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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  Jeep Liberty - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By zeppelinprncss04 - August 30 - 1:40 am

  My Liberty was purchased with 77000 miles on it and I am about 200 miles short of 100000 and its still running as well as it was the day I bought it. It has plenty of power and as a college student, I have plenty of cargo room to take stuff back and forth. It goes great in the snow/ice and in the mud! I love my liberty so much!

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  My second jeep cherokee - 1998 Jeep Cherokee
  By jasonc314 - August 29 - 2:00 am

  I bought this jeep off some goofy dealer in Ohio who i honestly think he was slow. I won a auction on Ebay and snagged it for $5000. It had 98k miles when i got it, it now has 106000. I like the jeep because of the first one i bougt was an89 with 88k. I still have it but has turned into a body work project due to rust but it never broke down. Anyway, we get a lot of snow and this thing is insane in snow/mud. Havent had a chance to get new one in snow/mud. THE GAS MILEAGE SUCKS BADLY, but i love the power. I could burn off the tires in three street blocks.Easy to work on.Nickel and dime problems Lose the liberty, bring back CHEROKEE.

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  Never buying a Jeep again. - 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By darktiger - August 29 - 2:00 am

  I remember when Jeeps were reliable. Now they are not built the way they use to be. I bought a 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee. I drove it 48,000 miles and in that time I have gone through 3 fuel pumps, 2 seats, 1 steering column, 2 window motor/modulators. Now I traded and got a 2003 Jeep. Guess where it is, it is in the shop. Great place for a new Jeep.

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  Jeep wrangler sport - 2004 Jeep Wrangler
  By gulfrader - August 29 - 2:00 am

  Love riding around in a jeep

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  2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland-Pricey Lemon! - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By 49caddyman - August 28 - 3:55 am

  I bought an 04 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland in 2005 w.a mere 22,000 miles on the odometer. Being loaded, this SUV cost $43,000+. I immediately learnt that both axle seals, & both rear shocks, were leaking. At 36,200 miles (200 miles out of the "warranty"), all "Hell" broke loose. The starter failed, the factory CD player died, power windows & door locks ceased to function (Ive had this problem repaired 3+ times already), no Jeep dealership would help out even though this Jeep was only 200 miles out of "warranty", thepass. side rocker panel & frnt fender are rotting out, transmission started slipping at 117,000 miles. A grossly overpriced LEMON, & my LAST Jeep. Honda Pilot here I come!

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  My new Jeep Liberty - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By Barbara - August 27 - 8:23 pm

  I first rented this vehicle to see how it performed. While it consumes a lot of gas during city driving, I like how it is a smooth ride on the highway. The interior fits my needs, looks great on the inside and sporty on the outside. A great buy especially with the zero percent financing for 60 months! The price is right for purchasing and financing.

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  Jeep Bondage - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By Tom Lewis - August 27 - 5:46 am

  Manual shift lever for Part-time 4WD, Full-time 4WD, and 4WD Low is difficult to operate. Oftentimes, it is finicky getting it in, and out, of Full-time 4WD (all wheel drive). At 65K miles, transmission 3RD gear valve body screws broke. Dealer service said that the bolts were deemed not strong for the application. Still havent seen a recall for that! Seems that Jeep isnt as reliable as it once was. Reliability is more like that of a typical Chrysler product. Theyve fixed something that wasnt broke. Fuel economy (15-17 mpg) Stinks! Blind spots abound.

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  Good Mid-Size SUV - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By JS - August 26 - 5:10 am

  Ive had my Jeep 18 months now and after initially being in the shop 6 times for transmission problems, the recall finally came out and the problem was fixed. I put this down to teething problems with a new model. Since then, this SUV has been fine as a family vehicle. Great ride and handling for an SUV. Interior a little dull - Jeep could have used better grade plastics on the trim. Overall, this SUV does the job and looks good.

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  1500 mile winter road trip - 2001 Jeep Cherokee
  By lamalips - August 26 - 2:00 am

  Just completed a ski trip to Banff,Canada from Seattle, Washington. The Jeep is an awesome performer in the deep snow. Very comfortable ride. Great head light system and a very smooth V8 engine and transmission. We just sold our 1994 6cyl Larado which we liked very much ,but what a vast difference between cars. We love this vehicle.

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  Made it through "Snowmeggedan" - 2016 Jeep Patriot
  By LP - August 25 - 5:21 pm

  My husband and I just bought our Patriot on Tuesday 01/19/16. We live in the Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee. Our purpose for purchasing a 4x4 was for me to be able to get off our mountain ridge to make it to work. Our Jeep Cherokee is a freaking mountain goat so we decided to look at the Jeep product line again. We chose the Patriot. Less than 24 hours after purchase I had to challenge this vehicle with the ice/snow obstacle course of our three switchbacks and it handled it with ease. I love the stability and especially love the Hill Start Assist. Looking forward to the next snow storm.