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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  Liberty is a good all rounder - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By Chris - July 25 - 6:20 am

  We bought this Jeep when it was a year old with under 20,000 on the clock. We initially had problems where the speedometer stopped working; this was fixed under warranty after the 3rd attempt. Since then the Jeep has been very reliable and is now approaching 40,000 miles. Its been excellent in the winter with the snow and is a true SUV. The engine is smooth and quiet and its nice to drive on long trips. My major complaint is the gas mileage is poor. If Toyota/Lexus can manage to produce excellent mileage from the Highlander/RX330 from a 6 cylinder engine then surely Jeep could improve in this area!

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  its a [non-permissible content removed] good jeep - 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By bajbaj - July 24 - 7:43 pm

  i have this jeep with now 120,000 miles on it withe 4.7 v8. its been very reliable so far just the regular maintenance. my only complain is the passenger side airbag sensor light is on for a long time now. i drive it like crazy everyday. im lead foot driver so i only average 13 miles a gallon doing 60%city and 40% highway. by lead foot i mean full throttle while accelerating if you want this vehicle to be reliable put castrol synthetic oil every 3000 miles or 3 months whatever comes first. jeep pulls great with a lot of low end torque. i will say i does got some minor electrical issues. dah!!! its a jeep it gonna always have some of those.

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  Jeeps going the way of Chrysler - 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Fyffe7 - July 24 - 1:10 am

  I have been driving Jeeps for 20 years. My last Jeep was a 1998 Grande Cherokee with the V8. It was my dream car. It was time to get a new Jeep. Wrong! Had the new Jeep for one day. Returned it. The new Jeep canÂ’t touch the 1998 except for the Hemi. Where to start. Windows are smaller. Interior is plastic junk for the 35,000-40,000 you are paying. Parking brake needs to be in the driver foot well but it canÂ’t because the foot well canÂ’t even fit my 2 feet. No rest pad for left foot in foot well. If the jeep had the interior of the Chrysler 300 I would have bought one. Whishing there was a brand new 1998 GC on the lot with a Hemi. Bought a Ford Sport Trac instead

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  Windows - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Ariel - July 23 - 11:23 pm

  Very bad manufacturing, no Wonder people dont buy American, had to change the Windows regulators in 3 of the four doors, also the front drive train had to be change already, the control for the fan broke at around 30,000 miles, will never buy another vehicle from this company again and I will not recommend this vehicle to anybody.

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  Good Choice - 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Joe Koski - July 22 - 6:33 am

  I bought the Jeep used with 18,000 miles. This is the fifth Jeep Cherokee I have owned, the second Grand Cherokee, and is the best. The interior fit and finish is exceptional; the car is very well appointed and rich in its presentation. I have had no repairs to date, with the mileage now at 64,000. It has been an excellent car. It gets approx. 16-18 MPG around the city, and 20-22 MPG on a straight highway trip.

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  By far the worst Jeep ever. - 2016 Jeep Cherokee
  By Kendall Smith - July 22 - 3:19 am

  So we had to rent this car while our X5 was getting fixed. First I want to say that this car is not good looking at ALL. First i will start with the quality of the interior . The front seat comfort was OK, but the rear seat comfort was awful. Now the engine. I am blown away by how horrible this engine is. I tried to accelerate and I seriously had to wait a solid 2 seconds to go any farther . AND yes I know cars have lag , but this was a lack of a good engine. I hate this so called SUV.

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  Patriot - 2013 Jeep Patriot
  By knobbytires - July 21 - 3:02 pm

  I did my research and mostly read negative reviews of this vehicle so I was hesitant in seriously pursing it. I liked the looks of it and didnt need anything to fancy other than the 4x4 option and height adjuster drivers seat which means the Latitude model with heated seats. I do have a Grand Cherokee with the Penstar 6 engine but couldnt afford another one so this vehicle made sense for me. Long story short I did purchase this vehicle and couldnt be happier it is fantastic in the snow and all though you will not win any races off the line the 2.4 liter engine is very capable when needed and I average 23 MPG. The CVT transmission is great it always knows where it needs to be.

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  So Disappointed - 2010 Jeep Liberty
  By rhondajones - July 20 - 5:50 pm

  I traded my 2004 Jeep Cherokee for my new 2010 Jeep Liberty hoping for better gas mileage. The back hatch sensor has been replaced, the hood sensor has been replaced which caused the remote car start to fail. And now at 42,000 miles my heat and a/c is stuck on defrost even when the a/c and heat is completely shut off. The "auto" light position on the headlights is broke now (after warranty is up of course) and the dash reads "Low Spare Tire" which Ive had checked numerous times and the spare is not low. So that sensor is faulty. Im told the computer software needs to be updated, but cant afford to take into a dealer.

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  Awesome SRT8 Grand Cherokee - 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Terry - July 20 - 9:03 am

  This is the top performance SUV in the world with acceleration, speed, braking, and handling that must be experienced to be believed. Despite that you are surrounded by a luxurious environment with every feature and comfort you could want. When Im relaxing I must drive with the cruise control or I am going 100+ and not even know it until you notice you are blowing by other cars or you glance at the speedo. My mileage is 14.66 mpg but I never drive less than 85. If you appreciate precision and amazing performance but still need to do the family stuff this is the one for you. You will not be disappointed. I never thought I would own a Chrysler product, Im really glad I was wrong.

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  where do we start? - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By pacdltpa - July 19 - 1:41 am

  electrical problems, rear passenger window fell down inside door by itself, a.c. system replaced, valve cover gaskets replaced, head lamp flashes on and off by itself, battery died (twice),radiator failed, lower coolant hose failed, hydraulic lift supports for both hood and rear window failed , radio volume control does not work, recall for front suspension bushings replaced, recall (now) for dangerous gas tank must take to dealer to install tow hitch to protect gas tank, 92,000 miles young. most of this has taken place in the four years we have owned the vehicle. bought it with 38,000 miles. the larger problems have been address in th elast 6 months.gas mileage ridiculous.