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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  No More Jeeps! - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By No More! - December 22 - 9:03 pm

  I bought 06 Commander new, when gas was still under two bucks/gallon. Shame on me. The best Ive ever gotten is 13 city and 15 on the highway. Leaking windshield and sunroof like many others have described. Id like to meet the engineer that designed the drainage from roof to door jam; open the door after a rain and you get your feet get soaking wet! Ices up in winter and door wont open, leaked in dash. Ive always been "light" on the brakes, and usually get over 60K before replacing same, not on this one. Brakes are gone at 29K. Lately, electrical system has caused car to die in the road. Interior materials around leather are cheap; cloth stains with just plain water spill

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  Please review nhtsa.gov website...this vechile stalls without warning - 2011 Jeep Patriot
  By jeeppatriot1 - December 22 - 10:36 am

  I own a 2011 Jeep Patriot and it stalled on HWY. I have in 30 years never replaced a transmission at 123K miles (HWY miles) I have already replaced my transmission. In addition, each time I have taken it in to get tires rotated and new tires I am told the treads are not "wearing down consistantly" this cause load noise with each rotation, even with new tires the same problem happened. I have replaced sway arm, ball joints, wheel bearing. I live in WI, its cold, but never had I had a window crack from the cold and Ive lived her my whole life. Please if you are looking to purchase this vechile I beg for your saftey go to:nhtsa.gov web site to see saftey problems with this Jeep!

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  1999 Jeep - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By JonP - December 22 - 10:00 am

  We have had very few problems. Did do the brakes twice but other then that Jeep has been a great vehichle. My wife uses it for around town and with kids. Change oil & general maintenance every 3000 miles. I think this is important and explains lack of problems. I would buy another one.

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  A lot more car for the money!!! Nissan is dead to me. - 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By hurricaneoleg - December 22 - 9:52 am

  This car replaced my 2012 Nissan Murano SL AWD. Before I test drove the Grand Cherokee I swore by Nissan... Imagine my surprise when I found out that for the same $ I can be driving a v8, have real leather, navi, xm and a bunch of other things, like ground clearance, a lot more safety features, way better built body and (most importantly),an extremely reliable 4x4 system that NEVER overheats leaving me stranded! I love this truck that feels like a truck, despite being almost the same size as Murano! I test drove so many suvs and crossovers before getting this one with 20" wheels... No words, for the money (and otherwise) this is the best car you can get, bar none. Nothing else can compare.

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  Still in the honeymoon phase - 2006 Jeep Liberty
  By Nancy - December 22 - 9:20 am

  So my ratings could be a bit slanted however, I love this car. It handles great, has a lot of giddy-up and looks good in my driveway. I havent had to make any repairs yet but I have discovered a definite drop in the mileage since my oil needs changing right now. Not as much space as my Suburban but I definitely love not paying $100 to fill up my car. All in all, a nice, luxurious SUV with all the bells and whistles. The Sirius radio is a nice perk.

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  Commander Luv - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By jones67 - December 21 - 10:53 pm

  I am extremely impressed with the ride and handling quality in this vehicle. Also, the retro type of design is first rate. The 4.7 liter engine is impressive in such a heavy vehicle.

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  BEST Jeep SUV Ever Built! - 2001 Jeep Cherokee
  By Central Jersey - December 21 - 12:43 pm

  I have always wanted this model Jeep. The Liberty is just plain UGLY! Very hard to find a used one with less than 100K on it. Most people who own them want to keep them. Just love to drive it, whenever I can pry it away from my wife. Mine is loaded, leather, heated front seats, Infinity AM/FM/CD/Cassette along with all the standard Limited equipment.

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  Pain to drive - 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Bstephens - December 20 - 9:46 pm

  This car is a great looking car. I can also say that its one of the most difficult cars to drive that Ive ever driven. Its hard to keep it on the road when youre driving along at 75 mph with a tractor trailer passing you. It will blow you off the road. Buy the Pathfinder. I wish I had. The wife said this car looked more sophisticated. The Pathfinder would have been more secure. I know because Ive driven them. If you want to feel safe taking a turn dont drive this car. Looks great, horrible ride.

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  My poor Jeep - 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Great SUV! - December 20 - 7:36 pm

  Bought my beloved Jeep GC with 107k miles. The good far outweighed the bad. 24+ mpg highway with the inline 6 and auto transmission. Would haul anything I put in it (1200lbs of Pavers) or towed behind it. Water poured in by the passenger A pillar while raining, brake rotors warped easily, power locks worked most of the time. It never left me stranded even though I used the heck out of it with little maintenance. As it was "dying" something would fail ONLY at the end of a long trip **after arrival**. A trans fluid line to the oil cooler blew off at 192k miles and the trans was toast, but it still drove me safely to a parking lot and out of traffic. My poor Jeep was good to me.

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  LOVE THIS VEHICLE! - 1996 Jeep Cherokee
  By Linda HORRELL - December 20 - 3:30 pm

  I LOVE my 1996 Jeep SE Cherokee! I bought it new in 1996, been driving it ever since. Just today (10 years and 87,000 miles later) had to bring it to the dealer with a problem (no heat, but overheating). Its a nice compact 4-wheel drive that has given me no real problems for the past 10 years. Good for snow and good for city driving and parking. Pulled a boat 2,000 miles to and from Florida, hauled dogs and dry cleaning. I love it! I even love its 96 boxy design. Downside: back seat is small & the cup holders worthless, occasionally overheats a bit in the summer if Im sitting in rush hour traffic.