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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  A great SUV for town and country - 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By TommyT - September 27 - 10:00 am

  Weve used this car for over eight years to tow a camper, commute in LA traffic, go to the mountains, and for everything in between. It is our most trusted and reliable car, and the most used. I would buy another.

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  Love it - 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Rob9512 - September 27 - 8:26 am

  Bought as a second vehicle for winter/save miles on other car. Love this thing. Fun to drive, full time 4wd, good power, comfortable interior, ect. Probably one of my favorite vehicles to drive. Has been reliable so far, its a Jeep so I expect nothing less than very reliable and thus far is exactly what Ive got.

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  Love My Jeep! - 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Andrew - September 26 - 9:03 am

  I own a 2002 Grand Cherokee Limited Edition with probably all the bells and whistles of the Overland Edition. I have the POWERFUL 4.7L High Output V8 engine that literally throws passengers heads back when you punch the gas. I have the Quadra Drive 4WD system with 3 well placed skid plates in the front, middle, and rear of my Jeep and I am able to go most anywhere I want to whenever I go onto the trails. Yes I said trails, dont be fooled, just cause I have leather and heated 10 way power seats with dual climate control and every creature comfort possible in the cabin, as well as an amazing sound system, I can still take my Jeep out on the weekend and tear up the trails.

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  Decent 4x4 - 2007 Jeep Patriot
  By ash - September 25 - 1:23 pm

  Not a bad Jeep. Good update of the classic Cherokee. Great 4x4 capabilites. Good for the average driver. If you want to take it off road and beat on it than go with a used Cherokee or Wrangler.

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  Great Purchase - 2008 Jeep Patriot
  By Shea H. - September 25 - 10:36 am

  I have owned my Patriot 9 months and have yet to be disappointed. Its fun, gets great mileage, and is very comfortable. My son is 61" and easily sits in the back seat. Plenty of cargo room in the back. We have taken it on many long trips already. Its great both on trips and around town. I went from a Cherokee to the Patriot. We plan on keeping it for many years. We recommend it to anyone.

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  Love my Libertry - 2007 Jeep Liberty
  By sccoast1700 - September 24 - 4:33 am

  I drive my Liberty 25000 miles /year. I can get 25 mpg on the highway if I use cruise control and keep the speed at 70. About 21 mpg around town. I is very comfortable on a long trip. Lots of cargo space. Very reliable so far. Ive had it for a year and bought it used. I would definitely buy another one.

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  A lot to offer for the price - 2012 Jeep Compass
  By notimeforh8 - September 22 - 12:17 pm

  I purchased this vehicle for lifestyle and utility, for carrying bikes and sports gear and light hauling from the nursery or hardware store. This base Sport FWD with CVT has a lot to offer for the price. Among the standard power options, it also has cruise control, ipod jack, fog lights, heated mirrors, dark tinted glass on the rear windows, good looking 17 inch alloy wheels, fold flat rear seats and roof rails. Since I primarily haul bikes, I purchased the factory cross bars and then added bike racks. Nearly every other comparable vehicle has these options (if available at all) only on much higher end models that cost many thousands more.

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  A fun to drive vehicle - 2007 Jeep Compass
  By R from Bklyn - September 22 - 8:10 am

  For the most part, this crossover is a pretty good vehicle for the price and features offered. Handles well and has a firm grip of the road. For under 24K, the features are what you would expect from a luxury SUV. Safety department did a solid job as well. Side airbags, electronic roll mitigation, traction control, and antilock brakes are standard. I cant tell you if they work, but knowing you have some safety back-ups gives you a secure feeling. Cons are few and simple: needs rear seat pockets for storage, cup holders swallow the average coffee cup (they are to deep and located way down in the console), the side view mirrors are suppose to fold in electrically...they dont.

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  Its a Jeep thing - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By socal - September 21 - 10:00 am

  I love this vehicle, Fun to drive, great handling, and perfect acceleration. Can turn around on a dime.

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  I LOVE MY JEEP - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By JEEPSTER - September 21 - 10:00 am

  I LOVE MY NEW JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE WITH THE OVERLAND PACKAGE. IT IS A 2004 MODEL. IT EVEN HAS GPS IN THE DASH. I RECOMMEND THIS FEATURE FOR ANYONE INTERESTED IN GPS. I LOVE IT. I DISAGREE WITH WHAT EDMUNDS.COM WROTE ABOUT THE JEEP. THEY SAY THAT IT IS NOISY AND UNREFINED. THEY ALSO SAID THAT IT HAS QUESTIONABLE RELIABLITY AND TRUCK LIKE ON ROAD HANDLING. THEY ARE COMPLETELY WRONG ABOUT THIS. IF THEY THE THINK THEY ARE RIGHT, THEN LET THEM DRIVE THE 2002 FORD F-150 EXTENDED CAB PICK UP THAT I TRADED IN FOR THE NEW JEEP. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE F-150 AND THE JEEP IS LIKE NIGHT AND DAY.