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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  best bday present i ever purchased - 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Kristen - April 30 - 12:46 pm

  Love my Jeep. bought at 125k so most of the kinks were fixed. well kept. i keep reg mait. heated seat dr s doesnt work. all the options paid about 8k i am a jeep buyer for life. mpg kinda stinks but i live on a mtn in pgh. gets me where i need in the winter. infinity gold sound system is awesome.bass hits hard for stock. 10 disc changer! been thro a ton of cars, this one is def a keeper. next suv will def be a jeep!!

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  Fun To Drive - 2005 Jeep Wrangler
  By John Brigman - April 29 - 9:33 am

  I havent had it long, but it has been a very fun vehicle to drive. I am looking forward to getting it on the beach.

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  Love to drive my Jeep Limited Hemi---- - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Kris - April 28 - 3:03 am

  Love that SUV. I own a BMW 330ci and 540M Sport and choose my Jeep in the morning to drive to work. I tested several SUVs and picked this one because of its handling (especially), power, looks and options for the price. Love the way it feels on the road. I travel for work quite a bit. I like the Bluetooth Technology, love the stereo. I am truly impressed with this car. Anyone looking for an SUV must test drive this one. Gas mileage stinks, "but who cares" when this vehicle is so much fun to drive.

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  1997 ltd w/v8 - 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By mkenn363 - April 28 - 2:00 am

  just a very nice car. VERY COMFORTABLE!!!! sits up tall, goes through anything.V-8 is nice. Great interior, like a plane cockpit....

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  Grad Cherokee after 2 years owned - 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Ryno11 - April 28 - 2:00 am

  Generally we like it. Depreciation is HORRIBLE!! How about this drop in value? When we bought it 2 years ago, it was worth about $27K. Two years later, its worth $15K private party. About a 20% depreciation per year!!!! outrageous. At this rate, it wont be worth anything when Im done paying it off in 2 more years. I like the V8 power, and its never given us mechanical trouble. Suspension sways from side to side pretty badly on turns though.

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  Fun To Drive - 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Moss Kincaid - April 26 - 10:00 am

  This Jeep is great to drive. Awesome power is what its all about. Other than that is is not roomy enough, rather cheap looking interior, dash, etc. Good sound system. I can live with all of that however, it is a repair nightmare on the drivetrain. The drivetrain has been replaced twice and repaired in between several times! Have had two different dealers do the exact same thing. Outside of that I love it.

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  Oh, What a Feeling....Jeep - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By Squirt - April 26 - 10:00 am

  This is our third jeep, my 91 Wrangler has 251K and our old Cherokee had 165K. Our basic philosophy is why buy an imitation when we can have the real thing.

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  Fuel Economy the worst!!!! - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By rickyrick - April 24 - 11:43 pm

  My wife purchased the non hemi V8 with 0 miles back in 06. Very strong engine, quiet interior, very smooth ride. Solid distinguishable looks. exterior, however the interior pretty bland w/ too much plastics. This model is supposed to get phased out in the next couple years, we got rid of it do to the worst gas consumption this beast would take. even on all hwy cruising trips this rig got 14 miles to the gallon @ best(calculated an average of 10 miles a gallon one time as well, pretty pathetic) and w/such a small 18 gal gas tank, that didnt help matters any more as we were filling up @ the gas stations 2-3 times a week! Traded it in for a brand new Hyundai Sonata Limited V6 just recently!

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  I LIKE IT - 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By FRANK63 - April 23 - 10:00 am

  THE 5.9 IS VERY TORKY IT REVS ONLY 4500RPM. IF IT COULD WIND UP A LITTLE MORE IT WOULD BE A HOT ROD. eVERY THING WORKS GOOD I HAVE AN ACURA LEGEND WITH 52000 MILES AND I WOULD TAKE THE JEEP.

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  Better than a Cute Ute! - 2012 Jeep Patriot
  By bondiblue - April 23 - 1:05 am

  I didnt do a whole lot of shopping around, but I did know I didnt want a compact crossover that looked just like every other "cute ute" in the sea of SUVs on the road. The Patriot broke that mold and immediately attracted me. The interior redesign in 2011 made a big difference, although its still not up to par with competition. Rides and handles well. Only real complaint is the noisy engine. Other than that, I love this little Jeep.