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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  Great Performance, Great Ride - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Dude1250 - September 13 - 10:00 am

  The editors here have sang this vehicles praises for off-road performance, but said its on the road ride was lacking. I found just the opposite true. The ride and comfort sold me over other makes. Responsive handling and more than enough horsepower. Wife drives it and she feels safe, loves the look and enjoys the creature comforts within. Shes happy...Im happy....

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  Best Jeep Grand Cherokee yet hands down!!! - 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By jeepgirl21 - September 13 - 1:17 am

  Bought my Jeep Grand Cherokee technically last year but less than a year ago. I love this Jeep. Ive had Cherokees before and the inside of this new one definitely takes the cake. So comfortable, and very usable. Im not sure what the last lady was talking about and maybe she just had a bad apple which can happen with any brand but I have never driven anything that was this worry free. I love this Jeep and will drive it anywhere knowing Im fine and wont have issues. I had a BMW before this and had issue after issue and they didnt want to help me out. Not only that the run flats on the BMW were hell to replace. "no cost to owner my butt on the Beemer. Thanks BMW but Ill stick with Jeep!!

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  Pleased with Jeep Liberty - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By Donna Ripley - September 12 - 11:10 am

  I am very pleased with this vehicle so far. I did much searching before deciding on the Jeep Liberty and think the sporty look of this vehicle was a deciding factor in my purchase. Being a Jeep owner previously, I am pleased with the durability and performance of the Jeep brand.

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  Unlimited Rubicon - 2006 Jeep Wrangler
  By Izrac - September 12 - 7:03 am

  I special ordered the Unlimited Rubicon with the hardtop and a 6-speed manual transmission after driving a Wrangler Sport with a soft top and automatic in Hawaii. It has a tremendous amount of power and gets me where I want to go. It handles very well for a Jeep. It had a few minor paint problems. But other than that it is an excellent vehicle.

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  A dream come true - 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By n0riebel - September 10 - 11:50 pm

  The new GC sure lived up to all the hype, at least in our opinion. Jeep designers really listened to all the suggestions that customers had to offer, making this a best buy. We chose the Limited with the upgraded NAV and Tow Package. The Panoramic Sunroof is my wifes favorite feature of the new Jeep. The ride is superb, noise levels inside are significantly lower than anything in its class (that we could find). A normal conversation can be held while traveling at highway speeds. We average 24mpg highway @ 70mph, 19.5mpg city- of course this will get better once the vehicle breaks-in. 1800miles and only a small issue with compatibility with our iPhones & the USB plug in the console.

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  Great ride. 2017 - 2017 Jeep Patriot
  By 2017 Jeep Patriot. - September 10 - 1:25 pm

  2017 Last year build.

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  2nd Grand Cherokee - 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By jim09901 - September 10 - 2:00 am

  This is the 2nd Grand Cherokee with my first being a 1996. I am extremely happy with the purchase I made. I like the new styling of the later models (WJs) and I find the Quadra- Trac II system to be very effective. The interior is very comfortable (Im 64") and I find even the standard options to be very good.

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  Gotta love a Jeep - 1997 Jeep Wrangler
  By mpyusko - September 9 - 7:10 pm

  The ride comfort will make your teeth chatter, but lets face it ... if you are looking to buy one of these, you are more likely concerned about being able to go anywhere than be comfortable. The 4 cylinder I have does about 21mpg highway and 17 city. Ive had it for a year and a half and all Ive replaced are the tires (when I bought it). It currently has 125,000 miles on it and runs like a top.

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  The best Grand Cherokee ever! - 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By PA28 4X4 - September 9 - 4:43 pm

  This is my 4th gc and it is certainly the best. Excellent ride quality. 5.7l hemi is very powerful. Great lines. Great interior. Feels huge inside compared the previous model. Very comfortable. Smooth transmission shifting. I would highly recommend this Jeep to someone wanting a luxury- quality SUV with true off-road performance. Excellent job Chrysler/Jeep! Home run.

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  Awesome car! - 2008 Jeep Patriot
  By ryanapem - September 9 - 10:33 am

  This car has been wonderful! Ive owned it now for 6 months and put about 10,000 miles on it. Ive had no mechanical issues with it and it has performed better than expected. I consistently get 25.5 MPG in the city and 26.5 MPH highway. Ive never seen less than 24.5 MPH. It is comfortable, easy to reconfigure (fold seats and such), capable and cheap to own and operate. Ive got no real drawbacks to this car. It really has met and exceeded all my expectations.