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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  A lot of BANG for little $$$ - 2009 Jeep Patriot
  By GEG - June 20 - 8:56 am

  Living Houston, and the horrible commutes to and from work, this little Jeep does pretty well with an average of 19.8 mpg. Even though it is a little sluggish from a stop it is a very light and responsive vehicle that really climbs up the speedometer fast! The roominess of the cabin great and sits comfortably with plenty of leg room to spare. The Life Time warranty on the power train is the best around. The in-dash compass and audible signals for gas and oil change are handy. The Sirius radio, navigation system, Blue Tooth, etc… in this device are very nice additions in “creature features”. It has a “Brilliant Black Crystal Pearlcoat” which really shimmers in the sunlight. Very nice Jeep!

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  replacing great Jeep Grand Cherokee - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By J King - June 19 - 10:33 am

  I love it. I hope it holds up, I think parts and service could be costly with so few sold. $25.00+ for a fuel filter?

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  JEEP = JUNK JUNK JUNK - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Bill - June 19 - 6:16 am

  I put very limited mileage on this vehicle annually, and it is by far the worst quality vehicle I have ever owned. I have put new brakes and rotors on this vehicle TWICE, a front drive shaft, rear wiper motor, CV boots on the front TWICE, front radiator fan TWICE, rear CV boots, and a few other little things not worth mentioning, but you get the idea. Jeep equals junk, and thats the bottom line. I will never own another Daimler-Chrysler product again, and neither will my family or friends. Not to mention the service at the dealership left something to be desired.

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  Not Sure About This One Yet - 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By aodell - June 16 - 7:46 pm

  Is my third JGC, had a 98 and 04 prior. Recently purchased and still not used to the differences between this one and the 04 that I traded. Not sold on the new 3.7 L engine (bring back the 4.0!)and am a little nervous driving it after reading all the reviews on here about shifter/acceleration problems. Exterior looks good and it seems solid built but interior a little tacky and the seats do stain terribly. Doesnt have as much room. Kind of doesnt feel like a Jeep compared to the old one. Avg. 18 mpg and rides smoother than 04. Have to wait and see on this one.

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  Not a bad little SUV - 2007 Jeep Patriot
  By Kyle - June 15 - 8:36 pm

  Overall, this Jeep is a great vehicle. Its pretty comfortable, handles well on the road and has several usefull features available. I have been thoroughly pleased with this vehicle and would recommend it to anyone looking to buy a compact SUV. The CVT (transmission) takes some getting used to, but once you get used to it, youll find its a nice transmission. The gas mileage is really good, which is nice in this age of high priced gas. I would recommend to anyone who travels or camps a lot, to get the complete roof rack and tow package since cargo space inside is limited. My only major complaint is the head rests on the front seats... not very comfortable. Im going to replace mine.

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  More Then Just A Refresh! - 2011 Jeep Patriot
  By finster5 - June 15 - 1:07 pm

  Driving the 2011 Latitude for 4 weeks. I last looked into the Patriot back in 2007. Kudos to Jeep, because they totally redid this vehicle. Very Pleased. After tax, DMV fees, registration cost came out to 24K. I am getting around 27 mpg. I am sitting in heated leather seats with my smart phone wirelessly streaming phone calls and music through the stereo. New interior and reworked steering wheel w/stereo and cruise controls bring the cabin back into the 2000s as opposed to before when it felt like 1986. Handling/feel on road is tight and nowhere as noisy as previous models. CVT transmission is no problem at all, passing and highway acceleration power is there. More tough car then truck.

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  Jeep lover for life now... - 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By plato2375 - June 13 - 8:53 pm

  This is my second Jeep product (I previously owned a 2000 Wrangler). These cars are tanks. Outside of the normal wear and tear stuff (lets face it, this is an 8 year old car), I havent had any major problems. This thing is a ball to drive and handles anything that I can throw at it (snow, mud, heavy rain.) I have turned my wife into a Jeep lover as well (she recently got a 2006 Liberty which she has fallen head over heels for). While the rest of my friends cars break down and get stuck in various weather related driving hazards, I can honk my horn as I drive by them and wave.

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  JGC 3.0 deisel 6 months, 11,000 miles, no complaints - 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Mark Johnson - June 13 - 3:15 pm

  IÂ’ve had the JGC Overland 4x4 with 3.0 diesel for 8 months, and have no complaints. We go back and forth from the Bay Area to our house in Tahoe once a month and IÂ’m amazed how good the mileage is. I love the diesels torque. Great gas mileage and power. The tranny is as smooth as silk (Yes smooth.. No clunking) and the paddle shifters are very nice in the mountains. WeÂ’ve used the snow mode a few times and it gives me a real sense of confidence. I did get a safety recall notice and brought in in last week, and had the work done. I was a little surprised when I went there that there were 8 flash updates required. But it has sophisticated computer system in it, so I should not be surprised.

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  I Miss it! - 1996 Jeep Cherokee
  By golfrgirl - June 13 - 4:56 am

  Bought it used w/141k miles - all original parts! YIKES - replaced just about everything - clutch, brakes, muffler, starter, cylinders... you get the idea! However, they were ALL factory original! Loved it! Sitting at a stop light last fall got hit by 2 other cars - head on & drivers side - total loss - but I walked away. Looking for same car 5-speed 4WD. Wish they still made them - my mechanic said they were one of the best cars EVER made & easy to work on too! Even cheaper to repair!

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  Bad Tranny - 1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By jwilx - June 12 - 10:00 am

  Bad design for Quadratrac...Requires replace of transfer case after about 50000 miles. Best to replace with Select-Trac transfer case instead. Other than that....a good vehicle!