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:

• 

  Awesome Jeep - 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By G Adkins - February 3 - 9:46 am

  First Jeep Grand Cherokee. Overland. 4X4. V8. I love this SUV. Great value It is comparable to BMW, Mercedes and Porsche. The cost is much less but performance is great. I have had no problems with the Jeep. Great acceleration. Just did 3000 mile road trip, very comfortable. No problem with long hill climbs fully loaded V8 easily keeps speed and accelerates well.

• 

  Give us Liberty! - 2003 Jeep Liberty
  By Rutledge - February 3 - 2:00 am

  My wife and I love it. Where we live we need 4-Wheel drive anytime it snows. We have no problem in our Jeep. We have the Sport and it shows up most SUVs on the road.

• 

  4WD heaven - 2005 Jeep Wrangler
  By zorra225 - February 2 - 4:26 am

  If you are looking for a smooth ride and fuel economy this is not the car for you, But if youre looking for an a car that can take you places you never been; this is the one.

• 

  The Best Car Ive Ever Purchased! - 2016 Jeep Cherokee
  By Amber Hughes - February 1 - 5:49 am

  I had been seriously shopping around for this type of car for quite some time. I had about five dealerships calling me. When I first test drove my 2016 Jeep Cherokee, I was a bit worried. I live on insanely curvy roads and this car could have handled the curves poorly. It didnt! It handles the twists and turns of my rural road beautifully! I got a great price from my local dealership, had a trailer hitch installed on it for hauling bicycles around and it looks so great! I love all of my cars features, but I do have one complaint; no CD player. Its not the actual cars fault though because I guess basically no new cars have a CD player installed. One day, Ill probably look into getting a CD player installed, but my iPod works just fine for now. All in all, this is the best car Ive ever owned and I would highly recommend it for anyone that is looking for a quality vehicle.

• 

  This Is A Great SUV When You Compare - 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By r461 - January 31 - 4:36 am

  This is my 3rd Jeep Grand Cherokee. It does exactly what an SUV is supposed to do with lots of room and easy handling. I drove the competitors and this is hands down the best value for the money.

• 

  not just a jeep but a liberty - 2003 Jeep Liberty
  By coryjcs - January 29 - 10:00 am

  I dont have enough space to list all of the things i like about this jeep, but i think it is worth a look. You couldnt find a better small SUV.

• 

  Great Choice - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By flyman - January 25 - 8:53 am

  I bought the Jeep for its looks. But I ended up getting a great handling, fun to drive vehicle. I was also very happy with the 0% financing. This was basically the final selling point between it and the Rav4.

• 

  1999 Black Cherokee Sport - 1999 Jeep Cherokee
  By Jeepn101 - January 24 - 10:00 am

  I am one of the few people that actually takes a Cherokee off-road. I found the Cherokee to be the perfect SUV for Northern Michigan. Not too bulky and not a "sport-cute" It is the ideal size for any family with two children or less. As of July 25,2003 I have 68,000 miles and the only problem I have had is a Fuel Pump that was covered under my 8/80 warrenty.

• 

  Jeeps are #1 - 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Doctortom - January 24 - 10:00 am

  They have the best drive train SUV. They use the old Jeep 4 Wheel system that is very durable. Ive driven almost every SUV and the Jeep was very comfortable but yet very rugged and made to handle the off road. Ive owned about 10 Jeeps over the years and would not trade them for any other SUV. I wanted a vehicle that I knew I could depend on in bad weather. Last winter in NW PA)I drove right through the 4 foot high (plus)drifts in my driveway without even clearing a path and didnt get stuck once. I was on my way to pull a family members Explorer out of the snow that was stuck trying to get out of there driveway.

• 

  BEST DAMN VEHICLE I EVER BOUGHT - 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By charles johnson - January 24 - 10:00 am

  I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE FOR MY WIFE. IT HAS A VERY SMOOTH RIDE IT HANDLES VERY WELL AN IT IS VERY RELIABLE IT HAS A LOT OF PICKUP AND GETS GOOD FUEL MILEAGE FOR A V8. MY WIFE IS AVERAGING ABOUT 24MPG BECAUSE OF HOW SHE DOESNT KEEP HER FOOT ON THE PEDAL. BEST SUV PERIOD.