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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  07 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo - 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Laura - March 30 - 2:00 am

  This is the 3rde Jeep that I have owned 98,04 and now the 07. I have never had so many problems. After a month of owning it my jeep would not accelerate for at least 5-10 seconds, I ended up having a shifter module put into it, It was fine for about 2 months, Now I am having the same problem AGAIN. It will not accelerate, Thank god this time I wasnt on the highway! A few people have the same year and model and there jeep just randomly shuts off on them. I will never buy a jeep again. They need to do a recall. Looks like almost everyone is having the same issues.

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  So many problems with 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee - 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By lincoln16 - March 29 - 12:39 pm

  The day I drove my 2014 Jeep GC off the lost the issues started. As I waived goodbye to my dealer sales rep I notice the Jeep steering wheel is mis aligned and the Jeep pulls to the left on the highway. After multiple realignments and numerous trips to the dealer, they could not fix the issue. Even a Chrysler tech rep came out and could not fix the problem. Then not more than two weeks into ownership and the engine light starts going on and off. After multiple restarts, the engine light goes off only to come on a few days later. A few days after that, the transmission wont go into reverse gear. More trips to the dealer and still not fixed. Im warning everyone...Do Not Buy a Jeep GC.

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  Great Jeep - 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Happy Owner - March 29 - 10:26 am

  Overall, this has been a great Jeep. The 4.0 is one of the best engines ever made, despite some ancilliary equipment that was poorly designed (water pump, exhaust manifold, crankshaft position sensor). Ive got over 130K miles on it and it is still going strong. I am a fanatic about maintenance, and changing fluids before they are due, which is why all my cars are good for 300k miles.

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  Extended Warrenty Was a Waste of Money - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By dylan - March 29 - 9:16 am

  I bought my 04 G.C. in 07 with about 63k on it. I now have just over 100k on it and havent had a problem that I would consider to be beyond routine maintenance. Dont let all these people scare you talking about the window regulators going bad, it is a problem but not a big deal. I had 1 go it cost me $90 and put it in myself in 30 min. What do you want- stuff will go bad on any car. The 6 cyl. is a bit sluggish when pulling a trailer but I doubt any other 6 cylinder in the same class could fair much better with 3000 lbs. behind it. You look at 90% of the complaints on here and there just a bunch of people that expect a vehicle to never have a problem. I would recommend a jeep to anyone.

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  Still Jeepin after 11 years - 1994 Jeep Wrangler
  By wulfcity - March 28 - 11:36 pm

  I bought this Jeep new in 1994. Overall, it has been a great vehicle. It is a little underpowered with the 4 cylinder engine. The 5th gear was replaced at around 75,000 miles. It does handle its own off-roading.

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  Hate the Electronic Transmission - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By txgamn - March 28 - 10:23 pm

  Ive had this vehicle in two times because of the the transmission and Ive only had it 7 months. It seems they place the A/C on top to the transmission and when the A/C starts condensing, it drips onto the transmission. If the transmission has not been sealed properly, the vehicle will be sluggish at times. I am afraid of this vehicle and that one day it may bog down too much and just stop when I am trying to merge on to the highway.

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  Ultimate reliability and practicality - 2005 Jeep Wrangler
  By JD Adams - March 28 - 11:00 am

  Great around-town SUV; its small, maneuverable and fun to drive. Off pavement, its as tough as a 4X4 can get. The Unlimiteds ride is excellent, and upscale options now make this a very civilized choice for people who want a no-nonsense, ultra-reliable vehicle to get around in. Plenty of cargo room. Back seat folds down and is removable for extra storage. New 6-speed transmission is a breeze to shift; clutch pedal is light, and the 4-wheel disc brakes are excellent. Not your average SUV - far more practical and useful, especially off-road.

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  Chris from Philadelphia - 1998 Jeep Wrangler
  By Chris V - March 28 - 2:13 am

  Bought my Jeep 4 years ago. Replaced the cat. converter 3 times. Replaced radiator. Constantly tightening belt. Without an automatic tensioner it squeaks about every 2,000 miles with the AC or defroster on. Getting kinda tired of the rattling of the cat converter. Unfortunatly I do not come under the recall they issued for that.

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  Popping Out of Gear-trouble getting into gear - 2011 Jeep Wrangler
  By volito - March 27 - 4:20 pm

  Had this rpoblem ongoing since it came out of showroom. Everyday problems getting into certain gears or shifter popping out of gear. In and out oof dealers for 3 years. Now recently wouldnt go into gear as gear plates stuck and had to get it towed to dealer. "Now maybe theyll see the problem" Nightmare from day one back to lawyer for lemo law.

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  2014 Jeep Patriot Sport 4x4 (6A) - 2014 Jeep Patriot
  By sfields89 - March 27 - 10:51 am

  I purchased my patriot in May of 2014. Every since then, Ive been so impressed with my patriot. Im a college student at Washington State University. It snows a lot in the winter time. This jeep handles great in all types of weather. From school to my home town, Seattle WA, is about a 5 hour drive. My patriot does great on the road and handles hydroplaning, snow, gusts of wind, and carrying heavy loads of my stuff greatly. Has enough space to take a group of friends out on the town, parks basically anywhere in the city, great at U turns, and has enough power to take me back to school in all seasons. The freedrive 1 system works great and is much better than most CUVs on the road.