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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  Two Whole Days Before Trouble - 2016 Jeep Cherokee
  By Unhappy Sad Old Guy - May 17 - 4:42 pm

  Bought car on Tuesday. Wife thrilled to get her desired suv Jeep, and Im thrilled to get her BMW, But wait!! Oh no!! Jeepy throws a "check engine" code on Friday, wife sad. Friendly dealer "fixes" errant code on Friday pm, wife somewhat revived. Oh no!! Code reappears on Sunday. Wife is in tears, wants her BMW back. How happy do you think I am right now?

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  Best SUV Deal in the USA - 2012 Jeep Patriot
  By lameduck9 - May 16 - 2:59 pm

  I have 2k miles on my Patriot Sport 4WD CVT and I am very happy with it. Some reviews state that it lacks power. I have no problem with the acceleration but I am no jack rabbit starter. The CVT(tranny) takes a little getting use to but is fine after you do. It is a stick/auto so you can up/down shift it at will through 6 speeds. I get 26mpg highway w/o the A/C, 20 in the city. I dont go 4-wheeling but have gone over rough terrain at camp and it is fine for that. Im sure it is going to good in the snow in the coming winters. I ended up paying $19.5k after discounts/incentives/bargining the MSRP was $22.5. I recommended this car.

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  2007 Rubicon, Loads of Fun - 2007 Jeep Wrangler
  By Bighaeb - May 16 - 11:10 am

  Im on my 4th Wrangler, and so far, Im not overly impressed with the reliability of my Wrangler or the build quality. It has spent 2 solid weeks in the shop since march, and will be going in again this week for more horrible noises coming from the engine compartment. Besides that, the offroad abilities far surpass my previous Wranglers, even past Rubicons. On road, the 07 has much better road manners, though its still going to be a bit squirrly from the short wheelbase. Engine power is lacking a bit. Could use about 20 more horses or so. Transmission is smooth (I have the 6 speed). I live in Denver, and maybe that is why it seems sluggish. Compared to the 4 litre, its a bit weak.

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  Enjoyable - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Dave - May 16 - 4:53 am

  The vehicle is fun to drive and is excellent in snow. The 5.7 engine is awesome and power is always there when needed. This is my first Jeep and will not be the last. I have recommended Jeep to my friends looking for a new car. Of all the other SUVs on the market, I found the Jeep to be the best.

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  Wonderful Utility Vehicle - 2007 Jeep Commander
  By RCowan - May 15 - 7:10 am

  The Commander is just an all around great family vehicle. The styling and comfort are wonderful and the kids love the theater style seating and Command View sky lights. The 4.7L has plenty of power and when driven sensibly can average fine fuel economy on the freeway. This is our first Jeep product and we love it so far! I would recommend the Commander without reservation to any family that needs to haul people and stuff on a regular basis. This is my 13th brand new car and I think its my favorite!!

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  Somewhat Disappointing - 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By DEAN BONNEMA - May 15 - 6:23 am

  We have found this vehicle to be somewhat less than what we expected from Jeep. We have four main complaints. 1. It does not get anywhere close to the promised gas mileage. 2. It down shifts very hard when on the interstate. 3. The comfort of the seats is not good for long trips. 4. In the first 30,000 miles we had to replace brake rotors & pads, and had to replace fuel injectors, very little of which was covered under warranty. I would not buy another Jeep SUV.

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  C.P.s 1999 Cherokee - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Cliff P. - May 14 - 10:00 am

  Several problems with brakes but dealer did most of the work in warranty. Other than that, this has been a very nice vehicle. I will definitely buy another one. Dealer service very good.

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  Love my YJ - 1995 Jeep Wrangler
  By johnnap - May 14 - 8:43 am

  I love this jeep. It is easy to work on, a little bumpy but, hey its a jeep. I have no problem going 70mph on the highway at 3000 rpms. The clutch is smooth. Mpgs arent bad for a jeep I do have a cold air intake I installed myself in less than 2 hours. I would recommend this vehicle to anyone. My girlfriend has an 04 Rubicon. She calls my jeep the girly one but, honestly I like driving the Rio better.

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  99 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By pbs8704 - May 14 - 2:00 am

  Although it looks nice and rides nice, and the engine has been basically dependable, Ive had so many "minor" things go wrong with this vehicle that I would NEVER buy another one. Currently less than 41,000 miles. Stereo speakers blew, O-rings replaced, front rotors turned twice and rear rotors turned once (at less than 36,000 miles), leaking windows, misc. electrical failures, three recalls, tailight assemblies replaced, front driver seat assembly replaced ... the list goes on and on.

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  Patriots a real bargain - 2008 Jeep Patriot
  By Curt-Michigan - May 13 - 1:40 pm

  Was looking at gas sipping little cars and ran across the Patriot. Was shocked to see it gets 28mpg, took a drive and was sold. Had an old Wrangler years back and this thing is like a BMW next to it, very nice and tight ride. Great interior room, and lots of headroom too. You can sit real adults in the backseat, great Jeep looks, and all while getting great gas mileage. We got some bells and whistles in ours and still got it out the door for 15600, dont know how jeep is selling these so cheap. Dont listen to complaints about cheap interior quality, Jeep made it that way so its easy to clean, its all wipe off surfaces, cargo area too. Congrats to Jeep, they did a great job on this.