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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  jeep #5 - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By tjblatt - June 13 - 10:00 am

  this is the 5th jeep grand charokee i have owned and it is by far the finest. this vehicle has the best urgonomics of any of the previous vehicles i have owned, jeep or otherwise. everything is right at your fingertips.

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  Great SUV - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By TV - June 13 - 7:36 am

  Have had Jeep for three weeks and Im really impressed with how it looks and drives.Sold my old 1998 Jeep that I loved but this one beats the old 1998 hands down.Thanks Chrysler!!!!

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  Jeep - 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Nick - June 13 - 4:36 am

  I love my Jjeep - as a college student I need a reliable car with lots of space to move my stuff up and back. This gives me all of that with a nice interior and all the features I could want.

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  The Only Way to Go! - 2009 Jeep Wrangler
  By Scooter - June 11 - 10:00 pm

  After months of searching and comparing, we finally purchased a 2009 Unlimited. This is our first Jeep and our first American car in a long time. We got the Unlimited X with all power options, satellite radio, tow package and dual tops. As you search for your next vehicle, remember, your comparison is not between other SUVs and the Jeep; it is whether or not you want a Jeep. If you want an SUV, then get an SUV. If you want a rig that will go anywhere without the top on, then this is the rig for you. If you want to take the doors off, then go ahead, why not, only Jeep owners can! The ride quality is better than expected and the Lifetime Powertrain warranty (original owner only) is great.

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  Wow - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By Christopher Nichols - June 11 - 2:26 pm

  Great vehicle. Small enough to handle yet able to haul plenty of stuff. Has some get up and go. Leather interior and many standard features make it a good, comfortable work vehicle, and can go out on the town and give the luxury you deserve.

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  Great So Far - 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Rman - June 11 - 9:20 am

  The Jeep Grand Cherokee has been great so far. It handled the snow really well this winter, and it is smooth on the highway. The heated leather seats are fantastic, and the interior is well-designed and comfortable for both driver and passengers. I had the same problem with the shift module as other reviewers, but the dealership replaced it free of charge and the transmission has been problem free ever since.

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  Great Jeep - 2007 Jeep Commander
  By danbasting52 - June 11 - 12:20 am

  Had the Commander just over 3 weeks. So far, love it. We had to have a 3rd row seat and 4x4.Considered other larger SUVs (Tahoe, Yukon, Escalade, etc.) Found this one used with low miles for a great price. The only thing it didnt have was a DVD system and a hitch. The dealer added those items plus tinted the windows for no cost. That was the seller for us.

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  Transmission Stalled and other issues - 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Lisa - June 10 - 4:20 am

  I purchased my Jeep GC Limited on 9/5/2015. The engine light came on at 250 miles in the first week. The evaporation canister gasket was bad and needed to be replaced. Dealer was able to fix within 1 day. At 1,600 miles while driving in city traffic slowing down for a traffic light the vehicle jumped forward twice like I had been rear-ended. This was caused by the transmission shifting down from 3 to 2 and 2 to 1. The vehicle then went into to "limp" mode and I could not go over 5MPH and the transmission was stuck in 1st gear. I managed to get out of traffic and into a parking lot. Had this happened in a busy intersection or while merging into busy, fast moving highway it could have been deadly. I called roadside assistance and the JGC had to be towed to the nearest dealer. They have had the vehicle for 4 days and now have told me they will have to "tear down" the transmission to try to figure out what is wrong. When the cause is determined Chrysler will determine if the transmission will be fixed or replaced based on their "70% rule". The first time we put the back seat down the headrest fell off of the passenger-side rear seat and could not be put back in place. The dealer had to fix this because a clip was missing. Again, could have been dangerous if the headrest had fallen off in an accident and your head was whiplashed against against the two metal rod mounts. My family has been loyal to Chrysler and have owned nothing but Dodges since 2000. We have owned 2 Ram 1500s, a Durango, and an Avenger. All were great vehicle. Chrysler and Jeep you missed the level of expected quality and reliability with the new Jeep Grand Cherokee models! When you pay upwards of $40,000 for a high-end vehicle you expect better quality, reliability and service than this. The Jeep Grand Cherokee is promoted as the "Most Awarded SUV" ever. Jeep has been long known for it quality and great products however, it seems Chrysler and Jeep are being very silent regarding all of the recent transmission issues. Perhaps the transmission issues are going to be ignored and swept under the rug to avoid bad publicity. Come on Chrysler and Jeep your loyal customers deserve better than this!!! Check out the reviews for the 2014s and the 2014 and 2015 Dodge Durango, these vehicles have the same transmissions. The electronic transmissions are shifting from park to reverse on their own, not staying in gear, getting stuck in gear, and shifting roughly. Also check out the Jeep Cherokee which also has many reports of transmission problems. The NHTSB also has many transmission issues reported and is contemplating a class-action lawsuit regarding the number of injuries and safety issues that surround the transmission coming out of park and rolling away causing injury to people and damage to the vehicle and surrounding property.

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  Overland best JGC EVER! - 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By JB - June 9 - 9:53 pm

  This is the best Grand Cherokee ever. It had all the features I was looking for voice activated Nav/phone, backup camera, HID lights, remote start, 1 free year of sirius sat radio, ipod connection and HDD to store all of your own music, no more carrying around cds. Oh did I mention the 357hp Hemi. The ride is what really sold me, it is so Smooth, easy and very very quiet. I hate cars that have rattles. I researched RX 350, X5, MDX with similar build and features I would have spent $20,000 more. With employee pricing, rebates, incentives and auto show cash. I saved $10,000 plus zero percent for 48 months.

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  GRANDIOSE CHEROKEE! - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By jaeh - June 9 - 9:26 pm

  I absolutely love my 2005 Grand Cherokee Rocky Mountain. I have tricked it out quite a bit and get so many compliments on its look. I really love driving it too! Great price also helps the enjoyment factor.