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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  A new Jeep w/ 430 miles and a bad motor - 2006 Jeep Wrangler
  By Sam Pinheiro - November 18 - 8:43 am

  Looks great. Had it for one week and the motor started ticking. Dealership found metal shavings in the oil, so far this is day 3 without my brand new Jeep. Dont know when I will get it back. Rides well, nice interior.

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  Absolutely Amazing Ride - 2005 Jeep Wrangler
  By JohnnyTwoTimes - November 17 - 10:26 am

  2004 Wrangler X was the best decision I could have made. Its a blast to drive in winter or summer whether youre throwing in the 4X4 or peeling down the rag top. It doesnt ride great but I think thats half the fun in driving it. You can get a ton of great options and customize your Wrangler any way you see fit. The 7 speaker factory sound system I have sounds great. Wrangler has that old school feel and look about it but also has the options and amenities available that make your driving experience comfortable and complete.

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  Pleased it was only a rental - 2016 Jeep Patriot
  By Jacob - November 17 - 9:04 am

  Interior feels cramped. Hard to get out of the drivers seat with the stearing wheel in the way. Stereo genuinely is confusing to use and doesnt sound good. The lack of power and the transmission was a nightmare. Cruise control was good.

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  Experience after 1 year - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By pjweb - November 16 - 8:23 am

  The Jeep has been nearly perfect and I put it through a lot of beating. It has towed my 19 boat 15 times this year. Most trips greater than 50 miles. I have 23K on the odometer. Nothing has failed and nothing really needs replacing. I do get the oil changed every 3K and have done all of the scheduled service.

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  Its a JEEP - 2004 Jeep Wrangler
  By Ray Miller - November 16 - 5:16 am

  I have owned 18 jeeps from the CJ3 to Cherokees, Grand Cherokees and this is the best yet! I knew from past experience that a Wrangler is a Jeep as far as ride and design. Still I love the Rubi!! Auto transmission is the best yet. Gearing is super. It is the peppiest yet. "NOW THE BAD" My biggest complaint is the darn pinging. Jeep says thatÂ’s the way it is, live with it! And use 89 octane when the book says runs on 87. Got no help trying to fix this problem after 4 trips to 2 different dealerships.

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  expected more - 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By not pleased - November 16 - 5:00 am

  When we first purchased I loved it. Now that my husband has bought a new larger truck, we have naoticed how loud the Jeep is. Also, the tires are poor quality and we have had our car in the shop twice in 1 month!!! First, we had a transmission leak and now the solanoaid in the transmission went out and the air conditioner went out at the same time. Mind you we only have 12,800 miles on the vehicle. If we had to do over again we would but looks like we are stuck with this vehicle for a few more years due to their resale value unless we get lucky and the vehicle is a lemon!!!

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  Never, ever buy this car - 2016 Jeep Compass
  By Driving Jane - November 15 - 5:36 pm

  We rented this car for one day of cross country travel. Big mistake. Loud, uncomfortable, loud, sluggish, loud, clunkiest shifting ever, loud, no get up and go, loud, holds 10 gallons of gas so had to fuel constantly....lets see...oh yes, its LOUD.

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  Very good vehicle - 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By fastdude - November 15 - 9:44 am

  Overall Im very happy with the car itself. However I wish I bought the V8 instead of the V6. The engine feels underpowered since the engine has to work very hard to get the 2200 kg weight moving in city driving. Cruising on the highway the engine works better, so long you dont climb any hills. The 5 speed auto trans mission is geared to high. Need at least 6 gears to make driving more fun. Gas consumption was good at first but now after 12000 miles/19000 km my consumption is 20 City and 23highway.

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  Jeep does what it was built for - 2008 Jeep Liberty
  By tammy - November 15 - 2:36 am

  Owner for 9 months and 8,000 miles. The interior of the Liberty is chintzy at best. They are not built for comfort. If you read other reviews that complain about water leakage from the rear cargo area, they are absolutely right. The wiring harness at the top of the cargo door and the luggage rack both allow water to infiltrate and soak the carpet floor. The brake assist is cool on slopes but not when you wish to accelerate in emergency situations. The tow package is great. Be careful not to engage the 4WD by accident. MPG is aweful! I would not have bought mine without all the pricing incentives. I will begin to feed mine Wheaties and hope that it grows up to be a BMW someday.

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  Like my turbo diesel - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By Rod Huebner - November 14 - 12:13 pm

  The turbo four cylinder diesel has provided about 25 miles per gallon for overall mileage - 23 mpg in winter. I needed something versatile and with decent mileage and have been very pleased with the diesel Liberty. I like it as an urban commuting vehicle because of the great turning radius and the good visibility makes it easy to drive and park. Mileage is very good for an SUV. Great vehicle for taking canoe and camping gear into the back woods. Very good off road. OK on freeway. Not luxurious, but it looks good and is well made. The bonus is the very good towing ability of the diesel engine. Not sure why Chrysler didnt build and promote this vehicle more. Its a sleeper, but a keeper!