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:

• 

  Love this car! - 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By rebecca - September 18 - 10:20 am

  I bought this new and used to drive it 2 hours back and forth to work. It made the wretched commute tolerable. Now, I use it for my dog car. With 103K miles on it, the extended warranty has expired and that makes me nervous. So Im thinking about selling it. It has been very reliable, and the repairs that were necessary were covered under the warranty. I highly recommend Grand Cherokees - this is my second one.

• 

  Love our Jeep Liberty!! - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By Meg - September 16 - 11:13 pm

  We just bought a used Liberty and we love it! The back door is my favorite feature. Its comfortable to drive, theres plenty of power and gas mileage is good. It drives like a Jeep, not like a car, which is what we we wanted and were expecting. If you want a great little Jeep to take off road and to the store, get a Liberty! Buy American!

• 

  My Jeep is a SUV, your SUV is not a Jeep - 2006 Jeep Liberty
  By TechRamblings - September 16 - 4:50 am

  Aside from a small reprogramming problem related to a switch of tires (which the dealership fixed the same day I got the vehicle), this is one incredible vehicle! Much better than my previous 2003 Jeep Liberty Limited. In less than 1 week of ownership Ive already pulled two cars out of ditches and pushed another one free. Off road it performs like a total champ (dont forget to turn off the ESP!).

• 

  Grand Cherokee is Just That - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Dan Albanese - September 14 - 3:23 pm

  I purchased the Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited and absolutely love it. From the powerful V-8 to the plush leather this vehicle exudes class with a backbone. The lines are a lot sleeker than its predecessor and with the chrome trim Ill put it up against any other SUV in a beauty contest. The ride is quiet and with its new suspension system unique to the 05 model, it handles better than most sedans. The only negative is that its very thirsty. Dont believe the sticker, it gets 15 MPG on average. 13 city, 17 highway. Other than that, this is the sleekest, best looking, capable, functional, and powerful vehicle I have ever owned and highly recommend it to anyone.

• 

  My Rocky Mountain Edition - 2007 Jeep Commander
  By thpcaptain - September 13 - 8:41 pm

  I bought my 2007 Jeep Commander in August of 2012 with 59 K. I had been looking for awhile and finally found one in near mint condition. I had accepted a transfer to Yellowstone National Park, which was over 1,500 miles away, and thought the Commander would suit my needs. Since I was pulling a trailer my mpg was not that good...avg. 18 mpg. When I came home for Christmas/no trailer I avg. 24-25 mpg. My only problem with it was a leak coming thru the grab rails on each side. Come to find out the drain tubes of the sun roof were plugged but once they were cleaned out I have not had any more leak problems. I really like my Commander.

• 

  Just finished 3,000 mile road trip - 2014 Jeep Cherokee
  By bendbob - September 13 - 12:26 am

  We got home yesterday from a road trip taking us a little over 3,000 miles of the western US. Very comfortable, well mannered under all conditions. We even did some mild off roading in Arizona and the car never felt anything but ready for more. In mountain driving it can seem to struggle a bit to find which of the 9 gears it really wants to be in at the moment. economy was what you would expect from highway speeds in the 80s (gotta love Arizona and Utah!) mountain roads and carrying 2 adults, one Spaniel-human and a load of gear. We came home from the trip more sold on the car than ever.

• 

  Great Deal and longlasting - 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Lagler/Martin - September 11 - 10:00 am

  I really like this car, very reliable. Since I drive it in the city only, the breaks are very much the main concern. Otherwise great car!!

• 

  It is a GREAT Jeep - 2003 Jeep Liberty
  By jeepgirl2003 - September 11 - 10:00 am

  I had a 96 Grand Cherokee Limited. Ready to buy a new car....I wanted something a bit smaller but still with power. I drove the LandRover Freelander & the Ford Escape and decided I liked the Jeep Liberty the best. The ergonomics of the Jeep are much better than any others of its size. The Power it has is great! Its a road hugger with weight so I feel very safe (unlike my friends Xterra which I feel like we are about to fall over when I ride in it) I drove the Liberty and loved it. It is not only hip but zippy and easy to maneuver around (much more so than my Grand Cherokee). I think that Jeep really did a great job with this Liberty.

• 

  The first and the best - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Matt Russell - September 11 - 10:00 am

  The jeep grand cherokee, put short has the power to climb walls turn on dimes have four wheel drive to take you places other suvs cant run and is not imposed by the "luxery" suvs from mercedes and lexus that noone would dare take offroad, jeep is built to handle wat you can throw at it without sweating

• 

  Love my Jeep - 2010 Jeep Wrangler
  By Kent - September 9 - 10:00 am

  As my title says, I love my Jeep Wrangler Sport 4 door. Am not an off roader but instead needed a rugged vehicle with 4 wheel drive capability. This vehicle is fantastic and will go through almost anything mother nature throws at it. The four doors make it very convenient and the extra space in back is well appreciated. Gas mileage is decent although could be a little better. Highly recommend the Wrangler 4 door.