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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  last of the Patriots - 2016 Jeep Patriot
  By Vince - June 25 - 2:39 pm

  Last year for the Jeep Patriot, what I consider the equivalent of the original Cherokee (I have a 99). We just love our 2017 Patriot Sport w/5 speed manual. Love the shifter position and the short throw. Easy to drive through the mountain twisties. Were in 8 inches of snow right now and the 4x4 work like a charm. Seats could be softer,yet they do give great support . could use better/bigger speedo. Dont like the rear view mirror. Everything else is great. Cant beat it for the price in the 4x4 class.

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  Nothing like em! - 2001 Jeep Wrangler
  By tsjay - June 25 - 10:46 am

  I have found what I have been looking for! After owning my Jeep for 15 months, I am totally satisfied with it. This Jeep is BY FAR the most fun vehicle that I have ever owned, and I have owned sports cars, pick-ups, SUVs, and regular passenger cars. I cannot see ever parting with this Jeep! She is a white Sport with a black hard top, five speed, air conditioning, and some other goodies. Her name is Thelma Jane. :) tom

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  Wrecked - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By Demeter - June 23 - 2:00 am

  Unfortunately, I just had a pretty significant accident in my Jeep. Almost $10k to repair. I work in insurance and just knew I would going to hurt the next day. I handle multiple claims daily with much less damage and the passengers are very sore. Guess what!?!? Not even a spot of pain for me and my passenger! With the amount of damage, that is a miracle. I dont care what crash ratings say or anything. This vehicle took great care of us.

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  i love my wrangler - 2004 Jeep Wrangler
  By joyal - June 23 - 2:00 am

  people that dont own wranglers are doubtful - doubtful that a convertible is warm enough in the winter - well, its been in the negative temps for two weeks straight and i can honestly tell you, my jeep starts every morning and takes less time than our other vehicles to warm up. people are doubtful they are safe - we live in the snow belt of upstate new york, it is very rare, in fact i have never seen a jeep wrangler in a ditch, usually it is the wrangler pulling another vehicle out. i am 40 years old and have owned two wranglers, i will never be happy without one.

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  I Love My Rubicon!!! - 2004 Jeep Wrangler
  By Pumple - June 23 - 2:00 am

  I owned a loved my 90 Jeep Wrangler and just bought a 2004 Rubicon!! What a difference in the ride!!! I love my Rubicon and will always have one!!! Cant beat them!!!

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  A ride with the silver jeep - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Denise Adams - June 23 - 2:00 am

  The ride is absoultly smooth just like riding on air. It takes the bumps very well. So far it is a sound car...

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  the vehicle for you - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By jack spratt - June 20 - 3:50 am

  Traded in a 1998 6 cyl.Laredo. Have to tow 3500 pound boats occasionally and I need the extra oomph provided by Hemi. Solid feel, has authority, pep, and power...Storage space not as much as 1998, rear seats dont come up to put cables, etc. in. Overall, very happy. Glad to see Mercedes engineering that when cruising on the highway it goes back to 4 cylinder, sure helps mileage. . . Love the silver paint job. This will be a good seller, a real improvement and folks will be happy with the Hemi. AND, a lot of bang for the buck.

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  02 Jeep, Best First Car Ever! A Must Buy!!!!!!! - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By vikki3710 - June 19 - 11:32 pm

  Seriously this is my first car and i have to say that i love it! Treats me great! Bought it about 5 months ago with 126,000 miles on it and havnt looked back. Nothing needed replaced except the o2 cencer which the guy replaced for me so that was an easy fix of course. But all in all it is a wonder full car with great features, only thing that sucks is gas milage but hey i bought it so i have to live with it!:D

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  Its a Jeep thing....NOW I understand :) - 2011 Jeep Wrangler
  By uber - June 19 - 5:31 pm

  70th Anniversary Unlimited Auto - Bronze Pearl. I had pretty much decided on a Dodge Journey based on reviews and my requirements. So....I hiked off to the dealerships...drove the Journey....it wasnt bad.....good in fact....but....there they were....all those Wranglers....looking cool and iconic....made the Journey look pathetic....then I found out about the rebates and I was sold....$11k off sticker incl tax!! Three weeks in and I cant stop smiling... a bit more power would be OK but, when you are in a Jeep you dont care if you go a bit slower. Its not a sports car...point it in the general direction you want and it will go there....over almost anything! So much more than I expected.

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  Best vehicle Ive owned - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By ChillyMJ - June 18 - 10:00 am

  We have used the vehicle for cross country drives, riding in style for a night out, towing a large boat, and off roading in the California desert. It has handled all tasks extremely well. I love the power and acceleration of the V8 engine. The heated leather seats are extremely comfortable. The cockpit layout is great, including audio controls on the steering wheel. However, I have replaced the brake rotors twice, and regular maintenance has cost me more a year than any previous vehicle Ive owned. The vehicle also has more road noise on the highway and the fuel economy is pretty average for an SUV.