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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  Only family car for tall families < $20K - 2010 Jeep Patriot
  By fishgutz - March 14 - 8:46 am

  This is the only family car you will find under $20K, gets 39 MPG highway even though rating is 25, and that fits a 63" teenager behind a 510" adult. Very impressive response from the 2.4 L and CVT. I like it. So does the wife. It will be her primary vehicle. More room and better fuel economy than our 1999 Cherokee. I would have no problem recommending this to anyone.

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  Love it but... - 2007 Jeep Liberty
  By Andrew - March 13 - 2:03 pm

  First things first:This is a great 4x4 for off road use.It goes practically anywhere and Ive never been stuck in it yet.It has power to spare.Goes like a bat out of hell when you need it to.Of course,its a bit thirsty at the gas pump(mine gets 16mpg in town and 24 on the road)but its worth it to have the great performance. My only real complaint about it is of course the crappy window regulators.Chrysler need to get off their buts and make a permanent solution for this problem pronto.Either that or they should fix those regulators for the life of the vehicle for free. Maybe some group of owners needs to file a Class Action Lawsuit over this problem?

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  so far so good - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By kenster - March 13 - 2:00 am

  Vehicle currently has 5500 no problems. great ride, good power, fun to drive, great interior design. Avergae gas mileage so far about 16-17 highway and city.

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  Accident "first hand" - 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Dwayne Rothrock - March 12 - 6:20 pm

  I was involved in a near head on collision with a 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix going high speed on 1/26/06. My Jeep was totaled, but I managed to walk away with no cuts, or broken bones, suffering only neck & back strains. Thanks to Jeep for building such a safe vehicle. You saved my life.

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  Biggest "HEAP" ever - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Worst Buy Ever!!! - March 12 - 3:20 pm

  I hardly even drive this car and it has had every problem in the book: brake failure, electrical, transmission, and oil tank leaks and ALL before 50,000 Miles. It is weak and has horrible handling. The dealership charges WAY too much for service and it feels like Im driving a motor home. It is way too hard to maneuver in traffic and you feel like your going to tip over on every turn!! resell value was HORRIBLE! Save yourself the trouble and dont buy a jeep!! this is the first and last time I will buy an American car, back to Japanese auto makers

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  Love my Jeep - 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Sandra Crabtree - March 11 - 11:29 am

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  Cool air from vents.. - 2008 Jeep Commander
  By dr burke - March 11 - 8:56 am

  I own a Jeep Commander 5.7 V8 Limited and try not to drive with the air conditioner on, for fuel economy. But, Ive discovered how you can get cold air out, without using the compressor and still get good fuel economy. I have the dual control with a vent dial and fan speed dial. If you turn the right dial to auto and turn the fan speed to where ever want it, with the temperatures dials all the way down, you will get cool air out, but the air conditioner light doesnt come on. I think the dehumidifier is taking the moisture out of the air and pumping out cold air, without using the compressor. Give it a try and see what results you get. dr burke.

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  Excellent car! - 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By 79camarogirl - March 11 - 8:08 am

  I loved my Jeep Grand Cherokee up til someone ran into me and totaled out my poor car, they bent the frame. had around 200,000 miles on him and was still running strong for the most part. It was our only car so my husband and I put lots of miles on it driving it back and forth to our jobs and he held up very well. Did have some issues with mysterious electrical problems. Sometimes car wouldnt start unless you jiggled the battery wires (battery was good) and the power windows decided they didnt want to work any more. Also, for some reason the cruise control and overdrive stopped working so I got really bad gas mileage, not it got good mpg to begin with.

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  My JGC Laredo - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Tammy - March 10 - 11:50 pm

  Im a single mom in the military and I LOVE my Jeep! My last vehicle was a 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo and my 2005 definitely handles much more like a car vs my 1995. My mom drives a Cadillac and even she loves to drive my Jeep. With the simple steering I have been able to avoid several near misses without pulling my arm out. My mom likes it because its effortless to try and steer. About the only things I can say against it is the gas mileage (which is expected out of an SUV), the exterior style and when the back seats fold down, they dont fold down flat. I love all the "extras" that come standard.

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  Jeep Liberty 2004 - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By Ursula - March 10 - 5:26 am

  It handles great, and maneuvers like a car. Easy to see all around, even for short people (5.3"). Small turning radius.