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:

• 

  Lovely little suv - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By donny190 - October 12 - 2:00 am

  Love it, the reson why i brought it is because my daughter had it as a rental. we took it for a drive and fell in love with it, it was my wifes desion to get it and are glad we made it. i was it had the trail rated bage because i own the a 2004

• 

  Jeep - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By Jerry4375 - October 12 - 2:00 am

  Great car with lots of power and heft in the driving feel. 3.7 6 cyl. provides a great kick. Moderate road noise with hum/whine from automatic transmission, which is a little annoying at higher speeds.

• 

  better than the sahara - 2008 Jeep Wrangler
  By Orlando - October 11 - 11:43 am

  I have had my X model for less than six months and so far it is great. the top comes down and goes up in less than three minutes. i made a few improvements, changed the tires to M/Ts (old ones were slippery in the heavy rain). added a brush guard, side rails, rear bumper and seat covers. all for less than $3500.00. i spent a total of 21500.00 with all the upgrades and it looks far better than a stock sahara that cost 25k or more. would recommend the x over sahara or rubicon( make your own improvements and save money)

• 

  Buy a Jeep NOW! - 1999 Jeep Wrangler
  By Max Rockatansky - October 10 - 10:00 am

  My Jeep has nearly 60000 miles and runs like new. I have the 4.0L 6 cylinder with a five speed manual. This combo is quick and works well in all conditions. At home on the highway, and will amaze you off-road. Controls are easy to use and well thought out. Take the top and doors off and its close to riding a motorcycle, but you dont need a helmet. This is the ultimate all around vehicle, great in the snow, awsome in the summer. Ill own no other. Buy one NOW!

• 

  Great SUV for the Money - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By robbyru - October 10 - 10:00 am

  Weve testing a lot of SUVs and this one is by far the best in its class. Although I think the gas consumption is a bit on the high side, I wouldnt trade it for anything! We go on camping trips and can fit a lot of things in the cargo area. We Love It!!

• 

  2008 Jeep Laredo - 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Tom J - October 9 - 12:56 pm

  I had been dedicated to Japanese cars based on too many bad experiences with American cars. I wanted to buy American, and gave Jeep a chance based primarily on their warranty. It was a great decision. I absolutely love this car. Jeep used quality materials throughout the car, giving it a solid feel. It rides nice, and is great in the bad weather we can get in the Chicago area. The acceleration on the 6 cylinder is good, with the mileage being what I expected. I shopped for quite a while before buying this car, and looked at just about every small and mid size SUV on the market. If I had to do it all over again, I would make the same decision.

• 

  2nd Jeep 05 and 06 - 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By bill james - October 8 - 9:30 pm

  My 2005 was a lemon. I was given a $5000 settlement from Jeep. The transmission kept blowing pumps and it had a vibration even after the recall on the torque converter, 3 converters and a transmission rebuild. I took the money and traded it in on a 06. So far the 06 does not have the problems the 05 had, but on the 05 it started with 16,000 miles. In the first 6,000 miles on this Jeep it has been fine. Jeep sales depreciates pretty quickly due to many of the incentives and a lot of Jeeps at the auctions that come off lease ruin the market. So if youÂ’re buying a Jeep make sure you arent in a hurry to sell, just run it into the ground.

• 

  2005 CRD Liberty - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By Pete Josenhans - October 7 - 11:23 am

  The outstanding engineering behind the new CRD engine qualifies as such a joy. And I am here to tell you that this engine blows away (no pun intended) all the myths and conventional thinking that we have come to associate with diesel engines over the years. With no visible smoke, no apparent diesel smell and a whisper quiet engine sound at highway speeds, this vehicle actually out-ran many gas engine vehicles in the mountains of California, Oregon and Washington on a recent trip. At one gas station, a trucker even walked up to my son and unwittingly said: “Excuse me son, but do you know that you’re putting diesel fuel into that Jeep?” No one seems to know about next gen diesel technology.

• 

  Cant wait for winter! - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Pondz - October 7 - 10:00 am

  I just purchased an 04 SE. I traded in my Pathfinder (Ive owned 2 now). I absolutely LOVE my Jeep. Its performed perfectly. I agree that the gas mileage is a bit low, but no worse than my Pathfinders. The Jeep is much more luxurious and has lots more power. Im really enjoying my Jeep and am looking forward to the first snow!

• 

  Life On A Dirt Road With A Compass - 2007 Jeep Compass
  By hortag - October 6 - 5:10 pm

  I analyze every large purchase I make endlessly. To be honest, by the time I purchased this Jeep, I was tired of looking at it; I had reviewed and test driven it so often. But my first real glimpse of what it was capable of came to be during a recent Noreaster that struck my small New Hampshire town. Six inches of mud, 16 inches of water, deeply gouged trails, and the Compass exceeded my expectations! So far, this Jeep has proven to be versatile, well built, and capable of alot more then one might expect out of a 4x4 "Compact SUV" based on a "Car" chassis. All this, and a comfy leather interior, and outstanding sound system.