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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  its a chore just to get in the car - 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By LK2530 - August 19 - 2:00 am

  i loved my Jeep when I first leased it. Now, four years in, i hate it. The automated door locks malfunctioned 1 month after my warranty was up but the service department said it wouldnt have been covered anyway. So its $350 to fix it. Plus there is only ONE key entry on the car. So after four years of owning it the remote entry doesnt work so just getting in the thing is a chore. I have had brake problems and need new rotors again. I will never buy a Jeep again and cant wait to get out of this one. Both my dealer and Chrysler have been unconcerned with my complaint.

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  Should have kept my Audi - 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By I AM ENZO - August 19 - 2:00 am

  Word to the wise do not ever buy one. I used to work for jeep and when I bought it wasnt sure if I was making the right choice. Then I realized that my Audi was not going to tow my snowmobiles and jetskis so I bought it thinking that since I work for jeep it will be easy for me to fix. Well, I will say I was thinking wrong. This car has broke down so many times I dont even know were to start. Starter rear diff, trans. The biggest of them all was when my wife was driving on the expressway and the seat frame snapped. When it snapped it fliped the seat back about 8 inches. Which almost caused a huge wreck.

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  Nothing better in the snow - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By New Englander Mark - August 19 - 2:00 am

  I bought my jeep last December, just before one of the biggest blizzards in New England for the last 20 years. Couldnt resist trying it out in adverse circumstances and took it out in the teeth of the storm. I was impressed to say the least. I made it up ramp with a 12% grade, passing a F150 that couldnt make it. The gas mileage is poor -- especially in the city. If they cant design it to get better mileage without affecting performance, they should increase the size of the gas tank. A vehicle should have a range of at least 300 miles.

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  Great car - 2005 Jeep Wrangler
  By Kevin - August 18 - 11:36 pm

  I love this thing. Will own it til it dies. The only thing I dislike is the gas mileage. But I enjoy the vehicle thoroughly.

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  Liberty is a winner - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By savvy4 - August 18 - 10:00 am

  We traded our 2001 Toyota RAV4 for a 2002 Liberty Limited 4wd and couldnt be more pleased with doing so. The RAV was a quality vehicle, but too much like a car. The Liberty is very truck- like (it rides a bit firm) & solid and has a nice torquey motor. Besides feeling so solid, its also fun to drive. The pricing is very reasonable, the quality is very good overall, the styling is awesome, the towing capacity is class-leading, and its off-road capabilities are hard to beat. This is your do-all small SUV that gives the most bang for your buck. Were glad we snagged one.

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  Water Leaks - 2011 Jeep Wrangler
  By phontom - August 17 - 4:14 pm

  Go ahead and purchase this jeep as long as you are prepared to fight the dealership you chose to purchase it from. Granted not all jeeps leak but is a good chance is will. I love my jeep but hate the headache it has given me when they cant stop the water from coming in.

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  Great SUV - 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By joey3407 - August 17 - 9:50 am

  The only problem I had with this Jeep was I had 27000 miles on it and the tranny went and I was not under the warranty. But other then that I love it nothing bad except the tranny

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  Pretty Good, So Far - 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By jefjensen - August 16 - 10:30 am

  I chose the Grand Cherokee over rival suvs for value and perceived "heavier duty". For the last three years, its been a good performer. Id like better gas mileage (getting about 17-18 MPG in mixed driving with six cylinder). No major repairs. Dislikes: $200 cost to drain/refill differentials; significant rust on all lower window sill trim. Ive noticed the sill trim rust on virtually every Grand Cherokee Ive looked at with the same body style as mine. Replacement Dunlop Radial Rover tires much, much better than oem Goodyear Wrangler ST for traction and handling, although I think I may have lost some fractional MPG. Manual 4x4 lever takes considerable effort to move, although its not a major flaw.

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  Air Ride a disaster - 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Toni DeFade - August 16 - 1:42 am

  I guess you could say I was almost completely satisfied with my Summit until some one crashed into me. That was March 30th and my car still has not been returned to me! Why? Because Jeep cannot fix the air ride! Dealership repair people tell me once an air ride goes out in a vehicle its a usually is a continual nightmare. However Jeep says it can be fixed, so why has it taken close to 5 months and they dont seem to be any closer to fixing it. So, the persons insurance does not want to total it since they feel it should be Jeeps problem to fix it. They will not take responsibility Im left to dry and am no closer to getting my car returned to me. I will never again buy an air ride so BEWARE!

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  1st Jeep Owner - 2008 Jeep Wrangler
  By Mike - August 15 - 5:40 pm

  This is my first jeep. I love it. Highly recommend it. I drove my first one on vacation as a rental in St Martin and immediately came home and traded in my Dodge Ram for a 2008 soft top.