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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  engine fails at 36,000 miles - 1999 Jeep Cherokee
  By Joe Bob McElroy - August 28 - 3:10 pm

  Interior - very spartan. Good acceleration with 4.0 liter engine. Occasional (5) problems starting the vehicle - alternate start procedure effective except when VERY COLD. Cooling system problems. 36,600 miles - cooling system - catastrophic failure at highway speed. Fried engine. Engine Replacement required. I do not recommend this vehicle to anyone! I will buy a 4 runner next time!

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  Jeep Patriot - 2007 Jeep Patriot
  By jzink0883 - August 28 - 8:30 am

  Walked in to the dealer to test drive a Caliber. Drove out with the Patriot. Liked the Patriots styling, rear seat leg room and load capacity. I wasnt looking for a serious off-road vehicle. Meets my desire for a small AWD SUV that gets good mileage. Getting 25 MPG in suburban driving. Getting just under 29 MPG on the highway. I try to average 70 MPH on the highway (no speed control). Very pleased with the manual transmission. Light clutch. Nice shifter. My wife hasnt driven a manual in over twenty years, has no problems driving the Patriot.

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  Jeep Liberty Limited - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By shannon - August 28 - 3:46 am

  i love this vehicle. I paid cash for it and its the best vehicle I have ever purchased. It drives greatk you can hardly tell when you go over bumps in the road or train tracks. It gets good gas mileage. I can tell exactly how many miles I have left till empty as well as telling how much air pressure is in the tires and the XM radio is the best. I would recommend this vehicle to anyone.

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  20MPG, GPS, bluetooth, Comfort - 2008 Jeep Compass
  By GreenCOMPASS - August 27 - 5:13 am

  Quiet ride, GPS easy to use, Gas sticks around 20mpg due to it seems to have to hit 5rpm or higher to shift.4x4 is actually AWD and only 4wd low. seats lay almost flat backwards for naps, very comfortable for a Jeep. Very quiet on the highway and nice ride. Handsfree bluetooth will take over your phone call when you start the truck, nice safety feature, the caller can even hear you clearly and the people in the back seat too! GPS is fairly easy to use, but the huge sound system is not as good as the base model radio due to a 3 band EQ with no sub adjustment. in the 4 fillups Ive had max Ive driven is 250 miles on 13 gallons, been worse ever since.

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  Jeep or H3 - 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Kyle - August 27 - 3:40 am

  Ive been looking for a SUV for the past 4 months or so. I really liked the H3 but realized that it may not be the most practical. I like styling in a vehicle and Im tired of spending top dollar for foreign car parts and service. I looked at the H3, Nissan, and Toyota. The Jeep seemed like the best choice. So far I have been pleased. Ive seen others complain about the cheap plastics. While I agree to some degree, it does have style to it. The car was designed to be an off road vehicle while still delivering great on road performance. It rides that tight rope very well. On top of it all, I got mine for a song, $22,500 out the door (with rebates). At this price, it cant beat!

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  2003 Jeep Liberty Limited 4X4! - 2003 Jeep Liberty
  By 79elcamino - August 26 - 4:07 pm

  i traded my 01 monte carlo for this jeep, i feel like i made the right decision, the jeep only gets abt 4mpg less thn the monte did, wich was around 27. its a nice car with tan and black 2-toned leather interior. i have alot mre passenger room, but the cargo area isnt as big, my jeep has just about every option, im satisfied with my choice to get it, it looks good on the otside, and is fully functional on the inside. the one thing i have to complain about is the window controls, they are in a very akward place. the car handles very well in rain, the only thing i miss about my car is that i dnt have to slow down quite as much to make a turn, in the jeep it almost feel like ill tip over haha!

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  Jeep Limited - 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Jeep man - August 25 - 10:00 am

  This is an all around great car. It has a V8 and drives great. The leather seats are comfortable, the moon roof is great and everything is awesome. I have had no problems. The limited looks great. I love the body style.

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  The Best Jeep - 2003 Jeep Wrangler
  By Nick Sarette - August 25 - 10:00 am

  Does good at everything in my book!

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  whats it gonna take.... - 2006 Jeep Liberty
  By emraldeyzcat - August 24 - 1:06 pm

  Other than the window regulator going out on both Windows and the silly cloth staining seats I really dont have any problems with it.... But Im wondering whats it gonna take for this window regulator issue to be put on a recall list... The latest happened on my sons side of the car scaring him and almost injuring him... And me nearly wrecking from the noise it made.... Who knows where I can file a report about it? thanks

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  2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.7L V8 - 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By hadallthatri - August 24 - 8:10 am

  This truck will take anything you can throw at it. It has amazing seats and design in my 2001 JGC 60th anniversary. I have used this truck for everything from off-road to sunday drives. I have recently installed halos, a new sound system, LED fog lights, a cold-air intake, and a high-output chip to make this vehicle roar and not once has it not met my standards. People used to tell me "Its a Jeep thing" and I completely get it now. This truck is more than capable off-road and can still dust most trucks on the road.