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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  Re-paired "bi-monthly" Jeep - 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By john - December 4 - 11:50 pm

  Never saw this one coming. Our Jeep is on its 3rd set of rotors, brakes, front caliper bracket. Also front hubs have been done. Rear rotors also warped replaced also. Fan assembly replaced (dealer fix) 3 power window regulators !Gauges reading off. Oil, temp they are reading on the highside. Was told it could be the whole cluster. Needs a new one.! Front end tie-rods both sides replaced. And lets see o2 sensor. And passenger door needs a hinge repair. The weld is pulling away from the door frame. Also it needs rear seal leak repair. Now I do not offroad this truck at all. If so I would exspect some of the things that have gone wrong. But this is unreal. Never again its a Jeep thing alright:

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  Very disappointed - 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Edmund K. - December 4 - 12:38 pm

  I had a Dodge Durango for a few years and since it was almost out of its extended warranty I figured get a new Jeep. What a mistake that was. After owning for only two weeks the car spent 11 days at a dealer for the following problems: Faulty paint on the spoiler, Extreme wind noise, clunk noise when going over speed bumps, clothing hanger loose & rattling. They repainted the spoiler, replaced the two front door rubber seals, a front & rear shocks were leaking so they replaced the front shock (rear shock is on extreme backorder, whatever that means because no one knows), replaced clothes hanger. Well, after 11 days at the dealer, the wind noise issue is not resolved as once I hit 50+ miles per hour, I cant hear anything inside the car and the clunk noise when going speed bumps is still there. I even made sure that the technician had driven over a bump to ensure the problem was actually the leaking shock. Im not sure how he couldnt hear the clunk as its as loud as it can be. So, now I have to go back to the dealer and leave my car for God knows how many more days there. Now the headrests on both seats have started rattling every time going over rough road. I havent even made my first payment yet and Im already disgusted with the car. Update: took the vehicle back to the dealer. It sat there for another 5 days (now total of 16 days at dealer). Apparently it were the two front shocks leaking & not the rear, bad communication from the service adviser. They replaced the second front shock. Clunk noise is still there. Technician couldnt replicate the wind noise, so we took a ride and then he heard how loud it was and agreed it wasnt normal. Next step is to wait for a Chrysler representative to come out, test drive the car and do a cabin pressurizing test to see where the air is leaking from (Im not sure how you can pressurize a cabin when there are so many vents located all over). This keeps getting better and better. 2nd Update: Vehicle back at the dealer. The clunk noise is still there. Took a ride with the technician and went over small bumps at about 5 miles per hour and you could hear the noise. His suggestion: driver over them slower!!!!!!!!!! I suggested maybe I should get out of the car & push it over the speed bump. After all arent Jeeps suppose to be off-road vehicles and yet they cant handle a small shopping center speed bump. The wind noise still there, apparently the technician made the whole thing up about a Chrysler representative coming out and doing the whole pressurizing the cabin thing, because according to the service manger that never happens and Chrysler reps never come out. So, now Im back in my cheap piece of junk, dirty loaner car for the 3rd time this month, crossing my fingers that they will actually fix these problems on a car that I paid well over $40k for.

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  I Used To Love It! - 1997 Jeep Cherokee
  By mackenzie - December 3 - 11:13 pm

  It was 3 years old when we purchased it. I have loved my jeep for many years but 3 years ago (100,000 miles) we had a problem with it continually overheating. That led to a new engine, new radiator, etc. Also, have had to have 2 window motors replaced, tranny lines replaced and thankfully (sort of) before the 3 yr/36000 mile warranty on the new engine expired it cracked the head. That was replaced and now it is again overheating. Ive had it!

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  I love it - 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By AMYJW - December 2 - 9:33 am

  I bought my 2000 JGC Laredo used last year. Previously, I had owned a 1998 Cherokee, the most basic kind. With the ease of being able to work on the 1998 Cherokee myself, I was a little skeptical of buying something that I may not be able to work on, what with all the do-dads and such. But so far, the only problem Ive had with my 2000 JGC has been the brake system. I knew going into the sale that this would need to be fixed. Luckily, the brakes were as easy to change on my 2000 as they were on the 1998. So far, I couldnt have asked for a better used vehicle. I dont know that Ill ever own anything other than a Jeep again. I hope my luck lasts!

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  Great car - 2001 Jeep Cherokee
  By Chrys - December 1 - 3:56 pm

  Good car. Runs well. Have more than enough space. Have had 4 boards and 4 people in the car at once. Have been able to put 10 boards in the car.

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  Great! - 1997 Jeep Cherokee
  By codz - December 1 - 10:00 am

  Its a great vehicle...It rides so smooth on the freeway. I used to own a 94 Blazer, and it just would shake and rattle around. Whole new story here! Very smooth -- and even more powerful. Great stuff!

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  hoosjon review - 1998 Jeep Wrangler
  By hoosjon - December 1 - 10:00 am

  i have enjoyed this jeep and plan to get another one that is similar. fun to drive, this is an experience that makes driving more of an adventure and less a way to get from here to there.

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  1999 Grand Jeep Cherokee - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By abanderas26@aol.com - December 1 - 10:00 am

  Awesome vehicle. Smooth, luxorious ride and fun to drive.

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  Jeep Specifics - 2003 Jeep Liberty
  By JBemery - December 1 - 10:00 am

  My 2002 ltd is quite masterful on sloppy roadways (mud, snow, rocks, debris in general) HOWEVER.. I would recommend purchasing and utilizing the "Full-Time" 4WD option in any rainy conditions. I have found the notable weight and high center-of-gravity can easily cause a slide on curves at "reasonable" speeds when in 2WD mode. My only other issue was at around 1800 miles a speed sensor fried and intermittently would totally screw up the transmissions functioning. This took 3 trips to a dealership and the involvement of a Chrysler Tech.(via phone) out of Mich. to run down the proper diagnostics. EverythingÂ’s been cool since the new sensor though.

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  WOW - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By pappy - November 30 - 8:23 am

  We drove 3 SUVs based on what we liked based on exterior looks. After driving the Larado , we new this was the one to get. We have a lot of room with a smooth ride. This is the first Jeep we have owned. We usually purchased GM vehicles in the past but the Buick SUVS and the Chevy Equinox did not even come close to our expectations. We also like the 4 wheel drive since we live in the country.