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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  I love it! - 2003 Jeep Liberty
  By naturegirl711 - June 26 - 9:43 pm

  I have had Jeep jeep for 2 years and really love it. I didnt expect the gas mileage to be great and it is not. I love the interior; wish there was a bit more cargo space and the compartment space for the front is a bit small. Driving around town with 3 young kids is easy and running errands are no problem. Taking long trips are a bit more tricky since the cargo space is limited. We bought a roof top carrier to correct this problem and now long distance trips are a breeze! I would definitely recommend this Jeep Liberty to anyone looking for a small SUV. It is fun to drive and looks very sporty.

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  DONT BUY! - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By ventura ,ca - June 25 - 11:40 pm

  Buying this car was the biggest mistake. With no warning I had to get the transmission fixed and after that everything went down hill. Put more money into the car than what its worth. Learned a costly lesson

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  Too Good for me - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By Itikuo - June 25 - 9:23 pm

  I bought this with 76,000 miles. It came with all the repairs which was a recall for some ball point pivot or something. Ive had for a little over a year now and nothing ever goes wrong other than not putting the gas cap on correctly and getting the light. I love how it has built in diagnostics which will save me money if/when anything does go wrong. I laughed at snow storm last winter in D.C I was pulling the Mail Truck around. Its more than I need so now Im selling it with only 86,000 miles and nothing wrong whatsoever.

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  Great SUV - Not liking the Stop/Start function - 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Sheryl - June 25 - 9:18 pm

  I recently leased two Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredos, one 2015 that I loved so much that I also leased a 2016 to replace our second car. I had leather seats placed in both which are much more comfortable than the cloth seats. Both the 2015 and 2016 are identical with the exception of the gear shift and the stop/start functionality, and back up camera on the 2016 model. I previously owned at 2000 Grand Cherokee and was pleased to see that these models are larger, steadier and roomier than the one I had before. The ride is very smooth. Cant say enough about how happy I am with this vehicle. I am likely to buy this out at the end of the lease if I remain this satisfied. I gave teh Grand Cherokee an overall score of 4 based on the start/stop function. I really hate this function, especially in the stop and go traffic here in Florida. It starts as soon as I take my foot off of the brake but with that, it still takes a second for it to start and take off. Overall when running, the V6 engine has sufficient pickup for me. I also felt that the led lights should be standard on all models of Grand Cherokee at this price base.

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  joel - 1994 Jeep Wrangler
  By joel morris - June 25 - 10:00 am

  This vehicle is in awesome condition, exterior and interior. It has a great engine and is so much fun. It has only had 10,000 miles per year put on it, which is awesome and it had great up keep.

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  Great Jeep - 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By DASH6 - June 25 - 10:00 am

  Purchased this vehicle with 82,000 miles in perfect condition. have driven it almost 20,000 miles no problems or repair. Small gear whine at highway speeds on negative

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  Great Vehicle - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By Markh - June 25 - 10:00 am

  I love this vehicle.

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  Wonderful Vehicle - 2007 Jeep Wrangler
  By Toos - June 24 - 7:10 pm

  I have been driving Jeeps for years. I love having the ability to go where I need to go no matter what the road conditions are. The new Wrangler is an improvement of a proven product line, and it gives me the capabilities I am looking for. Frankly, if you dont want a Jeep why bother with the other SUVs? They are simply cars with lower mileage and no performance in rough conditions. My only complaint is there is no diesel engine option, but thats true for the rest of the manufacturers too. The Wrangler is like a Swiss Army knife on wheels. Its not an SUV, its a Jeep!

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  Amazing Vehicle - 2006 Jeep Wrangler
  By WAjeeper - June 23 - 3:26 pm

  This vehicle is a tremendous amount of fun with the soft top and removable doors. Power is more than adequate for its size and weight. Extremely reliable; the only maintenance issues I have had in two and a half years are regular oil and filter changes every 3000 miles. Gas mileage is 15-17 mpg. Its a rough, loud ride, but its a Jeep not a Camry. Unstoppable off road. Cargo room and towing capacity are limited, but again you must realize what this vehicle is designed for and what it is not designed to do. Every vehicle has limitations and the Jeep is no exception. But it excels at what it was designed to do and I love it. I would buy another without hesitation.

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  Gas hog - 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Jeff - June 23 - 3:36 am

  I recently purchased a 244,000 mile 1995 Jeep GC. I have owned 7 jeeps prior to this one. It is a great running jeep even with the mileage. I purchased it as a back up vehicle but find myself driving it instead of my Nissan even with gas mileage as bad as it is. I had to replace the transfer case recently but was able to find one at a junkyard for 120 dollars. The Jeep is extremely easy to work on. I definitely recommend the GC experience.