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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  Tomb Raider edition - 2003 Jeep Wrangler
  By Frank - September 16 - 7:56 am

  Happy with everything except disappointed with the engine performance. It seems that the engine will backfire on a downshift once and a while. The Jeep dealer told me that someone else was complaining about it and that it was bad gas. So Ive tried different gas stations and Its still a problem. I suspect its a fuel management issue and is normal for very long straight inline six design.The horsepower is lacking for the size of the six and how much gas mileage you get out of it. I bought the Jeep for the power but 4 cylinder cars passed me in the Rockies. Technologically It seems behind the times, related to engine performance. Need some R&D for a factory installed supercharger.

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  LOVE MY JEEP!! - 2007 Jeep Liberty
  By jamey Smith - September 16 - 12:48 am

  Love my jeep! Ive owned my Jeep for about 4 years now and havent had any big or pricey issues. Ive ran this car into a lot of things (my bad) and it bounces right back! I love the full size spare and how much I can get into this SUV. Mid-sized but holds a lot!!

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  Looks nice, rides nice, BUT... - 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By mrslisa1117 - September 15 - 9:32 pm

  Have had for 1.5 yrs. Love the look, interiors and ride. Just back from a roadtrip from NY to DC/VA and no issues other than the daily annoyances of a keyfob that isnt recognized by the starter or a seat that is not comfortable. Since starting your car, and sitting in your seat are not small details, I have to count these as major drawbacks. The keyfob can make you insane, as it doesnt start or tells me that the key has left the car anytime my 11 year old gets in or out (she is not carrying the key!). Seat digs into back of legs and doesnt adjust to the same spots consistently - bizarre! And no print manual is provided, so if you cant start your car, you cant read the manual!

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  V6 Performance - 2007 Jeep Commander
  By Dave - September 15 - 7:36 pm

  Acceleration from 0 is pretty good. The only time I find myself wishing from more power is when merging onto a highway. The QT1 is real good, it perform excellent in the snow, dirt, and moderate off road.

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  A Sport Utility Vehicle big on Sporty. - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By pagodacook - September 15 - 10:00 am

  We bought one of the first Jeep Libertys available in July 2001 and have been pretty happy with it ever since. We love it for its size and stylish design. Only serious complaint is the fact that ours did not come with antilock brakes and it has slid on barely wet roads and in the snow even in 4WD. Once slid through an entire intersection on a road that could maybe pass for damp...luckily no one else was intersecting at the time. Gas mileage is what finally set us back and we have decided to trade it in.

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  Jeep Overland: Clark Kent / Superman - 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Tom in NM - September 15 - 10:00 am

  I will ditto most of the other comments made on the Overland - but I would add this. Until you have an incident - a sudden flood, child darting from between cars, a person falling off the curb in front of you, a driver running a red light or making a totally un-natural turn in front of you - you only see the Clark Kent side of this Jeep. I have been amazed at how fast, how nimble, how go-anywhere this Super Jeep is when these things happen. I know mine has saved three lives and thousand of dollars by avoiding and circumventing accidents. This SUV has earned my respect and love.

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  Worth every dollar! - 2004 Jeep Wrangler
  By Alexthejeep - September 15 - 10:00 am

  If you want to have FUN driving a vehicle with a relatively low cost, this is your vehicle! Forget all the luxuries, they dont really make a difference. This vehicle is RELIABLE, and can take a pounding, but with some XTRA care, they clean up beautifully! You will never be bored driving it!!!

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  the best suv - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By willy144 - September 15 - 10:00 am

  I absolutly love my liberty. in the 8 months I have had it I have never had one problem.(yet) it handles the snow we get here in new york very well the best way to describe it is sure footed. keep in mind too that it realy does ride like a jeep and not one of those toy suvs. I happen to like that kind of feel when driving esp on the beach.

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  Wonderful - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By AndrewY - September 15 - 10:00 am

  I have owned many car brands over the years, from Japanese to German. This is my second Grand Cherokee since 1993 and I found both to be the most reliable vehicles that I have owned. My current Jeep performs terrifically in the city and on roadtrips. It is comfortable and stylish. The 4X4 is irreplacable in Massachusetts - I never have trouble getting around in the worst of snowstorms.

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  Performance and Value - 2008 Jeep Wrangler
  By 95yj08jk - September 14 - 1:43 pm

  I purchased my 2008 Wrangler 4-dr X new in December 2008 after trading a Chrysler minivan for it. This is the fourth Jeep I have purchased in the past 15 years and I have to say that I love the new 4-door option. Compared to my wifes Grand Cherokee its just as roomy and a lot more stylish, its the icon of the Jeep lineup. Though the Grand Cherokee rides and drives better, the performance between the two is comparable. I overall average 23 MPG with mostly highway driving and the 6- speed manual transmission. I do have a K&N filter and run premium unleaded. In the past year I have put over 24,000 miles on the Jeep and have zero issues, tire rotations and oil changes are the only maintenance.