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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  06 Overland - Great Driving Experience - 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By 06Overland - September 8 - 6:50 pm

  I purchased my 06 Overland about two weeks ago; let me first say that this is by far the most well-appointed and powerful vehicle I have ever owned. Coming from a 99 Wrangler, you can imagine the culture shock. The HEMI is as powerful as I had imagined, albeit not as responsive. It definitely has a good half second of lag before the 330 horses kick in. The interior is gorgeous and feels much more like a Mercedes than a Jeep. And the host of gadgets like Uconnect, navigation and rain sensing wipers impress everyone. The rear seat is not very roomy, and when the front seats are all the way back, you are lucky to be able to put a laptop on the floor back there. That aside, awesome SUV

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  wicked awesome! - 2005 Jeep Wrangler
  By deliveryboy1 - September 8 - 1:53 am

  My 3rd Jeep. Ive owned 2 Cherokees and Im loving my wrangler. Nothing stops it, snow, rain, mud. I live in nh and we get a bunch of snow and I go out to drive in it for fun! Aint great when it comes to fuel economy, but what do you expect from a 4k Pound square going down the road. Mine is stock and still keeps up with friends who have lift kits when off road.

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  good bang for the buck - 2009 Jeep Patriot
  By LARRY908 - September 7 - 11:13 am

  I bought my wife the 09 limited in oct 08. We drove it to Florida and back and I fell in love with the car..... So I bought one for myself.

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  BEEP BEEP IN A JEEP - 2005 Jeep Wrangler
  By Detroit mudder - September 6 - 11:36 am

  I LOVE MY JEEP ME AND MY BUDDIES GO MUDDIN ALL THE TIME AND MY CHEVY LUMINA JUST WOULDNT KEEP UP. SO I FIGURED THAT I WAS TIME TO BYE A JEEP. SO I BOUGHT A WRANGLER.

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  Def. a Jeep! - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By Mark719 - September 5 - 2:00 am

  I purchased this vehicle, replacing a very large and gas hogging Full-size 4X4 truck, and am very pleased with my choice. Roomy, fun to drive, lots of space for junk and stuff like that. Have had very little problems with it at all, besides regular maintenance. I joy to own and drive off road too!

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  Excellent SUV - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By kalli - September 4 - 10:16 pm

  I love my Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo. I live in WI so the 4WD is put to use when needed. I love my jeep its fun to drive and it fits all of my friends. i do wish i would have bought a jeep with a sunroof and the leather heated seats. but in a year or to i plan to buy a newer jeep and at that point i will get all the options. this is a great buy and i plan to have one for the rest of my life. great SUV not to big and definitely not to small.

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  Love this baby Jeep - 2008 Jeep Compass
  By schneikm - September 4 - 9:31 pm

  I bought my Jeep Compass used 2 years ago at 22,000 miles and Im at about 50,000 now. They didnt give me the option to select the correct model I have, mine is the 2.0L 4-cyl autostick. All I have had to replace so far is brake pads, and I probably need new tires soon. I love this car because I am a tall person (510) and it is so spacious I dont feel like Im compacted into a car. The turn radius is great. The seats are comfortable, even on long 12 hour drives. Perfect for moving because there is so much space when you put the seats down. I dislike the 2.0L engine because the get-up is slow and my gas mileage is about 26mpg highway.

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  Trailhawk is Amazing - 2014 Jeep Cherokee
  By master_v2k - September 4 - 6:36 pm

  Bought one of the first Trailhawks that came to Southern California, after harassing the plethora of jeep dealerships on a daily basis and even insisting on a deposit which they couldnt do due to the many delays that plagued the cherokee in the beginning to middle of last year 2013, Shaver Jeep in Thousand Oaks came through in November. Its now March and couldnt be happier. I didnt want the pricier Tech option, but I couldnt wait anymore, so I got the top of the Line Fully loaded V6 with every option available, sticker was around 41,900. Own a cabin in the mountains also, so it does come in handy

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  Jeep wrangler sport 04 - 2004 Jeep Wrangler
  By D.SORENSEN - September 3 - 8:46 pm

  I love this car so much. Its so much fun. To sell this car will be a very sad day. With the amount of driving I do I need something a little more economical. It has been the best car I have ever owned.

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  Patriot Driving A Patriot - 2009 Jeep Patriot
  By Patriot in a Patriot - September 3 - 3:30 pm

  The Patriot is a more than welcome addition to the family. Coming from a Mitsubishi Ralliart Lancer it was different getting used the increase in size. I like how sturdy the Patriot feels as compared to its competitors. You really get the feeling that you are on the road. It does not have a lot of pick up and go, but you will up to cruise speed before you know it. I feel really comfortable driving it as the drivers seat can go all the way back and really low. The second my wife goes to drive it she will bring the seat up raise the level so she can see over the hood. The economy so far, seems to be fair for its size. The stock radio has a ton of features, it can play DVDs that have MP3s.