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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  Love my Jeep - 2000 Jeep Cherokee
  By Steve E - April 20 - 9:26 am

  128,000 miles and still kicking. I love my Jeep Cherokee. I hang on to it because there is nothing out there I want to replace it with. It is the perfect size, great motor, great 4WD system w/ part time/ full time and a simple vehicle. In deep mud and snow I still havent gotten stuck. I wish Jeep would bring this one back into production. Get back to basics!

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  great jeep - 2004 Jeep Wrangler
  By jeepowner - April 19 - 4:33 pm

  I have had this Jeep for 1 1/2 years. So far I love it. It is great in the mud or snow and I dont even have a lift on it. It is marginal at interstate speeds. Rough riding but that is expected. You learn to love it. The worst part is that the engine is underpowered. I added a Banks Cold Air Intake and that helped out a lot. I hope to put a cat-back exhaust system on soon. Great fun in the summer with the top and doors off.

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  nightmare - 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By monkaass - April 19 - 11:03 am

  I bought this vehicle used with 54,0000 miles on it. It has been a total disaster. I got into the truck one night was stranded because the starter blew. 2 days later the blend door went out , with the stupid dual heater, which doubles your chances for failure. Whell began to grind 2 months after I bought it. My suggestion is if you really want to buy this vehicle used, dont do it.

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  Money Pit - 1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Homer5 - April 19 - 10:00 am

  Grand Cherokee Laredo 4WD-LOADED. STAY AWAY. Wife had vehicle since new; maintained to the hilt. Despite great care, list of repairs on this piece of junk too lengthy to list. Most notable lately: tracking bar and other suspension parts ($300), new air conditioning system ($1500), new fuel pump ($500), leaking transmission, faulty wiring, on and on. Last two years: cost over $3,000 (thats half of its current market value). I hate it. Will never buy a Chrysler product. My Toyota has same mileage (115K), and NEVER had a problem. Cant wait to sell this heap of junk and get a 4Runner.

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  My 1999 Grand Cherokee. - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Migue1 - April 19 - 10:00 am

  I encountered several electrical problems with my 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The drivers/passengers windows got stuck several times and I had to visit the dealership on numerous occasions to have this problem corrected. Also had a problem with the front brakes (disk) getting bent even though the car had less than 20,000 miles and was driven carefully. The AC (evaporator) also went bad and had to be replaced . A lot of my friends have had similar experiences with their Grand Cherokees as well. Car also had several recalls (three) during the last three years, and due to the above mentioned problems I will not purchase/lease a Grand Cherokee again..

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  Yet another Jeep..Yet another good one.. - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By Drivecrazy - April 19 - 10:00 am

  Drives well, it is fun, has a distinctive style and most importantly it is comfortable on longer trips too. This jeep is well made and nicely shaped. Looks sturdy and massive, yet has nimble manners. Fuel economy? Well, consider the 210 horses and the tall shape and it is still matches the fuel consumption of my V8 206 HP T-Bird. The interior room is incredible. I am 64" and have plenty of room all around. Comfort is good even in the back. Go and test drive all the SUVs in this class and leave the Liberty for the last, because you will and up with it... Did I mention 5 star collision ratings? Well, let see how this baby holds up on the long run....

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  Wheres the A/C? - 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By GBSPI - April 19 - 10:00 am

  This is our second Jeep Grand Cherokee. The first was really great and relatively trouble free. This one has been in the shop 7 times for the air conditioner. At first, it did not work at all. After 7 tries, it works, sort of. I live in a hot area and you have to run it on high all of the time. The dealer originally said the air from the vents should be at 38 degrees. They have now changed their minds and say that 44 to 50 is acceptable. The dealer says this is as good as it gets now. If you live in a hot place, dont buy a 2002 JGC. Otherwise it is a fine car.

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  Happy W/Grand Cherokee - 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By scoad - April 18 - 8:46 am

  Have over 75K miles and only thing other than normal maintenance needed was a fuel filter at 51K and radiator hose at 68K. Gets far better mileage than the EPA rating and is roomy and comfortable. Could handle better, but it is an SUV. Have heard others complain, but it gets better fuel economy and has been just as reliable as my previous SUV (Toyota 4Runner). Would buy another one in a second. Maybe people have problems due to way they maintain their vehicles.

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  Jeep Liberty with a nifty diesel - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By nursecrd - April 17 - 9:53 am

  Special ordered this Jeep. I have been quite pleased with this car in spite of some quirkiness. Love the 2.8 L turbo diesel. It is a bit noisy but the torque is phenomenal. This little guy is no slouch on the road. Great fuel economy, 30 - 31 MPG (calculated) when kept under 65 MPH. Fairly good reliability. Torque converter is weak link in the drive train and I am on #3. Engine requires a bit more care than the gas version but it is an easy engine to maintain. Some aftermarket engine parts available (filters) but all else you have get at the dealer and they are not cheap. Adequate long distance road car but very good off road and in heavy snow.

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  Cherokee Limited V6 4 x 4 - 2014 Jeep Cherokee
  By jnlon98uc - April 17 - 6:23 am

  Purchased this vehicle in June of 2014, Two months later the front end started to shimmy/wobble when accelerating from a stop or taking a corner from a stop. Took it to the dealer and they confirmed the problem and said they will replace both front axles as recommended by Star Case S1421000022 (not sure what that is). Axles replaced and it still does the same thing. Will return to dealer when the 1000 mile break-in period for the new axles is up. Acceleration from a stop is not very responsive either.