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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  Finally - 2005 Jeep Wrangler
  By ANOTHERJOHN - January 30 - 4:20 pm

  Top down. Hair blowin. Shirt off. Senses Tingling. "Its a Jeep Thing" Finally, I bought a Jeep Wrangler, after years of yearning for one! Only thing I can say is "I", better yet, "my family LOVES IT!" With out a doubt, this is the perfect fun car, truck, SUV, whatever, for a family of four. Im looking forward to taking a vacation to Pismo Beach, and drive the dunes to the ocean. Anyone looking for an outside toy, this is the one to buy!

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  Recalls, Brakes and Tires ... Oh My! - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By swellster - January 30 - 10:00 am

  I love driving this vehicle. Its the stopping that is the problem. It weighs too much not to have ABS standard. I just had my front brakes replaced at 25K miles! 4-5 recalls is not alot on a brand new model, but these were significant recalls. The tires are junk. I still have some miles on mine, but I am getting them replaced early because they are unsafe on even damp roads. Other than those gripes I love this vehicle and will buy another one if these items have been improved.

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  grand - 2004 Jeep Wrangler
  By asal - January 30 - 10:00 am

  its the best car i have ever owned

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  2005 Jeep Liberty - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By vla - January 30 - 10:00 am

  The vehicle drives great, its compact size makes manuevering in and out small spaces easy. The 2005 interior and road handling have improved from previous models and the ride is not as bumpy. The passenger and rear seats are very stiff and could use some extra seat length along with extra padding for comfort.

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  Jeep From Marty Cancila - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By jae_grayer - January 29 - 2:10 am

  My jeep is amazing. It runs very good without any problems. The interior is nice! Exterior is even better. It is a fun to drive vehicle. The whole performance of the car is great. Grab a Jeep or test drive one and youll see.

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  JGC Trailhawk Real Off-road Ability / Luxury Ride - 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By DJ - January 28 - 4:30 pm

  I leased the 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk after considering the JGC Limited. When I looked at the standard features and option packages of each trim level the Trailhawk made more sense. The difference in the ride with the Quadra Lift suspension is remarkable. This is written while still in "honeymoon" stage, as I have owned the truck for just 3 weeks, but it has a better ride than my previous crossover GMC Acadia Denali 2014. I got luxury pig w pano roof, Xenon auto hi/lo beam headlights, & rain sensitive wipers. Loving it so far. Plenty of pick up w paddle shifters & auto stick yet my wife can leave it in regular automatic mode. Shed rather drive our jeep than our Benz!

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  The Unexexpected Buy - 2017 Jeep Compass
  By julianglewin@gmail.com - January 27 - 1:58 am

  I was shopping for a KIA Sorrento or the smaller version; the sitting is not comfortable, I pass by a Jeep Dealer, liked the shape and size of the vehicle and the seating was excellent; price comparable , big difference the doors are heavy, you feel secure. the KIAs , and other brands are not.

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  My third Jeep - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By G.H.Lempio - January 26 - 4:30 pm

  Has a feeling of durability. Smooth comfortable driving. Quieter than expected. Driver door arm rest usage caused the right rear window to go down without intention. Second seat center seat is difficult to flatten and not obvious on how to do it. This car is leased and I may buy it at the end of the lease. Very satisfied.

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  4th Jeep and love the Patriot - 2007 Jeep Patriot
  By david - January 25 - 9:03 pm

  Love our Patriot. We owned 2 Cherokees and 1 Liberty, all 4wd. The Liberty was the best of the 3. The Patriot is great on mileage. We have 4wd sport trail rated model. Mileage so far is averaging 25+ mpg. Transmission is smooth and engine performance is good for us. Ive heard complaints about road noise but not a problem compared to our previous Jeep 4wds, like full size spare tire inside. Lots of nice new features compared to the 2002 Liberty. Almost bought another 2007 Liberty, glad we didnt. Gave up a little in off road capability but everything else considered good trade off.

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  Fun to drive, nothing like it - 2012 Jeep Wrangler
  By raiders2 - January 25 - 1:28 pm

  Been driving since August 11 and this is not only the best wrangler yet, it is best in class. This Jeep is great for daily driving and of course keeps the best in class out of the box off road capability even with the sport version. The new Pentastar V6 improves performance and mpg. Hard to rate reliability after 3 weeks but since it is required, gave it a 5.