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 car I ever owned - 1999 Jeep Cherokee
  By Jolena911 - June 12 - 12:23 pm

  I bought my FWD Jeep Cherokee Sport brand new in 1999. I had it for five years, put 90k miles on it and only did routine maintence. This was an awesome vehicle and I hated to get rid of it. The only down spots were hard plastic interior. Otherwise, it was an awesome vehicle. Im still hoping to pick-up another one used sometime soon.

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  All around perfect vehicle! - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By 4x4thewin - June 12 - 9:47 am

  After such bad luck and poor choice in vehicle purchases I feel like I finally found a gem! Purchased my 1999 JGC from a relative, me being the 2nd owner and it just rolled over 175k miles. Lucky for me it came from the south, as I live outside of Detroit and our roads and weather eat cars up. I love everything about my Jeep, it rides like a truck, but feels smooth like a luxury car. Its had overall minor replacements done, all routine work. Planning on replacing the motor in the next 6 months, as the rod bearings are just starting to act up. Other than that and some foggy head lamps, its in stellar shape. My next vehicle purchase will definitely be another Jeep!

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  Jeep Liberty Limited CRD - blown engine - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By winter2 - June 12 - 3:37 am

  Bought my CRD brand new. Fairly reliable and occasionally quirky. Good highway economy at 30-31 MPG. During a recent trip, the #1 connecting rod disintegrated and sent shrapnel throughout the engine at 77,594 miles. Have a case setup with Chrysler and waiting to hear if they will fix it. The diesel tech at the dealer where it is and the engineer at Chrysler he spoke to had never heard of this diesel blowing up like this.

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  Cool Ride Unlimited X 4dr 2wd - 2007 Jeep Wrangler
  By dgreenone - June 12 - 12:33 am

  Ive driven small trucks, 1/2 tons, 1 tons and now a Jeep. Im going to stick with the Jeep. Its a lot of fun to drive and can really hang the corners without feeling like its going to roll over. It also pulls my boats just fine and is very stable. I dont feel the Jeep getting pushed around by the trailer like some smaller trucks tend to do. The take off power seemed a bit lacking but turning off the ESP seems to cure that, but this could just all be in my head because I like this ride so much.

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  Great Vehicle - 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By BronYrAur21 - June 11 - 1:43 pm

  I bought this vehicle with almost 30,000 miles on it in late 2008, and have since put nearly another 30,000 on it myself. Like other reviewers, I did have an issue with the electronic shift module, which would cause the Jeep not to accelerate properly, though the dealership found a technical service bulletin for this and replaced the module. Since then, no issues whatsoever! I commute 100 miles per day three days a week and have felt very comfortable taking my Jeep even in bad weather. I average around 20 MPG in mostly highway driving.

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  Poor Quality - 2000 Jeep Cherokee
  By thegroup - June 11 - 10:00 am

  I have been very dissapointed with the 2000 Jeep I bought. It has had a lot of problems while under warranty and seems to be having problems since. As soon as I can break even on a trade in Im getting rid of it.

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  Awesome Sahara - 2001 Jeep Wrangler
  By csulli - June 11 - 10:00 am

  I love my jeep wrangler. It is the first car i have ever owned and i havent had any problems with it.

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  Fantastic Vehicle - 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By schick1222 - June 11 - 10:00 am

  The vehicle has refinement where other SUVs dont. I hear some people say that other SUVs in its class have a better ride. The only thing that can be said to this is, when you are in a ice storm, rain storm, snow or a hurricane, its nice to know you are in a jeep. Try clearing road hazards in a vehicle like the Explorer when you only have 6 inches of ground clearence. Jeep has greatly improved its reliability in the last three years. Consumer Reports rates it well from 2000 on.

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  It pulses and jumps a little - 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Virginia Jim - June 11 - 10:00 am

  This has been a great vehicle and fun to drive. It seems to accumulate fuel and cause a surge in the engine from time to time. It can jump when it is in drive and standing still. But, it is incredible as an off road vehicle and has very sophisticated traction. We manuevered through 30 inch snow and 5 foot drifts easily, and we played for hours in the snow virtually by ourselves, because no one dared. Great car.

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  Half Cherokee, Half Wrangler - 2003 Jeep Liberty
  By J843 - June 11 - 10:00 am

  The Jeep Liberty is a great blend of Grand Cherokee features and Wrangler capabilities. This Jeep is more truck than it is car, so those of you looking for a small SUV that handles like a car need to keep looking. No other SUV except the Wrangler has the off-road capability of this Jeep. It handles well on the road, but it is not a car, and does not even attempt to approach the handling of a car. It is greedy on gas, but the engine is powerful. I have the 2WD Limited version, and Im completely happy with my purchase. I suggest the 4WD Renegade version for those who are going to do serious off- roading.