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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  Disappointed - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By R C Mangham - August 11 - 2:03 pm

  Very poor gas mileage in town, only about 13, freeway about 19. Very comfortable and powerful with V-8. It is too big. We traded in a 03 Cherokee and would much rather have the Cherokee.

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  staller! - 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By dan - August 11 - 11:23 am

  Extremely comfortable, but terrible car overall. I should have listened to the reviews before I bought it - it kept stalling on me, the dealers dont know what to do, and its too late to declare it a lemon. What a terrible vehicle - BEWARE! Chrysler/Jeep has not completely worked out all the kinks in this car, most importantly with the engine. This car is extremely dangerous to drive - I stalled out once on the highway and once in the middle of traffic, other times at the bank or while turning to park my car. DO NOT PURCHASE THIS VEHICLE - the ridiculous maintenance fees are bad in themselves, but even worse when they dont fix the problem.

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  First Jeep - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By winter2 - August 10 - 10:06 am

  Bought it mostly for the engine. Excellent fit and finish (near Toyota quality). Amazing amounts of torque. Very wide band of usable torque (1400 - 3200 RPM). Merging onto a highway is effortless, very quick around town. Hills and mountains are no problem. Good handling but tends to wander a bit on the highway. Firm yet comfortable ride. Good seats once you get them adjusted the way you want them. Powerful A/C takes little or no power from the engine. Potent brakes with ABS. Very easy to modulate. Smooth five speed automatic transmission. Shifts could be a bit firmer and bit quicker.

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  Jeep No. 7 - 2008 Jeep Patriot
  By KG - August 10 - 2:20 am

  Traded in a 99 Grand Cherokee. Better gas mileage, better rear seat legroom (also a huge improvement over the regular Cherokees). The mile commute off blacktop gives no issues for me. Cruise control works much better on hilly highways with the CVT over a traditional transmission. Absolutely no regrets thus far.

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  This Jeep is Amazing! - 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By stucozza - August 9 - 4:39 pm

  Bought the Summit in August, so I am just under two months in, and it is one heck of an improvement from my 2009 Overland (Hemi), which was very reliable and had very few problems. Ride and handling are improved, and the V-6 has plenty of power for just about anything short of pulling a large trailer. There was a problem with the Blind Spot Monitoring system, and the dealer just replaced its control module (less than an hour). My first trip during the first week yielded ~26 MPG, mostly on the highway. While I never buy a vehicle solely upon gas mileage, this was a nice bonus. Combined driving yields 22-23 MPG. The ZF 8-speed transmission makes this Jeep work well.

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  Continues to Please - 1996 Jeep Cherokee
  By grtride - August 8 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle just continues to be great. There has been absolutely no reliability problems. In over 76,000 miles the only repairs have been new brake shoes and pads, other than standard maintenance. It is great off- road, tows a trailer easily, and is just fun to drive. No, its not car- like, but why buy an SUV if you want it to be a car?

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  Spence loves his jeep! - 2004 Jeep Wrangler
  By Spence - August 8 - 2:00 am

  Is it love? I think it is! My jeep never ceases to exite me with the confidence inspiring performance put out by the solid straight six engine nestled in the front of the car. This engine, not found in any other Chrysler brand, puts out a more than adaquite 190 hp and an exhilarating 210 ft/lbs of torque. Though this is certainly no road car, being far more suitable for off-roading, it still is a hoot to drive. I also love the fact that It makes most of its torque at IDLE and that its 4WD low gear ratios turn its 210 ft/lbs into more like 600 for truly incredible off road ability.

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  Still the best 4x4 on the road - 2004 Jeep Wrangler
  By Dathenous - August 8 - 2:00 am

  As a previous Jeep owner, I had an idea of what I was getting into, but after buying and driving my new 2004 Wrangler, I found that it was a whole new beast. The engine feels very beefy, lots of power. I opted for the 4-speed auto, which is IMHO the biggest enhancement of these new models. The interior is much quieter when driving at highway speed. If youre looking for a fun 4x4 convertible, this is your only option. If you need to haul, well, anything, this is not for you (very limited storage space).

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  fun to drive, - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By thisleb - August 8 - 2:00 am

  i bought the 6cyl. standard shift.it is easy and fun to drive.easy to get in and out.easy to clean the windshield.the rear glass and door openng is unique.plenty of room front and back.plenty of power,i just came back from towing my 3500# boat and trailer without any trouble.my ist fuel fill was 20mpg with local and highway driving.

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  Fun AND Practical! - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By Hillarys Hometown - August 8 - 2:00 am

  Just bought a Jeep Liberty Limited and, so far, am impressed! This baby has power and good-looks, and is pretty darned comfortable as well! I think its a winner!