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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  Best Jeep EVER! - 1995 Jeep Cherokee
  By CW - November 11 - 2:26 am

  These are the best Jeeps that Jeep ever made hands down! My Cherokee now has 416,000 miles on it and the only parts its needed are a CPS (crank position sensor), Neutral switch for the tranny, 2 alternators and a rebuild for the transfer case because of some leaks. It only fussed about starting one time because the CPS was going bad, but it did start. Ive been on top of the maintenance from day one, fluid changes and such.

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  Worst vehicle Ive ever owned - 2008 Jeep Liberty
  By John - November 10 - 10:14 am

  Dont buy this car. There are too many quality cars available today to waste your time and money on this piece of garbage. The engine and 6 speed manual transmission are pretty reliable, although poorly suited to the car. The engine is not powerful enough, has a microscopic power band, and the ratios are just too long. Below 3000 rpm theres no acceration, and above 4000 rpm its only good for turning gas into noise. While the powertrain has been reliable, literally every other thing jeep attached to it has not been. 4wd has failed twice for electronics, wiper switches, window switches, door lock switches, airbag sensor, door sensors, gas tank wont fill (replaced twice), shift boot falls apart, seat trim falls apart, spare tire doesnt stay tight and knocks around, wheels seem designed to deliver pebbles to the brake pads, brake pads cannot be secured and rattle constantly, car wont restart when warm, exhaust flex joint cannot be secured and periodically disconnects, entire interior vent system had to be replaced when an internal seal melted and jammed the actuators, multiple hvac fans have failed (noisily), and the list goes on. And on... I bought this car new with the lifetime powertrain warranty and lifetime maxcare. Even at $50 per work order and paying $35-$50/day for rental cars while the jeep is in service, it cost me $2000 this year to maintain this POS. I just dumped the thing yesterday... Id kept it for so long because I knew the warranty would protect me when something major failed... but eventually it bacame clear that the major expenses were not likely to fail, and the car was milking me dry, a few hundred dollars at a times. At one point this year, I had the car in for repair for three different unrelated issues in one week. Each time I picked it up, I couldnt even make it back to the house before something else crapped out. Another time it was in for service for two consecutive weeks, brought it home, and had something else fail the very next day. To wrap this up - do yourself a favor and dont buy this car.

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  Love My Patriot - 2008 Jeep Patriot
  By Michael E. Burton - November 10 - 8:00 am

  I have been extremely pleased with my new Patriot. On a recent trip (interstate driving) I was shocked to get a little over 28 miles per gallon. The jeep handles well on mountain roads and so far the 4wd has preformed in all situations, even though I did not get the Trail-rated editon. The room inside is generous and comfortable. Im glad I opted for the manual transmission.

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  Great SUV - 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By lhazie - November 10 - 2:56 am

  I absolutely love this vehicle. Very reliable SUV, although the rear axle was replaced after 2 years but was covered by warranty. It never left me stranded even in the deepest snow of Buffalo. The only complaint is that it is a little "wobbly" for some passengers. Overall it was worth every penny. And what a great re-sale value, if I can ever bear to part with it. (Ive read a lot about the rotors, I have 43,000 miles on same rotors; no problem).

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  Lucky So Far - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Lucky Mac - November 10 - 2:36 am

  This is my first Jeep ever. So far all is good, after reading all the reviews on the V6 engines looks like I am one of the lucky ones that does not have too much problem. I guess because my break in period was different. I drove this jeep like a sports car rigth away. I love the AWD capabilities of this jeep. The auto trani is slow when you mash the gas to the floor but thanks to manumatic shift, although there is about a second delay in shifting with a good timing it works just fine. Stability is very good, high speed lane switch is very stable it hugs curves like its on rail. The problem I had with the trani leaks recall was fixed right away by the dealer. I will upgrade to the SRT8 soon.

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  4 wheeling - 1998 Jeep Cherokee
  By Ironman - November 9 - 3:30 am

  I bought mine with 64,000 miles on it. It now has 112,000 and is still going strong. Overall dependability has been very good, just regular maintenance. Yes, its loud, mileage is pretty bad & the back seat could be more comfortable, but its also very practical. Love it ! And, it never feels like its going to tip over, like other SUVs. I dont have any modifications made - all stock. I never thought I could have this much fun in an SUV !

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  This is Cherokee #6 - 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Steve Turso - November 8 - 1:45 am

  This might be the best one yet. Very comfortable, rides better with the 18" wheels I think compared to the 20s, the gas mileage is no shock, its a hemi so it is what it is but on the highway I can get 22. Its still new only a few weeks but absolutely no issues at this point!

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  Not the worst car Ive ever owned - 2007 Jeep Patriot
  By SteveH - November 8 - 12:46 am

  The Patriot is definitely #2 though. Glad my son is taking this thing to college. If it had a decent transmission I might like it. It drives like it has a slipping clutch. Driving it is a miserable experience. Aside from the transmission, handling is unstable, economy is so-so, the gas tank is small so range is bad, the gear selector is junk (no lockouts so it can be put in reverse at any time) and the rear liftgate is in the way of anyone over 6 feet tall. Nobody has complimented it on being roomy or comfortable. Initially everyone seems to like it, but they turn on it fast. Our daughter complains about it. She would rather ride in a 96 Voyager.

