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:

• 

  Happy with JEEP - 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Sandra Digilio - March 18 - 10:00 am

  I bought my Jeep with 53,000 miles, so far I have had the stabalizer replaced. I love my Jeep, it is very comfortable and I really enjoy the drive. It has a tough look and a strong sturdy frame. I plan to keep it for the next four years and in ll honesty I feel I made a great decision to purchase my Jeep.

• 

  Great SUV - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By ShellyBear - March 18 - 10:00 am

  Well, ive only had my jeep a little over a month. But, I love it ! It rides smooth. Its very comfortable. I only wish I had bought one sooner.

• 

  I love my Liberty - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By She - March 17 - 9:43 pm

  Great SUV; not great on gas and with prices now, you may want to consider mileage, but better than other SUVs. Comfortable, reliable, safe. Only problem, is with the windows ... when rear windows are open there is a very loud sound that sounds like you have a flat tire.

• 

  Whats with Consumer Reports Magazine - 2008 Jeep Liberty
  By stm - March 17 - 4:50 am

  We love this car. It handles great, easy to park and has a comfortable ride. We dont understand the negatives given by Consumer Reports Magazine. Only two things they wrote fit with our experiences driving this car. We have owned other Jeeps and this is our favorite.

• 

  Jeep Got it Right - 2008 Jeep Patriot
  By New Patriot Owner - March 16 - 10:56 pm

  Ive always been loyal to Jeep and have owned two Wranglers, so when I say the Patriot feels like a luxury SUV keep in mind I dont have much to compare it to. But after just a few days zipping around in this wonderful SUV, I cant believe that some owners are giving it only so-so reviews. I bought the Limited Patriot because I was looking for several things: 4-cylinder, comfortable ride with lots of cool stuff (leather, sunroof, heated seats) and of course it has to be a "real" Jeep. Give the folks at Jeep credit - if they didnt create the Patriot they would have lost me as a long-time customer. I was looking at other small, gas-sipping SUVs like the RAV 4 and the CRV. Not now!

• 

  Cant go anyother way - 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By JeepBeast - March 16 - 10:00 am

  I Love my zj, got the 318 v8 in it and man that motor is solid and fast with the quadra trac transfer case. Gotten stuck once in it but easy to pull out. Has 175,263 miles on it and still running strong and tranny shifts smooth. Gas mileage is alright for a vehicle that is 15 years old. about 15 in city and 22 on highway give or take. Would drive it anywhere and Chrysler can build a great vehicle.

• 

  I love it, Chrysler has never let us down. - 2011 Jeep Patriot
  By chryslerfan12 - March 12 - 3:48 pm

  Going from a v8 Durango to the Patriot, I was sure I was going to hate it. Im very surprised, I love the Patriot! It hasnt let me down yet, it never fails to start even on the coldest mornings. It has made it up my steep driveway with ice and snow everytime. The CVT is so smooth, after you get used to it. We are averaging 28.5 MPG with it, which is saving us a fortune. I love the remote start! The 2.4 isnt a race winner but it is certainly adequate even on very steep inclines. So far we have had a Durango, Grand Cherokee, Liberty, Town and Country, and a Pacifica. We still have the Pacifica and the Patriot and both have been trouble free and reliable.

• 

  My new jeep - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By Dawn22 - March 12 - 2:00 am

  this is a great vehicle. Even in snowstorms dont really even need the 4 wheel drive feature. I love the reliability and its really fun to drive!

• 

  Loving my Jeep Commander! - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By Carol - March 12 - 12:13 am

  I love this vehicle. It has brought my family so much fun. We have discovered parts of Long Island that we never new about. It is an animal on the beach. I have never had any problems at all. This jeep runs great. We bought it as a demo with 9,000 miles on it. It is terrific in all kinds of weather. Snow is not an issue,you feel completely safe driving in it. It is easy to drive and the rear back up sensors are the best. The third row is a bit tight for teens and adults. Smaller children have plenty of space. You feel nothing but a smooth ride. The V8 has a lot of power and pulls our 5,700 lb. travel trailer with no problem. I love this jeep and recommend it highly.

• 

  Glad I got it - 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By vince - March 11 - 3:13 pm

  Wanted the Hemi after having 2 other JGC (last was a 94). We drive 250 mi to WV from DC every month and my wife wont take her FX35 anymore because of the comfortable ride and Sat radio. Really like the accel on US81 and gas isnt too bad on cruise. Really like the remote start, Sirius, auto dim, blue tooth and pedal adjust. Hard to use the backup camera as it is offset to the left of center. FX has lines on- screen to guide into parking. Great interior improvement over previous JGC. Very little tire noise at speed.