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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  My Jeep - 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By smesick - October 28 - 10:00 am

  Ive had only one problem in the 3 1/2 years Ive owned this vehicle. That was the water pump. Ive put over 50,000 miles on it since I bought it used. All in all I love my Jeep.

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  Jeep liberty - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By theman - October 28 - 10:00 am

  Fun to drive. handles much nicer than the cherokee. elegant but sporty.

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  I Love my Liberty! - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By Christie Vance - October 27 - 2:43 pm

  My Liberty is great. I have sunroof and satellite radio. I love the window controls in the middle now my kids will not bother the windows. I just look for excuses to leave the house so I can drive it. The gas mileage isnt all that good but I honestly dont care. IÂ’m for sure keeping my Liberty; no more trading in me if I do IÂ’m getting another Liberty.

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  Jeep is making a comeback! - 2014 Jeep Cherokee
  By swade20 - October 27 - 11:39 am

  I have 1400 miles on my Cherokee Latitude 4X4 4 cylinder and so far Im loving this vehicle. In comparison, my wife has a 2011 Honda CRV EX AWD, and it has also been a great car for our family. The Jeep feels more refined however. The 4 Cylinder is quite adequate if not more so. The transmission seems to be getting smoother as the vehicle breaks in. After a bit of lake effect snow in Michigan, it does awesome in bad weather-up to 15 inches of snow tested so far. Minor quirk is that the heating cooling always resets to hottest or coldest setting upon restart, and cargo area is smaller than our CRV. Otherwise I am very impressed with this vehicle. If it lasts it will be a great buy.

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  Totally awesome Overland - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By jw - October 26 - 5:50 pm

  I absolutely love driving my Overland. I have always had Jeeps and it doesnt get much better than this. My Overland has the high output engine so you definitely get around fast! It has everything you can get for it and I would not trade it for the world, except for a newer one (2004) Its worth the price if you find one used. I wouldnt spend the $45k for a new one, but to get one used is well worth.

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  New Jeep Owner - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By bennoprint - October 26 - 1:03 am

  After having only owend this vehicle for a week - I am excited to be a new Jeep owner. I just got back from taking this vehicle to Colorado and the drive was very comfortable - had great power and overall a great trip. It looks great both inside and out and has many extras that ita competitor lack.

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  Cant Beat it! Love it! - 1995 Jeep Cherokee
  By Stephanie, LI, NY - October 25 - 6:43 pm

  This was my first new car at the age of 30. I have never had a problem with this vehicle with the exception of normal wear and tear. This Jeep has plenty of power and great style. I have been looking for a new SUV for the last month; not because I want to get rid of my Jeep, but because my son is getting his license and he needs a dependable vehicle. I wish they still made this model because I would buy another one today. It is never going to be out of style. There will never be a comparable replacement for my Jeep. I miss it already even though it will still be in the family.

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  Ashleys Review - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By Ashs Jeep - October 24 - 10:00 am

  The Jeep Liberty is a great SUV. Fun to drive and roomy and looks good!

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  Finally A Jeep for Me and The Family! - 2007 Jeep Wrangler
  By TheMagicTiki - October 21 - 1:16 am

  I have longed for a Jeep for years, but always needed something that was also practical for the family. Now we have both! I have to say that I love my jeep. Fun and easy to drive, great seating position, enough niceties to take the "rough" edges off for the family. Its plenty roomy enough for vacation trips or trips to Lowes. Compared to older models, I also feel much safer with my kids in the back of the 4- door. The sunrider top is also great... rain in the forecast? You can pull pull the top off the cabin in minutes without taking the whole top off. Yes, its a Jeep thing... and I am good with it! Just try it for the ride before you buy!

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  08 Liberty is purely awesome - 2008 Jeep Liberty
  By tgreenjr23 - October 19 - 3:03 pm

  I got this new Jeep about 7 months ago and It is the best car Ive ever ridden in, driven, and owned. It is the most comfortable ride of any car Ive had. My dads BMW doesnt even drive as well as the Jeep. It could be a bit more powerful. The manual transmission that happens to be $850 less than the auto solves the problem of fuel efficiency. The new Jeep styling has made a huge impression not just on me but on all my friends. There is a lot of room for a mid-sized SUV. The cars price, fair reliability, ease of driving, and small turning radius make it a great car for beginner drivers. And parents dont worry about safety, this car is a tank. buy this car and you wont be disappointed.