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  Theres Only One! - 1999 Jeep Wrangler
  By Fantastic Johnny - November 7 - 4:50 pm

  Those looking for a soft ride and performance numbers need not apply. The Jeep is a harsh ride. Its noisy and brash. But its a boatload of fun in the winter and the summer. I would never recommend the 4 cylinder without the manual transmission. It doesnt have enough ponies for an automatic transmission. I get on average about 20 mpg with 100K miles. I do quite a bit of highway traveling, and as long as you aware of the limitations of driving such a short vehicle at 70 mph, youll be fine. Wind is about the only enemy of the Jeep. Strong Illinois winds bounce the Jeep around like a pinball, but you couldnt pay me to trade it in. This Jeep is mine until she dies. Theres Only One!

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  2017 75th Anniversary Wrangler Unlimited - 2017 Jeep Wrangler
  By Mercdoc - November 5 - 10:53 pm

  This is our 2nd Jeep with our first being a 2015 2dr Willys. Now I know this is to be for 2016 models but, really there isnt much different and really you can say ours could be a 2016.5 LOL. But... really what do we think of our Jeep? First, new for the 75th edition and a huge improvement are the LED head lamps. I think Jeep finally got this one right and they are standard on the Sahara and Rubicon, but dont worry they are an upgrade for 495.00 on the Sport versions. They are a bright white(daylight) type which are bright on the roads. We have not had a chance to make a night run offroad to see how they light up the woods but I am sure they will be far better than what we had on our Willys. The overall look of the 75th Anniversary we really love. The Power dome hood and front/rear bronzed bumpers from the Hard Rock really set it apart. The tire size is ok but I think the 255-75r-17s that came on our Willys would have given a much better off road ready look than the Wrangler Armor Tracks that came on it. Dont get me wrong, the Armor Track tires are quiet and do have an off road look to them but it is just a personal preference. The ride is the same as any Sahara with the provided Jeep "heavy duty" suspension. I must admit that I like the ride of the Jeep "Performance suspension" that came on our Willys or standard for the Rubicons. The Sahara suspension like the Sport(s) suspension just seems too soft for what I expect a Jeep to ride, again its just a personal preference. For most folks that spend much of their time "Mall Crawling" the ride would be perfect and most likely their preferred. Now moving to the inside and our impressions. First look inside there is a bit of EWWW and AHHH from the upgraded interior of the Sahara/75th Anniversary edition over the Willys. But that feeling is short lived as you get in and get comfy in your seat. The leather trimmed seats do feel nice but the lack of lumbar is a minus for me. When traveling the added lumbar support is a nice feeling on the lower back. The dash appears to be very close to what we had in our Willys but with some extra little touches. The speedo and tach lettering are nicer to look at with what appear to be larger letters and a cleaner look. Not really sure how to explain this other than for you to go look at a Sport then look at the 75th edition to know what I mean. Now I will admit that I did not look at any other trim level for 2017 so I am comparing it to our 2015 Willys, which also had the premium dash/cluster in it. The steering controls are the same for 17 as they were for 15 and I am sure the same for 16s. They do take a bit to get use to all the functions that they can do. The My-Gig 430 is a nice upgrade over the 130 standard radio that we had in our Willys. The touch screen for me is a novelty and the upgrade to navigation with travel link is a plus for the interstate traveler. It is not as refined as other systems from the other manufacturers but it does get the job done. We have not had a chance to explore all of the features of the 430N but I did find it to be easy to use without reading the manual. Finding some of the feature items could be easier to find with a dedicated button over searching thought the "Menu" button. Our Jeep also came with the Alpine speaker upgrade and it is a great improvement over the stock radio. Yes it is a pricey upgrade and many will say you can that they can build a nicer one for less but many will never do it and be disappointed with the stock system. The Alpine upgrade provides a much need bass response that is not in the stock system. You do lose your hide away in the back as the sub is mounted there. In the JKU it is not a big deal but if you have a JK you will miss that bit of storage. No matter what radio you have the Alpine system is available for an upgrade, my only issue is the lack of being able to tune it. You get Bass or Treble in one radio or you get Bass, Mids, or Treble with the touch screens. Not much there and maybe something that Jeep will touch on for the JL release. I love listening to music both in the Jeep and in my home and the Alpine has a very pleasant sound. The bass is firm but doesnt rattle your ear drums, now you can turn the bass up all the way and it will shake the mirrors and vibrate your back but it is by no means a 15-inch subwoofer. I did notice that the AM/FM tuner picks up stations better than the U130 that we had in the Willys. The ability to copy my CDs to the hard drive is a nice feature, it is a little slow but the playback is great. The U-Connect works great wth both my Android phone and my wifes iPhone and music playback is great with each. Our iPod touch that we use from time to time works well with Bluetooth or the data/charge cable. While using the cable the radio controls the iPod but Bluetooth you keep control on the device. Seating is great up front and spacious in the back but the seats are too up-right in the back. Wish i had more room.