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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  Disappointed - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By Sharon - July 11 - 12:40 am

  Front the day purchased there has been a problem with a vibration in the front end, tires have been rotated, replaced - still vibrates. Brakes had to be replaced in first month. Still have vibration. It gets maybe 16mpg on any type roads, country or highway. I would trade it in in a heart beat but the value dropped so fast even the dealer wont take it back for what we owe. The interior is very limited, less than my PT Cruiser had.

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  Stick a fork in me: Im done - 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Jeff B. - July 10 - 7:23 am

  Loaded. Immaculately maintained My second Jeep. (Wife likes her new 2nd Liberty. FWIW, her well maintained old one blew a head at 113,000, w/ no warning, but TG after she traded). Jeep cant build a damn tranny to save their life: this is my second (previous 2001) to trash the entire Quadra II tranny ($3500, each time). This one did it while I was saving up for a new evaporator ($1300) for the AC. I though my old BMW cost a bunch to maintain, but nothing on it "just broke": they wore out. Repeated drive line issues, ac problems and others make me wish Id bought a Subaru/almost anything else. Helpful dealer. Awful car. Priced trade value on Edmunds: can you say "abandon ship?"

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  Awesome Jeep - 2005 Jeep Wrangler
  By Keats - July 10 - 5:30 am

  I have never owned a car I love more than my Jeep Rubicon. It is extremely fun to drive. I do get a little tired of strangers coming up to me in parking lots and asking me questions about it...

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  First SUV-Disappointed - 2000 Jeep Cherokee
  By dcn821 - July 9 - 10:00 am

  Leased it in September of 2000. Tremendous ability in the snow but thats about it. Had front brake rotors replaced at 6000 miles due to warping. Then had new rotors resurfaced at 17,000 miles due to warping. Nobody at the dealership can tell me why this vehicle is burning up front rotors. I have an annoying whine coming from the transmission area but the dealership says thats normal. Thank God its a 3 year lease with a waranty. Looking forward to getting rid of it.

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  What an SUV should be! - 1996 Jeep Cherokee
  By Objective Owner - July 9 - 10:00 am

  The Cherokee is what an SUV should be; power to tow, excellent off-road capability, reliable, versatile,tough, and still comfortable and fun to drive. I have not had any problems with the vehicle. It tows a trailer very easily, is confident off road in some very rough country, and still works great for hauling groceries or clients. I admit to being a little critical of SUVs that were never meant to work. It seems like a bit of a waste.

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  Buying a used jeep? Good Luck - 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By 4wheeler - July 9 - 10:00 am

  We wish we would have reviewed the listings on the chat rooms before buying. NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE! The transmission is lousy, expect problems!

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  Cheap jeep - 2016 Jeep Patriot
  By Dan - July 8 - 6:07 pm

  Rented this tin box. Been in it 10 minutes and cant wait to get out of it! Very cramped, loud, rough and no arm room. ONE usb port!!!! So no charging phone and using gps! Also all the windows are fogged up, cant see out of them. Defrost is on high and in the rear. Very dangerous. I would walk before I would buy this piece of crap! Does not compare to my 2005 Ford Freestyle!!!!

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  Who Needs a Hummer - 2007 Jeep Wrangler
  By JohnnyG - July 7 - 8:06 am

  Well I have only had my new 4 door for 2 days (traded in my 05 TJ) but I will tell you, it is truly awesome. The ride is super smooth, and quiet (I even have the soft top. The new sound system is sweet. The interior is unlike any jeep. The only thing I will agree with Edmunds is, it is a little sluggish, but let the aftermarket games begin. I think this is a great innovation for Jeep.

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  JEEP is great - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By D. Forsyth - July 7 - 12:33 am

  This was my 3rd Jeep in a row, I enjoy driving them and I find the seating room good and the cargo area even better when rear seats are folded down. Would prefer easier folding of the rear seats.

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  Rotors, A/C and Noises - 2000 Jeep Cherokee
  By R.W.L. - July 6 - 10:00 am

  The rotor/pads for the front disk breaks suck! My first replacements were at 23k! I had to call Daimler/Chrysler in Detroit to get them replaced "under warranty". Though I finally had them replaced at 23k; theyd been bad since 16.5k! Did I mention that the brakes were shot again at 42k? The A/C compressor has also gone out twice and, lets not forget all of the "cold interior" noises that Ive been living with. I cannot recommend it as an "every day commuter/family vehicle.