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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  Expensive Junk - 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Lemonade - April 2 - 10:00 am

  Im one of the few that use this car offroad fairly regularly for surveying. Bought the car with just 11k miles on it, and have only managed to put another 40k on in 4 years. Why? Because I cant keep it running. Various suspension, electrical, and brake problems keep popping up. Got the 5.9 because I needed to pull a trailer, and fuel economy is predictably bad at around 12MPG. There is just no reason why a 6 year old car with just 51k miles should rack up nearly $7,000 in repairs.

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  Nice Ride - 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By alanbala - April 1 - 10:02 pm

  Negative consumer reviews here and elsewhere stopped me from looking at 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Six months later, I went to a Jeep dealer and checked out a 4wd GC Limited. Chrysler jacked up the prices by about $300 (probably to cover all the warranty expenses on the earlier production models), so I guessed they had fixed all of the problems. Bought one, and now have 1100+ miles on it & it runs fine. No transmission pbs., no touch screen/UConnect pbs. Quiet, comfortable, rides & handles well. Fit & finish is so good, youd never think you were in a Chrysler product. Were a two car family, & this is our 1st vehicle since 1995 to actually achieve the EPA mpg numbers.

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  Bullet proof vehicle - 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By reber1 - March 31 - 5:59 pm

  We purchased our GC new in 1993 and it has been one the best vehicles we have ever owned. It was retired to snow plow duty in 2011 and is still going strong with over 225,00 miles. the 318 ci (5.2) engine is awesome and is just now using about a half a quart of oil between changes. the only issues we have had are, a failure of the fuel pump (170,00 miles), water pump (150,000 miles) both front cv joint boots(dry rot from age at 195,000). We liked this vehicle so well we bought a new one in 2011.

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  After checking out all options - 2017 Jeep Cherokee
  By D Macker - March 31 - 6:59 am

  We went to the Detroit Auto Show and checked out all the SUVs at the show plus the new Pacific. We narrowed down our options to the Cherokee, the Ford Escape and the Buick Enclave. We went to a Ford dealership, Chrysler and Buick. We could not get a car in our price range to buy at all at the Buick dealer, we could not get a 6 cylinder in a Ford Escape unless we waited 6-8 weeks. At the end we got the Jeep Cherokee because they had a 6 cylinder loaded with sun roof, and a lot of upgrades for less the 35,000.00. If you have not priced cars in the last 8-10 years you will have sticker shock.

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  Power plus, and go in the snow. - 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By oneshot56 - March 30 - 11:43 pm

  This vehicle is well equipped for the price. It has a nice look and is a nice blend of car and truck.

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  love my Jeep but... - 2003 Jeep Wrangler
  By bitharvest - March 30 - 11:03 pm

  We have owned 3 Wranglers, and 15 other Jeeps. This one is great in the sunshine and the snow, and can be loads of fun. That said, I must say that the gas mileage is horrible (10-13mpg around town); that as soon as it rains its all over the road; and that the paint quality is the worst I have ever seen on any vehicle, including late 80s GMs. My jeep is babied (hand washed, waxed, etc.), and the paint is still peeling off. Our two grand Cherokees purchased around the same time do not share this problem, so this is something exclusive to Wranglers. Yes, its a lot of fun, but I wish that Chrysler would have made the Wrangler with more love!

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  Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By DB - March 30 - 3:16 pm

  Only had for about 6 weeks, but am very happy with it. Fuel economy is slightly less than advertised, but almost all are. GPS system works great but they do not include the latest version of the software, you have to pay an additional $150. You do not know what version you are getting, mine was a couple of revisions old.

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  my white jeep - 1991 Jeep Wrangler
  By 97irrover - March 30 - 2:00 am

  love the outdoor feeling of the jeep although a pain in the colder months

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  2000 CLASSIC 4X4 - 2001 Jeep Cherokee
  By CLASSIC4X4 - March 30 - 2:00 am

  Purchased my 2000 Classic 4 X 4 used with 18600 miles. Previously had a 99 Wrangler with 70,000 miles on it and wanted something a little more practical. It now has 24000 miles on it and in that time I have had to replace the front rotors--they came at a hefty price tag--and had the rear window washer pump replaced under warranty. The power is great, fuel economy if driven correctly is impressive, and I like the transmission. Havent had the opportunity to go through snow, but am looking forward to it!!!

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  Easy Rollover - 2000 Jeep Wrangler
  By sportylady1179 - March 30 - 2:00 am

  I was just in an accident in my Jeep. I was hit on the drivers side, right at the rear tire. The man who hit me was going approx. 25 miles per hour. Instead of being a regular collision accident, my Jeep rolled onto its passenger side. $14,000 dollars in damage later...it has been totalled! I will not be purchasing another Jeep automobile. I will be opting for a car with better gas mileage and a lower center of gravity!