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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  Subpar Product - 1999 Jeep Wrangler
  By Burned out - May 22 - 2:00 am

  Purchased Jeep Sport Jun 99. 30,000 mile service Dec 00. Apr 01 (37,000) exhaust manifold cracked. Thank goodness I had purchased an extended warranty or it would have cost $1000 to repair. (I believe part defectative but Jeep refused to refund $100 deductable for replacement.) Multiple problems since and will never buy a Jeep again!

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  Gutless - 2009 Jeep Wrangler
  By downtheroad - May 14 - 5:30 pm

  This 4 door unlimited with 4.10 and stock tires cant move itself down mostly flat roads and 20mph winds. The interior is extremely cheap. Tow rated for 3500, I couldnt pleasantly (by any means) tow my 350 lb motorcycle trailer with 1,000 lbs of motorcycle and gear on it. Guess Ill wait for the 2012 pentastar motor and then looked for a used 2 door later - hope they do something for the interior too. Nice to look at. Nice convertible options -- overall - I sold it 3 months after buying it!

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  What a piece of crap! - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By LET - May 4 - 6:00 am

  This is my first JGC and I expected much more from a reputable brand like Jeep. First problem: water leaking inside cockpit thru the windshield (4 days at dealer - 1,500 miles). Then came a recall from factory for some major fault in a transmission seal (1 day in service - 10,000 mi). Third big disappointment:car wont start - fuel pump sudden death fuel pump with short circuit in pump cabling! (3 days at shop - 13,000 mi). Fourth and counting...:computer/start key system malfunction, car wont run (3 days at service - 22,000 mi). Latest problem: car wont start - stalled at mall inside garage, towed to dealer yesterday.... Dont know what the problem is (aaaarrg!) just 2 more months for lease end!

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  Poor Quality and Reliability - 2014 Jeep Cherokee
  By starbort - May 3 - 1:37 pm

  My Jeep is now just over 3 months old (4k miles) and has visited the dealership with major problems twice. First, the transmission shifts in low gears are terrible; not what you would expect from a new vehicle. A software updated reduced, but did not fix the issue. Second, the electrical system in the car is suspect. It went haywire on me. The windshield wipers turned on and couldnt be stopped, the turn signals went out and the odometer was flashing non-stop. Of course, by the time I reached the dealership it was asymptomatic, so I was basically told, to bad, bring it back broken. Hopefully next time the electrical goes out nothing more serious occurs. Buyer beware on this vehicle.

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  Dont Buy this Vehicle!!!!!! - 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By JT33 - May 2 - 10:00 am

  Bought this vehicle new, and have had nothing but probems. Rotors keep warping, door locks keep breaking. I called Chrysler customer service numerous times since the problems were never resolved, they refuse to honor the warranty on their own parts. Ive owned two Jeeps prior to this one, as well as other Chrysler vehicles, and will never pruchase another one. They could care less about keeping their customers happy.

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  Oh What a Mistake!!! - 2009 Jeep Wrangler
  By marie - April 13 - 11:26 pm

  I was so excited to get my good looking red rock 4dr Jeep! It looks great and I purchased it with all the bells and whistles. (navi, big tires hardtop) two days after having it, I stalled in the middle of an intersection. The alarm works sometimes and other times I have to use the key to open and the alarm goes off until I quickly stick the key in the ignition, water pours on the headrest when I am driving when it rains, I have brought it back 4 times and they cannot stop the leaking.. This is not dripping water but pouring water.

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  I used to love Jeep, until..... - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By Simone - April 8 - 3:16 am

  I have owned 4 Jeeps and this was my first Liberty. It is only 18 months old with 25,000 miles and I cant tell you how many times it has been in the shop. It had to have the engine taken apart after only a month! It is in the shop now actually for another 7-10 days having the engine taken apart again. Unfortunately I am past the lemon law point and am frustrated because I have always loved my Jeeps, but this is getting ridiculous. I am having all these problems now, what is going to happen as soon as the warranty expires. I dont think I will be able to keep it that long.

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  Only reliable during the test drive... - 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Colorado Bird - April 6 - 8:40 am

  My 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland is my third - and last - Jeep. While none of my Jeeps have been models of reliability, my 2014 Overland is by far the least reliable. Problems with the electronics started literally the day after I got it off the lot. Issues escalated to highway stalling, not starting, blank screens, etc. would leave it with the dealer for multiple days only to have the software updated and nothing repaired. As I write this it is in the shop for its fifth time, at least this time they did some real work. Replaced the water pump, crank shaft positioning sensor, blind spot sensor, etc. the car only has 25k miles! For a 50k vehicle the issues and dealer service are way below expectations. Its a great car to look at inside and out, but at only 25k miles I plan to take a huge loss and trade it in for a subaru outback today. Bye Jeep.

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  Dont Do It!!! - 1998 Jeep Wrangler
  By PoorMe - April 6 - 2:00 am

  2nd transmission in 2 years

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  DONT BUY!! - 2016 Jeep Cherokee
  By Kenny - April 1 - 7:05 pm

  I bought the 2016 Cherokee Sport, it sounds like a diesel powered sewing machine, according to the dealer its normal.. yeah you heard it right.. A 2016 Jeep sounds like a 92 Chevy Cavalier only the Cavalier has more power and sounds better!! not to mention the headlights get a lot of moisture in them "dealer said thats normal too" < because you want a brand new car with rusted headlight connectors right?!?.. this vehicle is a joke!! You hit the gas and it takes a good 3 seconds to start moving. The MPG is around 13 to 14, not what the manufacturer says and thats driving like an old lady. Very Unhappy with it and will NOT buy another Jeep unless its a 90s model thats the only time they got it right!!