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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  Liberty 4x4 - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By dane - February 11 - 5:30 am

  Love that Liberty. Great vehicle, good engine power, okay gas mileage, and never been stranded or stuck in the mud.

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  What a bargain!!! - 2009 Jeep Wrangler
  By What a bargain!!! - February 11 - 4:53 am

  For years I wanted to buy a Wrangler. Every time I went to Hawaii, Id insist we rent one. I finally talked my wife into it. The back seat is much bigger than I remembered. I saved $7500 off sticker and got 0% financing for 4 years. I never thought I would find a deal this sweet. My other car is an 05 Porsche Carrera. Call me crazy, but I have only driven the Porsche once since getting the Jeep. I was planning on giving the Jeep to my son when he turns 16, but well see if that actually happens.

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  Still loving my Jeep - 2008 Jeep Liberty
  By C.SIMS - February 8 - 9:20 pm

  I purchased my liberty back in oct 2007 as a brand new suv. I did a review of how much I loved it then, but we all know the true test is within that 1st year. Well I can tell you I still love it. It still drives well, its still rugged and it still looks sharp. I keep it shiny. Its still a head Turner.

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  SRT 8 Grand Cherokee - 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Dan - February 8 - 6:03 pm

  Performance is amazing, best truck Ive ever owned. Definitely worth the wait.

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  Outstanding Jeep Grand Cherokee - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By B Stuart - February 8 - 1:50 pm

  We have owned our 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4x4 Laredo since Spring of 2000 and it has been an excellent buy. We have taken it in the mountains of NH, VT, MA, ME & PA. It has performed well on the highway, as well as inter-city driving. It has never been garaged and has no rust. It is quite dependable and cost effective to repair, but repair have been the standard stuff, nothing really major.

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  Johns review - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By J DeGiovine - February 7 - 10:00 am

  The automatic transmission combined with the 3.7 liter engine has a slight hesitation when accelarating and occurs around 42-45 mph. The Jeep more them makes up for this problem in many other ways. It is very fun to drive.

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  yeaaaajeep! - 2003 Jeep Wrangler
  By jeepfan - February 6 - 3:23 pm

  Just passed 30000 miles on my 03 Wrangler. Trouble free. Says alot because I have owned 2 Accords. It is lousy on gas but, it really makes up for it while your driving it. In 4WD snow is not even a minor inconvenience. Owning a Jeep puts you in your own class. No need to compete with someone else on what kind of car you drive. You drive a Jeep, enough said. Taking the rear seats out allows you to store enough for long trips or vacations. Summer is good with the top down, but, driving in the Fall is even better. On long drives its no Lexus but, if you wanted that ride you may want to get a Lexus. Youll be amazed how quick you get used to roll up windows!

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  Excellent Ride - 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Paul - February 5 - 8:50 am

  The jeep has all the power it needs with the V-6. Acceleration is good even on a hill. Better gas mileage is only found in smaller SUVs.This one is just average like its competitors. I love the size and fit of the cabin layout. My six foot plus sons ride in the back very comfortably. I would recommend one as my sister did to me.

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  A great all around SUV - 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Clarence Carlson - February 5 - 12:03 am

  Update 9/16. Owned this car a year now and have 12K miles. The experience has been, overall, a good one. Just about every time I get into the Jeep I note the quality of the interior, comfortable seating and its quietness on the road. Handling is great in all seasons. Last winter wasnt our worst here in MN but I can honestly say I never spun a tire or experienced any slipping/sliding at all. If I head out on a long trip I can expect 27 MPG and today my mixed driving MPG said 24.3. Its a good all around vehicle. I have no complaints at all. What follows is my original review. I looked over all the SUVs on the market, did research for 3 months. I wanted something that held 5 passengers (dont need 7 passenger seating), decent gas mileage, reasonable creature comforts but not all the bells and whistles and something that, if there was a sudden zombie takeover, I could drive off the road without worrying about how the car would hold up. Already had a 7 year old Patriot so I knew what I could expect in the way of service at my local Jeep dealer. I decided on a fairly basic Laredo with tow package and a few add ons. My dealer posts the bottom line no haggle price on line so I knew the cost (about three grand down from sticker). Finally saw one listed on line locally and went in to look at it. The test drive, used car evaluation (they gave me very close to book in spite of all the squeaks and rattles) and decision to buy took about 30 minutes. Ive been buying cars since 1978 and this is the smoothest experience Ive had to date. So what did I get? A very smooth ride: if you need a better ride you will pay more. Great handling on dry pavement and in snow: I live in Minnesota where this is critical. Nice interior that is quiet on the road. Comfortable seats for everyone; I got the power drivers seat with adjustable lumbar support which is excellent. A peppy 3.6 L engine that does better than I really need (you have to have driven a 4 cylinder engine to appreciate this). Gas mileage: about 22-23 day to day and on one three hour trip I got 28 mpg all highway. I really like the gauges which are well done and controls are sensibly laid out. Room? I just returned from a vacation where we loaded 4 adults and all the luggage and had plenty of room. Overall Ive had it six months and cant find anything I would change. So far Ive not had any service issues. I did purchase an extended bumper to bumper warranty.

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  3rd, but favorite Jeep! - 2009 Jeep Wrangler
  By sjs21 - February 4 - 10:40 pm

  Amazing Jeep, the best design yet by far!