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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  Pure Fun! - 2008 Jeep Patriot
  By smiguel76 - January 1 - 4:50 pm

  I bought this vehicle 2 weeks ago and I love it! Its a lot of fun to drive it. You feel like you are in a bigger SUV, but its really compact and easy to handle. Not to mention that fuel efficiency is good. Just one advice, make sure you get the 5-speed manual transmission. I test drove both the automatic and the manual. The automatic version its a hog! Just what you would expect from a 2.4, 4 cyl- automatic tran combination. The manual 5-speed tran. its just perfect! Fast pick up speed and much more fun to drive! Plenty of room for the GF, fishing rods, ice chest and the dog! This SUV is great for 14.4K including tax and title. Cant beat it!

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  so far so good - 2011 Jeep Wrangler
  By spider41 - December 31 - 5:20 pm

  veryy happy with my jeep,first time owner,no leaks yet and we have had alot of rain here (N.Y.).I like the ride,pretty smooth.just wish I would have waited for the 2012,more power and maybe would have better gas mileage.on a rating of 1-5? I would put it at 4.....

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  Pretty GOOD - 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Ata - December 31 - 11:00 am

  good

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  J:ust E:mpty E:very P:ocket - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By NO MORE JEEPS FOR ME - December 31 - 5:36 am

  I drove this off the lot as happy as can be. I loved every aspect, heated leather, 4 wheel drive, Sunroof, DVD system, etc. I was thrilled during my first year of ownership (I purchased the Jeep with 40K miles). The second year of ownership has been nothing but problems. I have had constant problems with all electrical components (dash lights, A/C, etc). The Jeep turns off unexpectedly... I have had multiple Certified Chrysler dealers look at the problem and nobody has found a fix. The issues arent constant; they come and go... very annoying. I will not purchase a Jeep again.

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  Poor workmanship - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Rajnesht - December 31 - 2:00 am

  The car has been more at the dealership than my 90 Mazda. Its electricals are extremely poor quality, and you can expect leakages in differentials every 2-6 months.

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  Another Love - Hate relationship - 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By ZeeJ - December 31 - 2:00 am

  Been in for warranty service 3 times now in the past 4 months, coolant leak, check engine light (O2 sensor), H2O pump. What next??? Handles poorly - Steering isnt very precise. I depend on my 4WD vehicles in Baja and right now I do not trust this one. I am looking at using it for a trade-in for a 4WD crew cab PU. What a shame!

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  Fourth Jeep - 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Jeeper - December 31 - 2:00 am

  Jeeps have been our primary vehicle since 1996. I wish we had discovered Jeeps sooner. We take road trips in comfort (desert, mountain, Mexico), go to off road events several times a year, drive it around town and commute to work. Now we have QuadraDrive which allows us to drive in deeper snow, sleet and ice. When we go skiing, this Jeep is like a goat for getting to the slopes and out of the parking lot. There is nothing close the excellent price/performance of this vehicle. I will never be without one again.

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  Great vehicle - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By MOM68OF1 - December 31 - 2:00 am

  I love my Liberty. I looked at many suvs and the Liberty stood out.

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  I like my Jeep! - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By terrence - December 31 - 2:00 am

  I have been driving my 2004 Jeep for four months and have been really pleased with it. I dont mind that it is not "car-like" because if I wanted that, I would have bought a car. It handles well, looks good, and is worth the upgrade to get the Limited. The only down side is the gas mileage, which honestly is deplorable. I dont even get the low sticker MPG of 17/19, which is a shame because I pay for good gas & drive relatively normal speeds. However, if something happened to it, I am positive that I would just go out and buy another one at this point.

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  Love My Liberty! - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By SgtIvansWife - December 31 - 2:00 am

  I LOVE IT!!! Rides great, not bumpy. Sound system rocks! Driving a "fishbowl" is wonderful because you can see everything around you! I feel very safe in my Liberty!