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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  Great suv - 2008 Jeep Liberty
  By love my liberty - October 10 - 4:50 pm

  I was reading the consumer report article on the Jeep and was thrown back. They give some good feedback on performance but are off on comfort. Im 61 220 lbs and have plenty of room in the front, and when I take people for a drive, they all tell me they love the comfort and the ride of my jeep. Many people who have sene or have ridden in my jeep are looking to buy one, because they love the way it looks and drives. The only down side would be the engine. For example, my father a bought the new Lincoln MKX, where it has a larger engine, but consumes less gas. I think jeep needs to redesign the engine to get better gas mileage. Overall, I think this car is a big change from the last car.

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  Love it! - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By Lori - October 10 - 1:26 pm

  I purchased my Jeep in 2004. It had 13 miles on it when I drove it out of the show room. Its very reliable and I had no major fixes. It now has 84K and still going strong. The ride is rough but I dont mind. All the other features make up for it.. Love My Jeep!

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  97 Grand Cherokee - 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By sfxd - October 10 - 2:00 am

  This is my third Jeep Grand Cherokee. I have had very positive experiences with all three. This 97 I purchased used from a returning lease. It originally had 22,000. I now have 77000 and have had no major problems. There was one issue with the air conditioning unit last year that was, if you could believe it, still under warranty. Obviously Jeep acknowledged this without a recall and provided a brand new unit with installation at no charge, (If you were under 70,000 miles)

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  Very Nice SUV to Drive - 2003 Jeep Liberty
  By SteveC - October 10 - 2:00 am

  I have had the Jeep Liberty Limited for about two weeks. It is very much what I expected. It is very comfortable and the ride for this type of vehicle is very nice. The looks set it apart from the others in its class. The interior is a much better quality then that of the Ford Escape and the Hyundai. This is a must see car.

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  Happy Owner - 2007 Jeep Liberty
  By JH - October 9 - 12:06 pm

  Very fun vehicle. I have the 6 speed manual. The gas mileage isnt too bad if youre on the highway in 6th and running 2WD. With 4WD and driving hard in the snow the gas mileage suffers, but the capabilities of this vehicle in the snow make up for it. 4WD LO range for shows this is a true offroad capable Jeep. Most of the competition is car based. I wish Jeep would keep going in this direction for its new vehicles, but it looks like theyre trending towards more carlike lower profile vehicles with the (Dodge/Chrysler) short side windows. Get one while you can.

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  Great vehicle - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By Liberty Limited - October 9 - 3:20 am

  Ive owned several SUVs since 1980: International Scout (2), Ford Bronco, Ford Explorer (3). I use my Liberty to tow a 2500 lb. boat/trailer package mostly, putting on about 60% of my miles that way (to-and-from Canada). Performance/handling and economy are are as good/better than any previous SUV, including the Bronco and Scout V-8s.

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  2nd Jeep!! - 2010 Jeep Liberty
  By DC-Colorado - October 5 - 3:06 pm

  LOVE IT LOVE IT!! I researched the heck outta this one, and I LOVE the new 2010 Liberty. I owned a 2000 Cherokee Sport, I was sad to trade her in but this Jeep is the best!! I love the new body style, previous year models are so lame and ultra old lady looking...the new grill face in the front is to doe for!! Excited to take it 4x4, camping, snowboarding (this weekend) and all the other fun things...definitely worth the $$

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  4x4 Cherokee - 2001 Jeep Cherokee
  By Junebug - October 5 - 10:00 am

  Overall a great vehicle. 3rd Jeep Ive owned. Great Power, good handling, great style.

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  Love my Overland! - 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Newcombe - October 5 - 10:00 am

  The Overland is the ultimate SUV. Luxurious Interior, Sexy Exterior, Great Off-road capabilities, excellent sound system, top-notch amenities, just enough cargo capacity, it has everything you could ever need.

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  This is my Second Liberty Limited - 2006 Jeep Liberty
  By lcom - October 4 - 10:43 am

  I fell in love with my Jeep Liberty, from the moment I first test drove one in 2003. When the 2002 lease was up on our Light Khaki Brown, the only question we had was what color to pick for the 2006 lease. We opted for the Inferno Red Crystal Pearl Coat. This is a great, all around smaller SUV, with tons of head room and leg room for tall people. I get comments all the time from back seat passengers who are shocked at the amount of room they have. Easy to wash, can load it up with gear or groceries, and ... it doesnt look like every other SUV out there on the road. Easy to drive, easy to park and great towing capacity.