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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  Love this car, just not the cheap interior - 2008 Jeep Patriot
  By wbouma - October 18 - 8:36 pm

  My Patriot is actually a FWD automatic, there just wasnt an option for it. I bought this car with 100,000 km on it and have had no problems in the two years since, and am now at 154,000 km two years later. Gas mileage is alright, if I drive 110 everywhere I get 500 km on a tank (when the gas light comes on). Its awesome for trips as it can hold four people and all their luggage easily, but the seats are a little hard. Despite all this, its been a good vehicle and I plan on keeping it till it dies.

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  Cant get right - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By Isaac - October 18 - 11:50 am

  Wife and I traded in my Rodeo after being run off the road by the Police during a snow storm. Vehicle handled great but the whistling noise cam in about 2mts after purchased. The dealer fixed the problem. 3mts back for the same problem. 3mts later same problem, dealer said it was the windshield wipers being too light, so I changed to duel wipers and it reduced the noise but it is still there. Truck wouldnt start wife took to dealer, said it was the battery while there they found it had a leaking exhaust manifold gasket, dealer wanted $800 to fix. Can be fixed for less and vehicle is in the shop as I type. Vehicle does have elect issues with tire gage. Stitching loose in rear seat.

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  1998 Jeep is not too exciting - 1998 Jeep Cherokee
  By jshmanda - October 8 - 10:00 am

  The car has not been too bad. Bought it for the teenage kids and it survived five years. No engine problems, but the radio needed to be replaced, window regulator had to be replace, fog light switched was replaced, sometimes the dash board goes blank, and the A/C system has a leak.

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  doomed from day one - 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By lvmcgee - October 4 - 12:04 pm

  I picked up my new jeep on july 12 and on the way home the screen for the u connect went out and it was 90 degrees so no ac , no radio, nothing. I should have known better than to think that a Chrysler product was going to be a good move from my Chevrolet which never gave me a minutes trouble. this means that in the winter if this goes out you have no heat either and no manual way to defrost . very disappointed at my decision . and the carpet is the cheapest thing I have ever seen, and you cant clean it. it is at the dealer for the second time in three days now for the same thing. Big mistake,they didnt test these things at all . 47 thousand dollars worth of trouble

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  Jeep Cherokee Laredo 2001 - Low Quality - 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By JeepHat - October 1 - 8:03 pm

  The problem is with the quality. My Jeep has reached 99,300 miles and the latest problem is that the transmission is gone. Reverse gear stopped working. It will be a $3,000 repair charge. Other Issues : Automatic window motor cables broke - 5 times. Each repair cost $350-$400. The rear trunk door springs broke, cost to repair $250. The gear shift had problems due to which it would skip gear one. After numerous trips to the service shop finally they fixed the governor and some part for $800. A certain speed sensor would switch of the power at full speed in the highways. The sensor replacement cost over $1,000. The relay switch for the cooler broke - $250. And there are more things.

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  2011 Jeep Liberty struggles - 2011 Jeep Liberty
  By kayakjohn - September 24 - 10:00 am

  I am the owner of a new Jeep Liberty Limited 4x4. This is my 5th Jeep. Coming from a 06 Jeep Liberty I am very pleased with the interior and roominess. The rear seats fold perfectly flat, so I can easily get my two mountain bikes inside. The roof rack is strong enough to carry my two kayaks on top. I also had to have a vechile that could be flat towed behind an RV. The command Trac II with a netural position allows this to be done. The poor side of this vechile is the engine and transmission. It has a feeling of a miss at highway speeds that the dealer can find no cure for and I am waiting for an answer from Jeep. Added to this is the poor fuel mileage. Getting about 16 mpg overall.

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  Its a lemon without Tequilla - 2007 Jeep Compass
  By Disappointed in CO - September 24 - 4:40 am

  I thought I was making a decent investment it had 309 mi and was brand new. Its a jeep right? At 13,000 mi I had a worn set of tires that cost me $800 to replace. The warranty didnt cover the alignment problem I had. By 20,000 mi I had broken seat moldings on both sides of the vehicle. I also had an Airbag light blinking. The dealership fixed and within 2 weeks it came on again. My seat moldings are not covered by warranty due to "Natural wear and tear" on the jeep. Another set of tires at 24,000 mi. I am at 38,000 mi my warranty is over 2,000 mi and my transmission is going out. The dealership that sold me the car said it is a $6000 problem and my tires are worn again.

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  Fun Weekends, horrible daily driver. - 2004 Jeep Wrangler
  By Keith - September 23 - 4:06 pm

  Its nice to go off roading, but it gets old quick, and I bought a second vehicle because it is simply impossible to live with on a daily basis. The MANUAL tranny had a factory defect and needed replaced ... all while the dealer took 3 weeks and provided no rental car, so I spent my Christmas and New Years with a $426 payment and no car! The vehicle had a fender bender too, and never ran right since, despite being fixed 3 times more. My driveshaft parts are very rusty, even though I live in one of the driest deserts on earth! The constant vibration on the freeway is the true reason I am trading this vehicle in, despite the loss Ill take. If you really want one, save $$$, buy used!

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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.

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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!