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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  No Problems w/37k mi - 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By gart - March 20 - 10:00 am

  I havent had any of the problems Ive read about. This is my 3rd Grand Cherokee (3 Yr leases). I have 37k miles so far, my lease is up in Jan03. Gas Mileage is poor, 17mpg with 4.0 engine. My 95 got 23mpg, my 97 got 21mpg. Handling, comfort, perfomance are fine, Infinity stereo is excellent. I was going to buy this one, but after reading all of the problems, maybe not.

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  Liberty (-: - 2003 Jeep Liberty
  By james kober - March 20 - 10:00 am

  Great SUV so far. Only 3 complains. Right rear window has significant wind noise. Pulls to the right. Gas milage sucks. Not bad for 12000 miles. I have not taken it back to the dealer for the minor problems yet because my wife wont give it up for a day yet. Havent been off road yet, but I plan too soon.

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  Rent one before you buy one - 2007 Jeep Wrangler
  By SciFiChick - March 20 - 4:26 am

  What can I say, had I rented it for a week, I would not have bought it. In the heat it smells like cheap marine plastic melting in the sun. If you use the highway, youre safer in someone elses car, this one stalls. The middle of the back seat has NO SUPPORT so it sinks in. The plastic scratches very easily. I cannot wait to get rid of my Jeep.

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  2ND TIME AROUND. - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By C.T. - March 19 - 6:30 am

  Just purchased 04 JGC Laredo after putting on a whopping 325K (yes you read right!)on my 98 GC(original motor and trani...).I searched for a while to find the 6cyl with lower miles.Anyone who claims that these vehicles are not reliable,Id strongly argue.My 98 went through regular maintenence and never left me stranded on the road(i travel in upstate NY,and New England as a sales rep.).Of note. I kept the trani. serviced very regularly as i found that to be real helpful with the overall performance. My 04s ride feels a bit smoother,and more refined than 98, and definately felt better than 05-06 model.Looking forward to putting another 300k on this one!

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  2005 Limited - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By richard - March 18 - 1:00 pm

  I use this Jeep both on and off road. Superior to my Forester especially in mud. Gets 23 hwy and 18 city. So far at 20k no problems, ride is good and I can pull a horse trailer with it.

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  Unstoppable - 1999 Jeep Cherokee
  By 0wn - March 16 - 11:56 pm

  I bought my Cherokee from a salvage yard after it was hit on the front left wheel, ran into a pole or stoplight, and then flipped on its side. After that much abuse, I didnt expect it to start, much less be drivable. But amazingly, all it took was a new battery to get the Jeep started. I had a mechanic shop replace most of the steering system (the impact to the wheel bent a few parts), and then I replaced the panels that were damaged. Its quite amazing that I could pull the Jeeps exterior apart using simple hand tools and I was even able to salvage some the bent pieces. After repairing it, I never had any trouble. The engine will start in zero temperature and never causes problems.

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  Absolute BLAST at low speeds - 1992 Jeep Wrangler
  By Spencer Cooke - March 16 - 11:16 pm

  As long as you can accept what a Jeep WONT do, you can truly enjoy what it WILL do. WONT go over 70 mph WONT save you money on gas WONT impress your girlfriends mother but it WILL go ANYWHERE at about 5 mph WILL save you money up front (its cheap) WILL look good when dirty This is the coolest vehicle you can obtain for under $5000. Make sure that its got a manual tranny, 33" tires or larger and a good top. 6-cyl is fast and has a more-reliable transmission but also gulps fuel - but if fuel economy was the point, youd drive a prius. Get the soundbar, take off the doors and live a little.

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  Fun in the sun, dark, rain, snow, or? - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By green genes - March 16 - 7:13 pm

  We like our Jeep more every time we drive it. We now have 7,100 miles, and have gotten 21.7 mpg with A/C at 70 mph. We had a recall on the engine computer; at first we got 14 to 16.5 mpg and were concerned, but reprogramming fixed it. The heated seats are great. The tire pressure on the overhead really works, saved us a flat. Everything works great, no problems. Style inside and out is well done. This is a solid, smooth riding, top notch 4X4. Perhaps the best of any car or truck we have ever had. We like the new front end, and the radio controls on the steering wheel, the leather seats, and the power sun roof. Everything exceeds our expectations, even the price was more than fair.

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  Jeep stinks - 2006 Jeep Liberty
  By So Sad - March 16 - 7:00 am

  I downsized from a Nissan Pathfinder that was truly a jem but had too many miles on it. The Jeep is really bouncy and I am embarrassed to have my mother drive with me to shop. The front seats feel like you are sitting in a high chair. The gas mileage is absolutely horrible. I am looking to purchase another foreign SUV for more comfort and reliability. It feels like the transmission has to catch up to the acceleration. Not happy after less than 3 months.

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  Broke after 250 miles - 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Chris - March 14 - 1:03 pm

  What a piece of junk. After only 250 total miles, my car suddenly turned off in the middle of a busy highway. The engine would not turn over - had to have it towed. The dealer is telling me that the engine will not recognize the key(s)- we tried both. Based on this, caution to off roading - very disappointed being a BMW and Ford Expedition owner where at least a warning light will come on when something is wrong. You get nothing with the Jeep! Even when the car will not start you get no warning. My dealer call back is questionable as well. I am used to BMW service and follow-up; thank god I kept the BMW. So now that Fiat is here I hope they look into this issue.