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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  The only SUV to own - 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By DLukas - April 6 - 10:00 am

  Basically, the only repairs beyond the normal wear (battery, tires, brakes) are: REPAIRS Radiator@90K-$235 Rear door gas spring@120K-$35 Rr axle shafts & Bearings@145K-$700 Water Pump@155K-$85 ExhaustHeaders@205K-$1200 (Tuned Headers, cat, Muffler & tailpipe) Air Conditioner@180K-$700 (at a shop) That jeep commercial where they show a mole tunnel of snow that comes to a stop sign, stops, makes a turn and keeps going. Well I laugh everytime I see that commercial because its just about the truth. I dont think there is anything that will stop a jeep except someone who is out & out using stupidity. Go for it own one, and love the experience.

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  Love my XJ! - 1996 Jeep Cherokee
  By bigmackloud - April 6 - 10:00 am

  It will be a sad day if i ever have to part with my XJ. its fun to drive, very quick for an SUV, and its awesome off-road. rides nice, the engine is very torquey, also the 4.0L I6 engine lasts forever. the back seat is small, not really ment for large adults on long trips. cargo area is decent. my spirited driving style nets around 18mpg, mixed driving. as high as 22mpg on the hwy. very reliable. doesnt have problems w/the little stuff breaking like in other cars. there are noises, but thats the Jeep trade mark. so far the noises havent caused any problems in almost 100K miles, so im not worried.

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  The perfect Jeep - 1998 Jeep Cherokee
  By deadeye - April 6 - 10:00 am

  Bought used from a lease reseller. I previously owned a Commanche truck, and loved the truck. I am very, very happy with the Cherokee. I get 20 mpg on the daily commute to work and on the highway. Not much stop and go driving though. Recently I stopped at a business and next to me was a woman with a Cherokee same year and style as mine. She asked if I liked mine, and said she loved hers "I can do anything I want with it!" That is the JEEP thing.

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  Limited with the Altitude package - 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By tombro65 - April 6 - 7:26 am

  Short and simple, This was a good purchase! Thanks to all the help from this website I made my decision to purchase this Jeep, and so far the vehicle has exceeded my expactations. I am getting 24.3 mpg on the highway, and 20 in city. I purchased the Altitude package that I get tons of compliments on (first compliment was a total stranger who said, "thats one sinister looking ride") I have zero regrets buying my jeep

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  Its a Jeep Thing - 2005 Jeep Wrangler
  By Totenkopf3 - April 5 - 6:53 am

  The absolute, bar none best factory 4 wheeler ever produced. If that doesnt excite you dont buy a Rubicon because you wont appreciate it for what it is. If youre an on-road warrior you will likely be unhappy with the very characteristics that make it such a supreme off roader. Purpose built for the boondocks, she isnt built for comfort or speed. Know and appreciate what youre buying and youll love the Rubi.

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  Exceeded My Expectations - 2015 Jeep Patriot
  By Lee Gordon Jones - April 4 - 4:54 pm

  My Patriot Sport actually has the 2.4L 6-speed automatic FWD option, which was not one of the offerings in the review drop-down box. I previously owned a P/T Cruiser, which I loved and managed to keep for 13 years and my son is now driving. I play music as an avocation, which means needing enough cargo space to hold a bands worth of gear (except the drums). I live in a congested area, so I must have an automatic, and I live in a hot humid area, so I must have A/C. Everything else is extra. Knowing that someday I would need to replace the P/T Cruiser, I began researching affordable wagons several years ago. Most of the reviews on the Patriot at the time were that it was underpowered and too Spartan for most of the reviewers, but those were the same demerits the P/T Cruiser earned when it came out, so I was prepared to (a) dismiss those critiques and (b) settle for something less than sterling for the price the Patriot was asking. When I finally did a test-drive of the Patriot Sport with the optional 2.4L engine and 6-speed transmission, I was immediately pleasantly surprised with just about every aspect of the vehicle. Pickup and shifting are just fine for getting on and off the highway. The interior has no extras - manual door locks, manual/crank up windows, hand-adjusted mirrors - which is fine by me; I actually prefer not having more things to break and fix as the car ages. The seats a very comfortable; the materials used seem pretty standard - there was nothing glaringly cheap about any of it; and on the whole it seems well thought out and executed. The standard sound system needed a little tweaking to deliver a sound that pleases me, but I managed to dial it in within a few minutes. My Patriot came with a single CD player with satellite radio (free for one year), AM, FM, and a 1/8" jack to plug in an MP3 or other outboard music device. I have been driving the new Patriot for a month now. I have no complaints about its performance. The only change I would make if I were on the engineering team was to make the windows a little taller for better viewing (I must duck slightly to see the traffic light if Im directly under it). I have not had it long enough to need service, so I cannot comment on that. But Ive put on almost 1,000 miles, and have enjoyed a combined city/highway mileage of j27 mpg on regular gas. I couldnt be more pleased. I was prepared to settle for less. *** Update 30 Jan 2017 *** I have been driving my Jeep Patriot for 20 months now. I love it as much as the day I bought it. Still very comfortable, decent mileage, plenty of power, quiet, no complaints whatsoever.

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  Jeep Compass 2011 - 2011 Jeep Compass
  By laurarnp - April 4 - 10:16 am

  I traded in my Honda CRV for my Jeep 2011 Compass and am VERY pleased. I was going to get the Chevy Equinox based on Edmonds ratings, but when I started asing around I found nothing but negative things about that car from people I know who owned one. I do not go off roading but I do drive in ice, snow, rain etc etc to get to work and 4WD and affordability as well as safety were my top priority. I was referred to Jeep by a few friends of mine who have had great experiences with them and I can say that I am very happy with my choice as well. I do not feel the cabin is noisy - I thought the CRV was WAY worse. It is a little slow on pick up but nothing too inferior to the CRV.

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  Home Run - 2008 Jeep Liberty
  By Porter - April 4 - 3:26 am

  Jeep hit a home run with the redesign of the Liberty. This is my 4th Jeep (99 Cherokee, 04 Liberty, 07 Wrangler Unlimited, 08 Liberty) and the best yet! The best on-road ride for an off-road SUV. The engine is sluggish on the on-ramp, but ample everywhere else. Tons of unexpected bells and whistles too. Sky-Slider Roof, Sirius Radio, UConnect, MyGig, etc... Very smart with the nooks and crannies too. The cargo area is adequate and smart. The console and glove compartment are quite large. Soft supple leather, heated seats...I am still finding new things every day. Back to the Sky-Slider Roof...Its like driving a comfortable Wrangler Unlimited at the touch of a button. Shall I go on?

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  Thank God for my Jeep - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By Grandma - April 3 - 12:10 am

  My 17-year old Grandson rolled my Jeep Commander last night and was not hurt. It is totaled because of bent frame but he and friend in it were safe.

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  I love my Jeep! - 2000 Jeep Cherokee
  By amylee85 - April 2 - 10:00 am

  I bought my Cherokee used with 25,000 miles on it and have had no problems. I put around 90 miles on it per day so it gets a lot of use. It is extremely reliable and fun to drive, not too big & not too small.