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:

• 

  Silly boys jeeps are for girls - 2008 Jeep Wrangler
  By shar52 - February 22 - 3:50 pm

  I bought this Jeep and I just love the ride that I get out of it. What I dont like is the inside of the doors get scratched so easy. I bought it in Michigan then moved to Virginia and the dealers here dont do much for you. Not like the big city. This Jeep could have more get up and go. I have the six speed manual and when its cold out it jumps out of second gear all the time. I bought a lot of chrome for it(bumper, side boards, gas cap,mud flaps) now everyone that sees it says it looks like a hummer. I love my JEEP

• 

  Not a car-like SUV - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By Jesus - February 19 - 8:03 am

  What a great Jeep vehicle. Its definitely not a boring car-like SUV that gets stuck in the middle of a mud pool. This thing will go anywhere. Its more like a Jeep, instead of a car. And thats why I bought it. If you would like a comfy SUV with smooth suspension and luxurious finish, this is not the car for you. This is a sturdy car, for people to go play off-road first, and bring the groceries back later.

• 

  yes dear, another jeep - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By tbone - February 15 - 8:10 pm

  I have owned every Jeep in the line up short of the compass and patriot. This one is a favorite. It rides great, does awesome in snow, and feels good to drive. My wife loves the comfort (heated cloth seats) and the gushy ride. The ride home from the dealership gave me 17.3 mpg which I didnt think was too bad for a heavy car. I love this Jeep!!!

• 

  2016 Jeep Cherokee Leak - 2016 Jeep Cherokee
  By Laura - February 15 - 5:42 pm

  I was so excited to purchase the anniversary edition 2016 Jeep Cherokee. I even had customer leather seats installed with the matching tangerine and white trim and had all the windows tinted. On August 11, 2016, Baton Rouge experienced an enormous amount of rain. Ive owned at least 20 cars in my lifetime and theyve been through hurricanes and rain before, so this particular day shouldnt have been any different. It wouldnt have been if Jeep had made sure all the wheel wells were sealed. I brought my Jeep to a dealer and thats what they found. The LF wheel well wasnt sealed properly and I had several inches of water in my drivers floorboard and behind the driver. The carpet held 2-3" of water for days before I noticed it. (10 total while trying to dry myself and waiting on the dealer) Im hoping thats the only area to leak and that it was repaired properly. Im still waiting for the dealer and Jeep to contact me if they will replace the carpet. Waiting and waiting!! The dealer did not dry my carpet or the pad at all. I had to do that myself with fans and blow dryers for days. I guess they thought if they put it back down I wouldnt notice. They didnt even remove the seat to check for any further damage to electrical or to dry. Im hoping I dont have any future electrical problems with my new purchase. Currently, Im having the Jeep inspected by my insurance and a second opinion from another Jeep dealer. As long as I know there is no future damage and that Jeep will stand behind replacing the carpet if needed, I still feel I made a good purchase. Out of all the suvs I looked at, the 2016 Cherokee was the most comfortable and easiest to handle.

• 

  2000 Jeep - 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By DRT - February 13 - 11:53 am

  For the price the quality is not built into the car. Many little but annoying problems. Humming noise from the transmition. Electrical problems with overhead console. This is my second Jeep, I will try another brand next time.

• 

  Its a tank! - 2005 Jeep Wrangler
  By fistfullofsteel - February 13 - 10:06 am

  Go anywhere except past a gas station, hard to get kid out of the back due to 2 door, nothing better come winter though.

• 

  Not the same - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Vulcelt - February 13 - 12:33 am

  This is my 3rd Grand Cherokee LTD since 94. Wish theyd have kept the last design longer, but interior & exterior have totally been redesigned. Nice new features, however. Mileage should be better with the multi-displacement hemi, but the power is really impressive. Comfort and quiet is A1. Turning radius is very sharp, auto-high beams are a real plus.

• 

  Shifter Module Defect - 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By mh - February 12 - 10:46 pm

  Ive owned Jeeps all my life, and I must say, I am very disappointed with the overall reliability of the new Grand Cherokees. With only 45,000 miles on my vehicle, Chrysler told me that they wont cover the replacement cost of my defective Shifter Module. A local dealer told me that he sells so many of these modules that he personally knew the part number off of the top of his head, yet Chrysler will not admit to a defect with it. The estimated cost to repair is $1025.00 (incl tax/parts/labor). This is just embarrassing. I will never buy another Jeep/Chrysler product again. I guess Ive just got to buck up and buy the Honda Pilot. You get what you pay for, as Ive always been told.

• 

  Its a Jeep Thing! - 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Burkey - February 10 - 6:30 pm

  I bought my Jeep off a lease with 39k back in 99 for $17,000 and its been an awesome vehicle. I do a lot of bowhunting and take it off road and have never once had a problem getting stuck...itll go through quicksand! It has been a very reliable vehicle and have never had a major problem with it. At around 90k the electrical system starting getting funky...the radio took a lot of button pushing to get it from FM to AM and now the headlights mysteriously blink on and off sometimes in AUTO mode. Probably a short. I do love this vehicle. It has 103K now and Im buying another one for the wife. Very safe for the family and the dog can go in the back too. Jeeps are where its at!

• 

  Im sold on Jeeps - 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By RandyM - February 9 - 4:10 pm

  This was my 2nd Cherokee. I have enjoyed driving this car although I will never get a 6 cyl. engine in a car this heavy again. I got great mileage but a little sluggish getting on the highway. The overall reliability has been unbeatable with the exception of the brakes pads. I replace pads about every 15,000 miles. It has gotten me through many Northeast snow storms with solid performance.