it rocks!

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  Good SUV, but lots of minor problems - 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Jim - July 22 - 5:26 am

  Bought this GC new in 2001, and really enjoyed it for the first 3 years or so, with just routine maintenance. For an SUV, Im happy with the MPG at 20-21. I still have enjoyed driving it, in the last few years several minor (and 1 major) problems have popped up. Headlight assembly cracked, causing the inside casing to become fogged. Each of the front power windows have failed (causing the window to slip down in the door. Of course, the first time this happened it was raining, the second time it was about 102 degrees!!! Brake rotors become warped about once every 18mos. Bad catalytic conv. at 90K & replaced tranny at 125K mi. Still fun to drive but the rep.& maint. is really annoying.

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  3rd one and I love it - 2010 Jeep Wrangler
  By Rob from NY - July 21 - 9:03 pm

  After turning 40 I got tired of driving my so so boring 4dr automatic Honda Accord. I missed the days I had my 80 CJ7 and 97 TJ. So this year I said thats it! I got myself a base 2dr Wrangler Sport with a softop and 6 speed. Best thing Ive done in years! It rides smooth, looks super cool and my wife and 11yr old son love it! Its a great car without the bells and whistles. I even got a trailer hitch and bike rack. Cant wait to go fishing and camping. The only complaint is the gas mileage (about 16.5 avg) but I only have 1000 miles on it so hoping a new K&N filter will help. This Sweet Jeep is making my mid- life crisis much more fun.

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  Theres Only One - 2005 Jeep Wrangler
  By Connecticut Yankee - July 20 - 5:06 pm

  I wanted one since I was a teenager; waited twenty three years and it was worth the wait. If you buy a Wrangler, you buy it because it is the original SUV, and it is built to drive off-road as much as it is on-road. Convertible for three seasons, bulldozer in the winter (if youre in a part of the USA where there is winter weather). You dont buy a Wrangler because its practical, you buy it because its fun.

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  Rock solid reliabilty - 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By JPM - July 17 - 11:13 am

  Ive had it for 5 years now and Im up to 121K and it still runs great. Bought it with 48K on it. It has been extremely reliable. Replaced water pump at 100K and starter at 115K Put CV boots on @ 120K (BTW-thats pretty normal wear). Besides that, Only reg. maint. items required (brakes and oil). V8 has plenty of power; I get 15-16 back and forth to work and about 19 mpg on the highway. Not bad for a 4000lb SUV. It handles great for an SUV-much better than my friends Explorer. Hope to get 200k out of it before I buy another.

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  My first and only Jeep...thus far...... - 1998 Jeep Cherokee
  By Jeepney - July 17 - 2:00 am

  I bought my 98 Jeep Cherokee Sport brand new -- right off the hauling truck. It originally had 0.3 miles when I drove it of the lot. I now have over 124K miles. So far, the only problem and so much to my suprise, the water pump went out at 42K miles and the factory front breaks at about the same time. The second front brakes wore out at around 85K miles. Im on third set of front break at over 124K miles and I suspect Ill be replacing it soon since its starting to vibrate again. The rear breaks wore out at around 114K miles. Thats all the problems Ive had in the 5 year Ive own my Jeep. I guess thats good enough. No engine problem so far.

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  1999 Jeep Cherokee laredo - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Robert Potts - July 17 - 2:00 am

  Good car. Excellent for long trips. Gas mileage on highway, 18.2. Poor mileage around town.

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  good but could be better - 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Scott - July 16 - 5:46 pm

  It has been a good auto. We have had only one problem with the power window, but it was still under warranty and was fixed with no problems. We previously owned a 95 Explorer. The Jeep has a lot better ride but the Explorer drove better. As far as power they are about equal. We have the 6 cylinder, I would suggest going with the V8. The 6 cylinders fuel mileage is poor and lacks power.

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  Loved and hated it - 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By DSmith386 - July 14 - 6:10 am

  I loved my Grand Cherokee and it was a perfect fit for me at 63. But it had plenty of issues... Poor fuel efficiency became a pain as gas kept rising higher and higher. The belt in 3 of the 4 power windows broke at various times, causing the windows to sink down into the door. Always seemed to happen during the winter when it was freezing. Just last week my engine failed and needed to be replaced. Had about 90,000 miles on my jeep. $6000 for a new engine, $3000 for a rebuilt engine. Decided to get a new car instead. Im excited to be getting 28 mpg with my new car, but Ill miss the Grand Cherokee.

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  second wj. probably last.. - 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By adam25000 - July 14 - 6:03 am

  On my second wj, this time a v8. Pretty fun vehicle, transmission went out at 150k miles but dealer paid for a new 1. Only reason this 1 is my last is because I now want a wk2. Love my v8 power & sound. Love these things