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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  loads of fun,power and comfort - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By wesleydaniels - August 12 - 10:00 am

  First Jeep I ever owned and Daimler- Chrysler has built a winner. My Liberty Limited has been flawless in all kinds of weather and in every driving condition both urban and back roads. Only complaint is the soft pedal Chrysler brakes. They need more muslce and firmer touch.

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  the real deal - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By athlon8ghz - August 12 - 10:00 am

  this is my second jeep and i like it better than most suvs out there. this is a true go anywhere vehicle period. if you feel you need an suv as a daily driver, better look for something else because this is for those who actually need a capable vehicle able to go through almost anything nature throws at them. maybe this is why jeeps are often used as search and rescue vehicles and not just for off road. the only other true suvs that is as capable as a jeep is a hummer, a rover, and an mb g-series. thats it. a jeep is what you need and will be glad that you have when the going gets real tough.

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  orange limited - 2008 Jeep Compass
  By limited - August 11 - 10:10 pm

  Overall not bad, quiet ride. like the limited accents Seat belt reminder chimes every 8 seconds. CVT can be noisy at times. Should be undercoated from factory, rust after 1 PA winter

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  unhappy sound check - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By j jacome - August 11 - 12:20 pm

  The Jeep is nice to ride. Its the radio that is the Bad one! I had to replace it 4 times; the first time was because the CDs got stuck and the other 3 times was because the units cut off/on with an explosive noise. i have called Chrysler and all the say is we are not responsible for this. and they will not upgrade unless I pay for it! It is a brand new car, I shouldnt have to be paying for upgrades in a radio that since the beginning was defective. Its a 2005 and it should be upgraded for the future.

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  Poor Long Term Reliability - 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Joliet Jay - August 10 - 12:56 pm

  The Jeep Grand Cherokee was a decent SUV for the first five years - but for the last three years its just been bleeding money. In the past 24 months, Ive spend over $7,000 keeping this thing running. New rear axle, right rear bearing, left rear bearing, power steering pump, fuel pump, battery, fuel filter, power window motors (2), two speakers, hood shocks, all new shocks, tires multiple times, 3 new oxygen sensors for the engine, two new engine (spark plug) coils, new fuel regulator, starter. The worst thing is the alignment. Because Jeep does not allow the camber to be adjusted, I have a slight pull to the left, and need to have the tires rotated at 3k miles and replaced often.

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  Love my Liberty - 2008 Jeep Liberty
  By Dennis Williams - August 9 - 1:10 pm

  I have owned 3 other jeeps in the passed 15 years. I rank this jeep as the best yet. I really enjoy driving this car and I was pleasantly surprised with the fuel economy. I average 22.8 mpg on the highway and 19.5 in town. The only thing that I would change about this car is the shocks. The ride is a little stiff for a top of the line vehicle and would be better served if they were not so stiff

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  Death around the corner - 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Denise - August 9 - 2:20 am

  I have been a Jeep fan for for years. I own a 1996 Cherokee Sport with over 100,000 miles that will still get up and go without hesitation. But driving my 2007 Laredo, stalling out, hesitating and poor acceleration is nothing more then a death trap waiting to happen. At 45mph it stalled out again, with traffic behind me. I hit my hazard lights and tried to pull over to the side while pressing the gas pedal to the floor. Then as suddenly as it hesitated, it excellerated!! Driving this car keeps me on pins and needles. Every time I leave my drive way, I think will this be the time, Death meets me around the corner? There needs to be a recall now!

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  Love the Jeep - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By dbc2229 - August 8 - 9:23 am

  Absolutely love my Jeep. Very fun to drive and it looks great. It has turned a lot of heads. Although it calls for premium fuel I have run a mixture of low-mid-premium without any problems of knocking.

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  bad radio - 2016 Jeep Cherokee
  By Radio - August 8 - 6:44 am

  I recently leased a 2016 Jeep Cherokee latitude after having a 2010 Lincoln . wanted something different . I was looking for a lot of extras and was surprised to find most of my wish list with this car. I am happy with how it drives and the extras, but I am writing this because I am so disappointed in the radio. I get a handful of stations and I have asked the service guy to check it , thinking there was something wrong., but was told it was a new radio and there was nothing wrong. I am not sure if anyone is having the same issue. I like listening to the radio not just a few stations. I am thinking on bringing it back because of this . so if you are about to purchase this jeep and you want a good radio , dont buy this jeep .

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  2002 2.5L 4CYL Wranger SE - 2002 Jeep Wrangler
  By raider88 - August 8 - 6:30 am

  This Jeep was driven at Camp Jeep 2003 in the Blue Ridge mountains. Its been through all kinds of trails and weather. This was even good in the snow for a lightweight. I recommend to everyone the following: Get rid of the Goodyear tires! Since I got 215/75/15 BFG AT KO tires, the Jeep has handled even better and it doesnt slip in the rain. Also get a tow hitch and replace the bumpers. I hope to travel south to the Ynes Mountains for Camp Jeep 2005 in California. I did purchase the sliding glass half upper doors from Quadratec.