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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  Jeep Liberty - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By Eddy B. - September 20 - 2:00 am

  My wife and I had recently purchased a home that required a lot of work. Also, our lifestyle is one of skiing, hiking, biking riding, etc. At the time, we owned two sedans (BMW 3 series & Camry). We dumped the Camry and purchased the Jeep Liberty with hopes that the Liberty would hold all the stuff we were to buy at Home Depot for the house and our gear as we headed out for adventure. It has fufilled these requirements and them some. We truly enjoy the ride, power of the 6 cyclinder and all the other features.

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  We love it! - 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Stan Hoffman - September 20 - 2:00 am

  My wife drove Towncars. We considered every 4dr sedan that caught our eye priced under $31,000. Wanted comfort, styling and performance. We were about to give up, when at a dealership I opened the door to a Grand Cherokee and asked my wife to get behind the wheel. She sat down in the most comfortable seat since her Towncar! Surprised the heck out of her! We then took it for a long test drive and we fell in love with it. The dealership also had a magazine with testimonials of owners with 2 and 300,000 miles on their Jeeps. That night, we bought a loaded 2002 Grand Cherokee Limited 4WD V-8!

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  my wrangler x - 2004 Jeep Wrangler
  By hawkstud - September 20 - 2:00 am

  i have had no problems with the jeep not being reliable, and i have driven it on about 4 trips of 250 miles or more. the fuel economy of the vehicle is poor, about 10mpg on the highway and 11 in the city. however, i have put a 4inch lift and 33inch tires on the jeep. i would be perfectly comfortable if i were a little smaller, but i am a larger person. it has a strong frame, i was in one accident where a guy rearended me going about 25 or 30 mph. all the happened was a small bend in the bumper, and the front fenders were bent from being pushed into a ford f350.

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  My Rubicon - 2004 Jeep Wrangler
  By chelaramie - September 20 - 2:00 am

  What a Jeep! Took it off raod and WOW! Couldnt get it stuck if i tried. Crawled over rocks, ledges, did off camber runs. Just fantastic. Got mine with the dual tops and paid 23,500 after rebates. I have had offroad vehilces for over 20 years and this is the best bar none!

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  GREAT VEHICLE - 2004 Jeep Wrangler
  By CSH562 - September 20 - 2:00 am

  AWESOME VEHICLE!!!!!! GREAT FUN TO DRIVE AROUND AND DEPENDABLE TO BOOT..

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  Great Ride - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By co_skibum - September 20 - 2:00 am

  Exceptional handling in slippery conditions

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  wouldnottradeitforanything - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By offroadking22 - September 20 - 2:00 am

  I have nothing but great things to say about this vehicle. Its reliability and ride are just like a car to us. I am a salesman and this vehicle is perfect for me. This is our second Jeep and our first Limited and I would buy a third Jeep in a New York minute.

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  Most bang for the buck! - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By GSAMAN - September 20 - 2:00 am

  I researched many mid-size SUVs before buying the Grand Cherokee. For the money you cant beat the Jeep Grand Cherokee. I got a $4000 rebate on top of a really sweet deal. I drove the Explorer, Trailblazer, Murano; none of them had the comfort or ride quality of the Jeep. Of all the Grand Cherokee models, I think the the Special Edition is a great choice. It has the great looks of the Limited (including leather) without all the bells and whistles. Plus it costs about $3000 less than the Limited. If you are thinking of an Explorer, Trailblazer, Highlander, etc; do yourself a favor and look at the Jeep!

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  Excellent - 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Zach - September 19 - 9:26 pm

  I have never owned a better vehicle, simply because there isnt. Went out and test drove G55 AMG, LR4, Land Cruiser, Range Rover, and Range Rover Sport. Non-of them were civilized on road and lacked true-off road capability, particularly the LR4. Almost jumped on the Benz when I drove by the jeep dealer. There it was, sitting up high on display. Did a U- turn and drove in with a Lexus Gx 460 and drove out with the jeep. It may lack the prestige, but was by far the most car-like on road and capable off. Its also nice to be driving American.

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  Impressed! - 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Tim - September 19 - 8:06 pm

  I bought my 01 Limited in 2007, with 100K miles. It looked well taken care of. Now at 140K miles, all I had to replace was a starter, and window motor. It runs like new, nice pick up. Only thing that doesnt work are the heated seats. Cant complain as I only paid $9000 for it. But it drives smooth and I am impressed.