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:

• 

  Keep away from this SUV - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By 2784 Penn State - December 14 - 2:00 am

  One of the worst vehicles Ive ever owned. In the repair shop all the time. Spent over $6500.00 in 24 months on repairs. A/C, transfer case, power windows, moonroof, C/V joints, brakes...QUAD TRACTION is a nightmare. Consumer reports warned about this vehile...they were right.

• 

  My Second Review - A continued disappointment - 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By dpkimball - December 9 - 9:04 am

  This is my second review of our 2014 GC, which we leased in June 2013. The transmission continues to be a hot button issue for me. Gear shifts up and down through 1-3 are rough and sloppy. I believe were on our 7th recall (hard to keep track at this point), and are on a wait list for the last 3 of them as parts arent available yet. There are tons of little things that drive me crazy. For example: in literally every other car Ive owned, if the stereo is turned off when the driver turns the car off, it stays off when you turn the car back on. Not this car, not a great thing if youre giving a ride to a client or customer and the stereo comes on blaring when you start the car.

• 

  Look else where - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By bruce feldman - December 7 - 10:00 am

  In the first 18 months I had to have new wheel bearings,new battery, rear window motors went out, transmission went out. From month 18 to present I had to have new bearings again in the rear, transmission probblems due to dealership service dept. mistake. I WILL NEVER BUT ANOTHER JEEP. This is the first U.S. car Ive owned in 19 years. My next car will be a BMW 330ci

• 

  Dangerous on wet roads!! - 2003 Jeep Wrangler
  By shinxie - December 3 - 10:00 am

  I had my jeep for two months but had to trade it in because after SEVERAL close calls, I finally had an accident when it slid into the back of another car on wet roads. I have no doubt that had Id been driving a car, it would have stopped - there was plenty of room. Its also very difficult to see what other vehicles are doing when you are trying to change lanes and merge into traffic. On the good side though, it was a fun car and the a/c was excellent and got cold very fast.

• 

  The Fun Money Pit - 1997 Jeep Wrangler
  By Jennafrito - November 30 - 2:00 am

  From my experience with my 1997 Wrangler, and through discussion with the dealers, and my dad (a certified master mechanic) I have learned that this vehicle is a disaster. Since I purchased the car 1 1/2 years ago, I have had four major problems that totaled over $1,500. The dealer said that since 1997 was the first year for the new model, it was riddled with design flaws as they were trying to still work the bugs out. Instead of minor repair, the company makes you replace the entire system that is defective, which results in a hefty fee, and the company will not pay for it.

• 

  Dream purchase gone wrong - 2011 Jeep Wrangler
  By ucalum10 - November 28 - 8:19 pm

  Im a very dedictaed Jeep customer. this is not my first Jeep ive owned. I purchased the exact Jeep featured in the photos on this site for about 30K. The passenger floor is a POND and the freedom-top leaks on the dash and on the radio everytime it rains. I AM NOT HAPPY. The jeep is into the dealership for the second time to fix the problem. After the first visit; I am confident nothing was resolved. I am now waiting for the mold and mildew to set in and I am now scared that my floors and rockers are going to rot out. The jeep isnt even a year old yet and its been wet since day one. My state has a Lemon Law and I plan act upon it if its not fixed by the 4th time. Why isnt there a recall?

• 

  Not Much Bang for your Buck - 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Mills - November 25 - 4:26 pm

  This is our second JGC, and we are not pleased with it. We had to take it back to the dealer 3 times for computer errors (had to replace main PC board), the AC does not work all the time, and the engine is so detuned that it feels like a strong V6. In addition, I hit my head all the time when getting in and out (you would think I would have learned)and I am only 57". I could not imagine a tall person enjoying this vehicle.

• 

  gas milage - 2009 Jeep Commander
  By carole spicer - November 23 - 5:53 pm

  Gas tank is half the size it should be. At 21 gallons youll be searching for a gas station every 180 miles or every 3 hours you will be out of gas. Towing a empty trailer approx 800 lbs. I got 12.5 mpg on the freeway. The hemi stinks huge amounts of gas. As much as a 454 suburban 4x4 does. The Sirius radio has almost no reception. On a 6 hour drive it came on 3 times for a total of 10 minutes max.

• 

  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.

• 

  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.