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:

• 

  quality SUV - 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By gjf - July 23 - 10:00 am

  I have had great success with this SUV. Limited repair work and very reliable.

• 

  Never Again... - 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Took a bath... - July 23 - 10:00 am

  We knew we were rolling the dice when we bought this used vehicle based on the reviews. Two weeks after purchasing the vehicle, the a/c started to blow warm air on a road trip. Dealer could not find a problem. Door locks broke soon after. Dealer wanted $370 to fix. Car vibrates above 65 mph. Dealer seems unconcerned about providing solutions to the customer. We have only put 6,500 miles on this car in 10 months. We have traded this car in for a foriegn model. I will never buy another JEEP vehicle again. Build quality is awful and customer service is pathetic!!

• 

  Sahara 2001 - 2004 Jeep Wrangler
  By Victor Romero - July 23 - 10:00 am

  My second jeep! I love them but the gas mileage Really sucks. very fun to drive

• 

  Fun 2nd vehicle - 1997 Jeep Wrangler
  By Frank - July 22 - 4:26 am

  Safer than a motorcycle, able to use more often than a boat. Excellent for farm tours and enjoying the great outdoors. A little more interior room would be nice.Adventure awaits!

• 

  Jiberty a Jeep/Liberty - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By edward marble - July 21 - 10:00 am

  The Liberty is fun to drive and easy to handle around town. Only down side poor gas mileage, otherwise very happy with this vehicle.

• 

  Great SUV! - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By American Cars! - July 21 - 2:26 am

  Our new Jeep Grand Cherokee has been a wonderful car so far. The driving experience is a lot of fun. I cannot wait to drive it in the snow, because I know it will do great. This is my first Jeep so far, and I love it a lot.

• 

  Jeep Wrangler Rocks! - 2008 Jeep Wrangler
  By Bouncer - July 21 - 2:10 am

  My Wrangler is the most fun SUV I have ever driven. I am amazed at how the Wrangler can corner like a car. There is little or no lean in corners. Its a little under powered but nothing terrible. The ride is really quiet with the hard top, but honestly the ride is bouncy. No blind spots but I did put small mirrors on it. Gets tons of looks from people. The 2DR has very little space for cargo, but back seat removes easily. Awesome seat adjustments. Awesome view when driving! You can almost drive this truck like a car. Getting in and out of the Sahara is not pleasant for short people. Seats are comfortable. Stereo, dash is high and close. Fog lights are awesome! Bumper is killer. Love my JK!

• 

  Love my jeep - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By mariacuts - July 17 - 10:00 am

  This is a great car!!!! The style of it is great...It rides great...The four wheel drive option to use it or not is wonderful...It rides great in the snow...My only disappointment is it is terrible on gas...I get about 13 miles to the gallon and the sticker said 21 mpg....

• 

  My forever Jeep - 2001 Jeep Wrangler
  By tjinsaanich - July 15 - 6:51 am

  Ive bought it used the first day of 2007 at 72,000 KM and I havent regret it once. I have made many mods to it and now it sport Aussie lockers, 3" lift with 31" MT, snorkel with Body spacer air intake, body armor all around with flat fender, Bush bumper with winch, striped down interior and a truck bed liner paint job. Needless to say it is an off-road machine but I also use it as my daily driver most days. My other vehicle is a VW Eurovan camper that is great and comfortable but it aint my Jeep and if I had to choose Id take the Jeep any day.

• 

  ok - 1999 Jeep Cherokee
  By chelsie - July 15 - 1:10 am

  My parents bought my 99 Cherokee sport in 2000, drove it for about 5 years, and then handed it down to me. It now has 140,0000 miles on it. I have no complaints about how it runs, never had any problems with that. However, the ac has stopped working, the front speakers blew out, the rear windshield wiper doesnt work, and the handle that pops that hood was so sticky, that mechanics changing the oil completely pulled it off and now the hood wont latch and I have to put a ratchet strap around it to keep it down. It gets me from place to place, but thats about it.