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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  Grand Cherokee Limited 4.7L 4WD - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By aerotechie - October 3 - 6:33 pm

  Pros: Great looking, great driving, comfortable SUV. Plenty of torque. Cons: Fuel mileage. Reliability. In 1.5 years, have had to replace tie rod ends, one front hub assembly, rear axle bearings, exhaust manifold gaskets, door control modules (for power windows and locks), crankshaft position sensor, striker switches in doors, HVAC unit, and the battery twice. Vehicle was purchased with 93k miles and is used primarily for commuting to and from work on rural roads--i.e., I dont drive it hard. Always left wondering what new problem will emerge.

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  Stalling - 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By resdeb72 - October 1 - 10:56 am

  Purchased new but had in shop only two weeks later. Stalls and wont move. All dash lights stay on and have to turn off then restart and usually corrects the problem. dealer cant find problem. The stalling continues. Now have 33,000 miles and go to start it one day and battery blows up! Sitting at dealer as I write this. Stay away from this vehicle!

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  Lousy gas mileage - 2004 Jeep Wrangler
  By Ron Billib - October 1 - 2:00 am

  Bought the vehicle new. First fill-up got 18mpg. 2nd fill-up 16mpg. 3rd fill- up 14mpg. 4th fillup 12mpg. After that, between 11 and 12 mpg. Driving conditions same throughout. Received all sorts of excuses for poor mileage from 3 different dealers. Only vehicle Ive ever driven that slows down when put in neutral going down hill. Traded it off after a year. Based on performance (lousy gas mileage) and dealerships unable or unwilling to correct whatever the problem was, would never purchase another Jeep product.

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  Beauty with no brains - 2015 Jeep Cherokee
  By aryann - September 29 - 5:21 pm

  DO NOT BUY THIS CAR. There are trasnmission problems starting at 1k miles on my 2015 Jeep Cherokee Limited. The car is well built and looks great from exterior and interior. But the mechanics are a failure. My jeep stated hard shifting at 1k miles. I even had a time when I couldnt move the vehicle. I have been to the dealer several times and they havent been able to solve my issue. Seems that I am not the only one with this issue if you search over the internet for "hard-shifting" issues with Cherokees you will understand. I am very disappointed that I have to take my new car to the dealer every couple of weeks where I get no solution to the problem

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  RUST & BUST....its a jeep thing - 1998 Jeep Wrangler
  By Kuentz - September 29 - 10:00 am

  Rust from the day I drove it off the parking lot..It has never stopped, hinges and doors and mirror brackets..I have had to replace break calipers after less than 50k miles, new tires at 35k miles, new windshield washer motor, wireing harness to the dashboard controls,exhaust manifold,steering sway bars and many other small things..all done at a Jeep dealer...will never own another Jeep product..Its four years old and I have put $4000.00 into repairs in the last 8 months

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  A Cherokee and a Mini Cooper walk into a bar... - 2016 Jeep Renegade
  By Yankee Pat - September 15 - 3:05 am

  First off, my 4WD Renegade has an automatic and the 2.4L engine (the only way 4WD Renegades come), but those werent listed by Edmunds as options for the 75th Anniversary edition for some reason. With that out of the way, Ill keep this concise: I enjoy my ride. No, the Gade isnt very powerful, but I wasnt expecting it to be, and thats something you should know whether or not youre ok with after a test drive. I love the ride height, ride comfort, capability, and style/quirkiness that I got for the price. The two things I dont like have to do with the UConnect/Bluetooth system. Most importantly, when placing and/or receiving calls on Bluetooth, I can hear the other party very clearly, but they can barely hear me. If they can hear me, they tell me there is a profound background noise that goes above and beyond what one customarily expects over a Bluetooth system. Its especially bad at highway speeds. Id strongly recommend any potential buyers to test out the Bluetooth phone system at highway speeds (e.g. 75 mph) before purchase. I didnt, and am now left with a problem that my dealer and Chrysler both seem highly ambivalent about fixing. The other UConnect issue, more minor, is that the system wont let me switch back and forth between USB and Bluetooth as an audio source unless I manually disconnect one of these sources. Ive found a way around this, so it isnt that big of a deal. The horrible call quality, something I was not expecting when I purchased a brand new 2016 automobile, is the major issue. Otherwise, Im happy with the purchase, and find the Jeepster suits me.

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  Stuck With a Lemon - 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Ssoto0055 - September 12 - 4:50 pm

  This car was just unreliable. Within in one year the car started overheating. If it wasnt the radiator fan it was the relay. Twice udner warranty, and 3 other times out warranty. Was pricy to fix, but no one could figure out why it kept happening. 3 of the windows fell, one twice. Tail lights also crapped out. Radio went out once too. The tranny started giving me trouble so I got rid of the car. I had a problem with first gear, as the car only wanted to go take off in second gear. I let it go before I had to drop more money into it. It was a lemon but didnt fall under the definition of lemon.

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  Diesel version good, too many problems - 2006 Jeep Liberty
  By CRD - September 7 - 3:06 am

  Every month there has been a recall on some part with the Liberty CRD. The accesory Plugs pop a fuse at the slightest amount of draw. Electronics lighting went haywire after towing a trailer. Great solid body for taking offroad; however needs severe improvement in the electronics and power supplies. Dont recommend if you plan to use accessory plugs with anything bigger than a cellphone. Wiring for towing also seems poorly insulated and subject to shorts.

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  beast - 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By cnorth - September 1 - 10:00 am

  electrical gremblins, heater a/c fan works only when it wants to. Im a big guy 62" and driving it is hell so I gave it to my wife and drive a 98 Lumina.

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  Unreliable - 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By jarmhand - August 26 - 2:00 am

  We hit lots and lots of problems nearibg 100k. Had to replace alternator, radiator, faulty wiring, brakes and then the big one...transmission. Mechanic said he would go out of business if it wasnt for Chrysler transmissions. Think again if youre looking for a used SUV.