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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  radio problems - 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By dolphsdeli - October 29 - 10:45 pm

  the radio in my 2013 grand Cherokee overland summit freezes when Bluetooth wireless is used.has been to the dealer 4 times in 2 months cannot fix .radio was replaced.i was told yesterday 3 27 2014 that the Iphone is not compatible with the uconnect system in my jeep.. am I the only person in the US with a jeep and an iphone.someone somewhere has to have this problem..help

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  LOVE MY NEW JEEP SUMMIT - 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Lululovesherjeep - October 29 - 9:38 pm

  First, let me say that I would never have paid sticker for these vehicles even though the vehicle is awesome so far. I bought a 2014 with 11,300 miles so it feels like brand new and I saved about $15K over sticker. I love this jeep but have only owned it a month now. I am averaging 24.9 to 25.9 with mixed driving about 50/50 city/hwy. It has so many features that I did not have on my 2002 Jeep grand Cherokee Limited model. It drives great, very quiet and minimal road noise. Stereo is awesome and I feel like I have more space in the cargo than my older jeep. It is a V6 2wd vs. my 4.7L v8 2wd that averaged 18.5 mpg. I think it has just as good pickup and power as the other and love the added gas mileage. I feel like this car practically drives itself! Its loaded with all kinds of safety features and tech settings that make it a joy to drive. I love the interior with the exception of the suede on the front sides of inside windshield, just not my taste and believe it may fade overtime. I keep it garaged but sure over time outdoors the sun would fade such a dark brown fabric. The seats are nice leather although they could be a bit more comfy, they are a little firmer than my other jeep. I have experienced some fogging of the headlights when humid or wet outside, this I am told jeep will fix under warranty. The only additional improvements I could offer thus far is that Jeep should put a little more luxury leather seats in the front of the Summit model. Like the quality Infinity puts in their SUVs. For the sticker price of the Summit model, they should be a bit more plush and with awesome cushioning. They are fine, the ride is nice, but they are just a bit flatter with a firm feel. I recommend doing away with the suede next to the windshield as this will probably look pretty bad once the sun fades the fabric. I can imagine them looking pink once the sun gets too them. Last Jeep should consider doing a little lighter wood trim on the dash to break up all the dark brown. At least they could give the option for different wood trim colors. The lighter medium brown and lighter brown wood grains would give it a bit more sophisticated look. Some may like the all one color look, but it does need a little something to break up the very dark interior. Last, the lower console has a bit of a plastic look that I believe may show scratches easy over time or color wear off the plastic. Maybe consider something a little more durable like stainless steel material or a hard rubberized plastic such as what is used for the interior door material. I must say that anyone considering a mid size or larger SUV without the need for a third row seat, should check out the Jeep line. They have really come a long way since my 2002 model. I loved my 2002 and drove it from early 2004 till Oct 2015, so I guess you can say I loved my jeep. I tried to find something other than another jeep only because I had driven mine for so long, but when I kept comparing all SUVs the jeep kept coming out on top in terms of size, comfort, fuel efficiency, power, cargo space, regular unleaded gas, and overall maintenance and cost of ownership. I find that I have everything I could imagine and then some in this vehicle. When I compared several vehicles like Acura MDX, Lincoln MKC, Audi Q5, Toyota Highlander, etc., I found that the Jeep seemed to offer much more in value, comfort, and cost efficiency. While I loved the Audi Q5, it was a bit smaller, higher maintenance costs, and premium unleaded gas. I loved the feel of the Q5 and its driving experience but figured I would be paying dearly in my cost to own and read too many horrors in costly reliability issues. I dont want to go to the dealer for every maintenance issue and closest dealer is a 40 minute drive. Not all parts but many parts and services are as much if not more than 3 times the maintenance on the Jeep. The Lincoln MKC felt cheap in comparison and had much less room. The cargo area is much shorter than other SUVs and didnt even think I could fit a tall pet carrier in it due to its height. Many door seals, interior trim, and even many door panels seemed not to be aligned very well. The interior felt a bit cheap and the very light interior models I drove already showed scuffs and dirt from test drives. I felt they were over valued. The Acura MDX was nice and drove nice, but didnt need the third row and the premium fuel. The Toyota Highlander, while roomy was more vehicle than I needed and the drive was not anything spectacular. These are just a few I actually compared probably 15 models and came back to the jeep, but a lot had to do with the price I was able to get it for. Overall I am very pleased with my Summit model and look forward to another 10 plus years of enjoyable Jeep driving. Recommend SUV buyers look at the jeep line.

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  I Loooove my 2016 Jeep Patriot - 2016 Jeep Patriot
  By Yolanda - October 29 - 12:55 pm

  I owned a Jeep years ago and loved the space and the feel of a jeep. And now here I am again! I have exactly what I wanted with space, entertainment and look all in one beautiful Jeep. It handles the road great and if I would have read the reviews first I may have changed my mind but Im VERY pleased I purchased and then read them. I am one satisfied owner :-)

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  Best Car I Ever Owned - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By smitty999 - October 29 - 6:50 am

  Is the best vehicle I have ever owned. I previously owned a Jeep Liberty which I loved but the style of the Commander blew me away. I looked at the H3 but the Commander Limited was a much better value.

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  life long Jeep momma - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By jeepwoman - October 28 - 11:20 pm

  Ive only had my new Jeep Commander for a month, but I can tell you - have driven Jeeps for 25 years and I just love mine. The ride is so smooth and it takes turns great. The gas mileage is better then I thought it would be. The only thing that I have seen wrong is I should of gotten rain guards for it because I like to drive with my windows down. The price on the 2006 I just couldnt pass up with the deals that they have right now.You cant buy a small car for that price

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  Finally decided to Buy a Jeep - 2004 Jeep Wrangler
  By GregA602 - October 28 - 2:00 am

  Though certainly not for everyone, owning a Jeep Wrangler can be very rewarding. Every time I shopped for a vehicle over the past 15 years I considered buying a Jeep. For reasons usually related to practicality I talked myself out of it. This time I did not. Though a generally rugged ride; navigating area roadways in a Jeep is a blast. Its powerful, solid, and packed with enough basic creature comforts to take care of its owner. Unlike many vehicles Ive purchased in the past, Ive never regretted buying my Jeep. Its a genuine what you see is what you get experience

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  Great SUV - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By Jeffo - October 28 - 2:00 am

  I love my liberty. It is great on the road, and off the road. It looks sharp and is comfortable for us "big" guys. I am 63 275 and I fit great. My wife loves it to.

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  Its a change - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By Ivona Jenis - October 28 - 2:00 am

  Its reliable, fun to drive, very quite engine, but strong.

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  Jeep cannot be beaten - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Randy Hopper - October 28 - 2:00 am

  Buying the 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee was the best design I could have possibly made. This is an incredible vehicle. Capability doesnt shy from the original American Motors Jeeps. I previously owned a 1986 Cherokee and was sad to depart with what I consider the most comprehensive and powerful 4- wheel drive system ever made. But, the 2004 is quiet, very comfortable, and the 4-wheel drive is still just as capable. Not only is it a great ride but it is a gorgeous design. The front fascia has been modified from the 2003 adding circular fog lamps which are excellent in all conditions. I would recommend this car to anyone.

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  Nothing Beats a Grand Cherokee - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Rhino - October 27 - 11:40 pm

  This is my third Jeep. The first two I drove over 100,000 miles, and never had them in the shop for anything more than oil changes and brakes.This Jeep is by far the best of the three. Jeep are no longer just fun, they can go head-to-head with any of the "luxury" car manufacturers.