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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  Fifth Wrangler and Best Yet! - 2008 Jeep Wrangler
  By Mark - June 4 - 4:26 pm

  My wife and I purchased this four- door Wrangler last Tuesday and immediately took it on a 250 mile round trip and found it to be undoubtedly the BEST Wrangler weve owned yet! Its very comfortable, quiet and even though it has less HP than our previous 4.0s, I havent found it to be lacking in acceleration. Also, we achieved 23.6 mpg on the interstate. Incredible for a Wrangler, especially for a brand new one. I highly recommend the four-door Wrangler for someone looking for the best and most capable 4X4.

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  Lots of Fun - 2007 Jeep Wrangler
  By Syruis - June 4 - 2:13 am

  I traded a 04 Murano for this because I wanted extreme offroad capability and I was tired of all the comfort of leather/power everything. I knew what to expect of a Jeep (3rd Ive owned) and have not been disappointed. This is only the base model and I have minimum features. I wanted to modify this myself so now have a blank canvas to work on. The soft-top seems nice and I look forward to the summer with it down. So far, with temps in the 20s, this lil monster warms up just fine and stays warm on the highway at 70mph. Bumpiness is something to get used to, but like my 350z, you get what you pay for. The suspension offroad feels good and the 4WD is nothing to scoff at. Lots of power to play in.

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  Pleased so far. - 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By erider - June 3 - 7:30 am

  I purchased a great looking Laredo entry level 4WD V6 model in August. I couldnt turn this deal down because they were offering such a bargain. It cost me the same as a new Honda Civic- a much smaller car! This car, however, is "bare bones" so to speak, with no options at all. But thats okay, I dont have a family so I dont need all that leg and cargo room and all the fancy gadgets. My Jeep, however, came with an inherent electrical problem that took the dealer two days to fix- it was the Junction Box that contained the wiring for the rear door lock that wasnt working correctly. I know I will love this vehicle for many years- its perfect for me!

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  This is our second one - 2016 Jeep Cherokee
  By Louis Klipper - June 3 - 6:08 am

  We purchased our first Trailhawk when they were introduced in 2014. We traded in our Audi to purchase this Jeep, the first American car we have owned in the past 20 years. (We have been driving Mercedes, BMW and Audis) We needed a comfortable SUV that was capable of towing my 3,000 lbs enclosed motorcycle trailer from our home in New England to our home in Florida a few times a year. Most of the German built mid sized SUVs had a max tow rating of 3,000 lbs, not enough safety margin for the distance we were traveling. The Cherokee Trailhawk with the V6 and factory installed tow package was rated @ 4,500 lbs. The capability, comfort, technology and quality was all rolled into a unique package that really impressed me. I was not expecting to like this vehicle as much as I did. The Cherokee never gave us any problems, and service was limited to oil changes and tire rotations. We never had any issues with the 9 speed transmission. With the miles piling up on our 2014 Cherokee we decided to trade it in on a 2016. Before purchasing, we thought that we needed to test drive a Land Rover Discovery HSE and the new Mercedes GLC, to experience these two new models. After living with and driving the Jeep Trailhawk for 2 years I felt that the Mercedes and Land Rover were not worth the consideration over the Trailhawk. Now that Ive put a few thousand miles on our 2016 Trailhawk Ive noticed a few things different from our old 2014. The ride is more refined, and the 9 speed transmission is silky smooth. The technology keeps getting better, and the U Connect system is the most user friendly system I have used in any vehicle, no matter the price. The doors close with a solid sounding thunk, reminding me of some of Mercedes we have owned.

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  The original suv - 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By jerrymax - June 2 - 9:50 pm

  I bought my 1996 Grand Cherokee Laredo from my neighbor last December after thinking for a while that I needed an SUV. Ive got no complaints. I frequently visit my daughter in upstate New York and traversing her 175 ft driveway with 9 inches of snow on it was a breeze in the Jeep. Cruises very smoothly at 60 mph but feels like its being pushed too hard at 70. Made for traction, no speed. Jeep has unique qualities, like unibody construction and solid axles, not found in other SUVs. And its the original 4x4, the workhorse vehicle born out of necessity in World War II for the military, the grand-daddy of all SUVs. Ill always have a Jeep from now on, as well as a sedan for summer driving.

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  97 jeep grand cherokee ltd - 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By harley575 - June 1 - 2:00 am

  Too many mechanical issues. Water pump, rear axle, front drive shaft. brakes, rotors. The caliper froze and ruined the pads and rotor. Wind noise when the moon roof is open too objectionable. Even though the car has a V-8 it is underpowered. Kills your back on speed humps in parking lots.

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  Awsome mid-size suv - 2010 Jeep Liberty
  By durangoman70 - May 31 - 9:54 pm

  This is the second Jeep Liberty I have owned. I traded in a 2009 Nissan Altima for this Jeep Liberty. I love how comfortable the Liberty is for a tall person. The Liberty sport comes with all the options you could ever want. The ride is really nice, seats are comfortable. For those people who write bad reviews about the liberty have no clue what they are talking about...... 1. Gas millage is around 18 which is what you expect for an suv. 2. You cant compare a Liberty to a car.....If you want the ride of a car and gas millage of a car BUY A CAR. I wanted something that pull a boat and not be the size of a huge truck. The Liberty is it. I highly recommend the Liberty to anyone

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  Shes one purity ride! - 2015 Jeep Cherokee
  By cherio1 - May 30 - 8:22 pm

  I have had my first Jeep for 2 weeks and she has 601 miles. My combined MPG right now is 23.8. The fit and finish of this car is top notch. I am 511" and hubs is 64" we are both very comfortable driving and riding in this SUV. I havent had any issues with the parking break. I do have the 4 cylinder, it does have a bit of "thrust" between 2nd and 3rd gears either at the downshift or up shift. I dont feel this is an issue, this a big car for the engine and transmission. That being said the actual ride itself is awesome! She floats down the road, you dont feel like youre going 75mph! IF the radio is off you do have some modest noise from the wind and road. Features are very nice!

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  Best bang for the buck - 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By kbohip - May 30 - 10:00 am

  Ive had 2 Grand Cherokee 5.9s. Love them both. Theres no better feeling than effortlessly pulling away from everyone at stoplights while at half throttle. My advice to anyone considering a Grand is to get an extended warranty or at the very least change the tranny and diff. fluids at 25,000 miles.

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  Too many hassles... - 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By MichaelBman - May 30 - 10:00 am

  Jeeps are cool cars, dont get me wrong. However, I have had so many things go wrong with mine that I will not buy another one. The dealer guaranteed the car, but acted as if I was an idiot when I told them to fix certain things. I have had 3 bearings go bad ($300 a piece), A/C break, and many other things to give me a headache in the 2+ years Ive owned it. Good looking car, but a nightmare to upkeep.