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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  2.0 CVT Cherry Red - 2014 Jeep Patriot
  By elvis765 - August 23 - 11:09 am

  Overall I do like the car. I am with mixed emotions on the fuel economy as it does better on the hwy. than around town as most any car but the numbers vary greatly. I have only 2k miles to date. I like the style and color of the car. The cvt is fine esp. with the option to use it in manual mode. The brakes are good. I did have to get a minor paint issue fixed by the dealers body shop. The car handles well and everything is located where you need it to be. The seats are some of the best esp for the price but would like lumbar support. Time will tell on reliability since it really is a Hyundai Mitsubishi Dodge engine. I have had an issue with the car hesitating to start about 7 times now.

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  Not The Best - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By ashwallace - August 22 - 10:23 pm

  One of the worse vehicles I have ever driven. I have only had my 2002 jeep for a year and i have had to replace the power steering 2 times, the oil had a leak in it so I had to fix that, we fixed the starter 2 months ago and now it wont start again, the heat went out in it and nobody can seem to find the problem with it. It is not a reliable vehicle and I wouldnt trust it.

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  Never seen anything like it!!! - 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By cherok1988_man - August 21 - 7:14 pm

  this was my first owned vehicle and i must say it has me bewildered! where can you not take this car and i bought it used and it runs like i just bought it brand new! now i am a proud jeep owner and i dont think i will ever change that!!!

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  Jeep Cherokee Sport - 2000 Jeep Cherokee
  By TF - August 21 - 10:00 am

  We enjoy our 2000 Jeep Cherokee Sport. We use it on long road trips and enjoy the amount of passenger space and cargo space. We have a child and like the amount of space in the back seat and also the 4 doors, making it easier for him to enter and exit the vehicle. We also use our jeep off road and need the 4 wheel drive. Being a 4X4, this vehicle drives, handles, and rides great.

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  Rubicon Squishes the Competition - 2003 Jeep Wrangler
  By Jimmy Z - August 21 - 10:00 am

  My fiance and I decided to spend the extra cash and go all out with our new Wrangler and get a Rubicon. I have always driven a Wrangler and when it was time for a new vehicle I wouldnt have chosen anything else. The Rubicon has everything I would want in off road capabilities and when it comes to traveling, it handles like a dream. Smooth riding and a turn radius that cant be beat is just the beginning of the Rubicons awesome features. Worry free off roading in any conditions keeps the fun in driving this Wrangler beast. Looking forward to some great snow storms this winter!

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  I like my Jeep. - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By aj2003 - August 21 - 10:00 am

  I have enjoyed the Liberty! It has a great ride and responsive steering. Handled great in the snow! Much better than the Chevy Silverado 4x4s I have owned. The only major problem I have had was a fuel pump started failing. Dealer replaced it quickly.

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  Sharp SUV - just bought - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By billymay - August 21 - 7:06 am

  Considered Ford Escape, Toyota RAV4, Land Rover Freelander, but Liberty was the right price and IMHO the real SUV of the bunch. The Liberty doors shut with a perfect thunk, the noise level is right (hey it isnt supposed to be a limo), and for $21K its the sharpest vehicle out there. Highway cruising is nice and quiet, luggage capacity is fine for most of us. I just bought it, so have no info on reliability, but initial build quality seems very good -- no initial problems. I live in San Diego so bought the 2WD, hoping to save some weight/gas. Well see how it goes. So far, really happy with how it drives.

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  Window Regulators - Keep Breaking - 2006 Jeep Liberty
  By RNewman - August 21 - 12:00 am

  I too wanted one of these vehicles and mine is a CRD - diesel 2006. I loved this vehicle except the rear window regulators broke a year after I leased it. This year both rear window regulators have broken again within 4 months of each other. If Chrysler wont fix it I have no choice but to trade it or sell it and purchase another vehicle.

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  Step up and recall your mitakes - 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By t buck - August 20 - 7:10 pm

  I just had 2 window motors go out and they want me to not only fix the motor but to fix their mistake and replace the windows as well. This needs to be a recall. I have owned Dodge product since 67 i have a new challenger and this jeep .My son has a 97 jeep with the death wobble that wasnt recalled. I am a Senior citizen on a fixed income with 2 fairly new cars I bought them not to have these kind of nightmares . Come on and step up and fix this problem. Just like the government did for you. They didnt help you so you could make junk and not stand behind it you want people to buy American then stand up and do whats right!

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  Kind Of Like a Boat - 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Artback - August 18 - 2:48 pm

  It is said the happiest days in a boat owners life is the day a boat is purchased, and the day it is sold. So goes my story with my 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited Ecodiesel with Luxury Group. The vehicle was a great looking package with a rugged appearance and nicely trimmed interior. The diesel engine, while slightly noisy, pulled like a mule and got great mileage. That is, when it was working. Fortunately, my Jeep dealer was about a quarter of a mile off of my daily commute to work. That was a good thing as I saw the dealer often. The vehicle information system was very informative. Here are some of the messages it would send me: - "Engine Will Not Start in 130 mi See Dealer" "Incorrect DEF Detected. See Dealer." - Kind of interesting as the dealer is the only one to service this vehicle. - "Engine Will Not Start in 195 mi Service DEF See Dealer" .....and that frequent Check Engine symbol was kind of nifty. I was in the shop over 6 times within a year with multi-day layovers common. At least I got a loaner with the dealers promotional messages pasted to the outside. The last service, based upon forum recommendations, I had them change out the catalytic converter under warranty. Only then did I feel the vehicle stood a chance of being reliable enough to pass the potential problems off to someone else. I really loved that Jeep when it worked. I really hated that Jeep and the dealership experience when it did not work. It is likely I wont be back to any Chrysler product for quite some time.