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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  Great Vehicle, but - 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Loveland - May 15 - 12:53 pm

  I bought this vehicle new in Sept 2002. Love everything about it, except that the darn engine light comes on at least every six months. The latest is for something to do with emissions. Come on, this is ridiculous.

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  Now thats more like it! - 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By RchNrg - May 15 - 10:00 am

  I have had 2 Grand Cherokees prior to this one. (1995 and 2000) I had no reliability problems, but Jeep never made substantial improvements. Both of these older vehicles rocked from side to side, and the interior and overall quality left a lot to be desired. My new 2011 V-8 Limited with 20" wheels provides a completely different ride. The leather interior is 1st class (no BMW hard plastic feel) It is so quiet, and feels so solid. The electronics are lots of fun, and the Garmin NAV in the 430N system is great. Although it feels a little large to drive its pure comfort. (sold my Escape Hyb for the Jeeps towing power) I hate to say it, but except for the mpg there is nothing like a V-8.

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  Red Velvet Beauty - 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By old Bob - May 13 - 8:59 am

  We bought the least expensive 2WD model with the V-6. GREAT quiet solid ride. Handles great. Cant tell when this 8 speed shifts; its so smooth. Cant comment on dealer service or reliability as we only have 800 miles on it. I really hope it stands up as well as our 2007. Fuel economy is 24 mpg with 50-50 driving. Took a 50 mile trip doing 60-65 and got 30 mpg with the air on! I dont know why reviewers rate fuel economy bad-this is a heavy(4,500 pounds) beautiful riding safe vehicle, not some tuna fish can dwarfmobile with a 4 cylinder that seats 4 people and has little storage area and couldnt tow a rowboat or go through 4 inches of water. Disappointed it didnt come with a CD player(were old and still use THEM). Dont like that the radio comes on whenever you start the vehicle. Big negative that twice it has shifted into low gear.

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  16 months & 32,000 miles on our 2015 High Altitude - 2015 Jeep Patriot
  By George - May 12 - 11:10 am

  Over all we love it, not one issue in 32,000 miles. We do tow a pop up camper with it too from time to time with no issues. I only wish that it was bigger & 7 passenger... For the money it was the "poshest" AWD wagon we could find, loaded with very nice leather seating and power goodies & a moonroof. I would certainly buy another one. I do think that a 3 year/ 36,000 mile warranty is a bit lame though, come on FCA... when Hyundai can offer a 100,000 mile warranty, it seems pretty crappy to only offer 3/36K on your cars.

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  Hemi is great - 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By NRJYZD1 - May 12 - 5:20 am

  Excelent ridability and features. Comfortable with a very nice interior. I like the new dash and placement of the controls. Very well though out vehicle. A bit too much plastic on the exterior, but I will address later.

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  Durability = Jeep Wrangler - 2000 Jeep Wrangler
  By Kay - May 12 - 3:10 am

  This is the most durable vehicle I have ever owned. After about 5 years the oil sending unit had to be replaced which was about $200. Other than that it has been great. I realize the gas mileage is not good, but thats something you find out BEFORE you make a purchase. I absolutely love the short wheel base. That makes parking and getting places a lot easier. I have grown accustomed to the road noise, and that really isnt a problem since the kids are grown and I ride by myself most of the time. Obviously these vehicles are made to be driven hard, because you cant beat the low maintenance on this vehicle.

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  Best Car Ever - 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Jeep Fan For Life! - May 11 - 11:53 pm

  I love my Jeep. This is my 1st car that my parents had gotten me and it was a very good pick. The gas mileage is OK if you hold up on your right foot. Right now I have 120,500 miles on the car and it sounds and drives like new. I have had it for almost a year and it has never gave me any problems. It rides just as good as my dads Lincoln at less than half of the price. I have 10-way power seats and a top of the line radio system. When I first got the car, I had a big tune up and then the only big thing that I had to do with the car was replace a bad output speed sensor. If you treat your car good, your car will treat you good. Just make sure you change all of your oil and it will go on forever. I love my Jeep.

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  I like my Wrangler - 2005 Jeep Wrangler
  By Jmiville - May 11 - 2:10 am

  I bought an 05 Wrangler used...I guess...it only had 3,000 miles on it. I traded in an 03 VW Golf. Sure, the gas mileage is very different, but on 80 degree plus days with the top down and the doors off, I somehow seem not to mind. My friends have Wranglers, and said the first New England winter where I pass some poor soul on the side of the road in a Golf who cant handle the snow on the roads will only make me smile as I pull him along with the jeep.

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  Rock solid and built to last - 2000 Jeep Cherokee
  By RickE-berg - May 11 - 2:00 am

  Solid axles. Lots of ground clearance. Leading link front suspension. Low range locking transfer case. A true SUV with the emphasis on the "U". If you need to get to point B from A, any time, any weather, any conditions, and bring some cargo or passengers with you, theres no better vehicle on the planet. Sure, its not as quiet or smooth as the cutesy Jap offerings. But head for the hills, ruts, rocks, snow, etc., and see who gets there first (if they make it at all!)

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  ChiliRific Jeep!! - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By chili 4x4 - May 11 - 2:00 am

  We bought this truck for ICS chili cookoff trips. I added a Wilderness rack by Garvin, (Rocky Road Outfitters) to add more room. I love the on road (55100 miles) and the off road capabilities of this truck. The full- frame/unibody construction makes it tight and strong, yet it can flex better than ANY SUV in its class. The future of my Liberty is bright. There will be an ARB bull bar bumper and winch added for sure. Maybe a Rocky Road OTT 2.5" suspension Lift and some real tires (see below). Anyway, we will be keeping this Jeep for many many years! BTW... I get 20mpg fully loaded, with a Wilderness rack on the roof, when I am on the highway.