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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  4 Door Rubicon - 2008 Jeep Wrangler
  By Bucky - November 5 - 3:26 am

  I love my new Jeep. Smooth on and off the road. No problems with it yet.

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  Dam,Dam fine ride - 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Tim - November 4 - 8:57 pm

  Better get you one b4 they are all gone. This thing is like riding in a towncar. No noise from the road, engine, tires, or anything else. The ride is superb. The way this thing handles is like a sporty car not a bigger car. The price is good and the way the options come are really good for the buck. Get you one b4 we end up buying another one.

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  Hideous support from Jeep, way to many problems! - 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By mbooms - November 4 - 11:50 am

  I hav 2014 Jeep Overland V8, fully loaded and its a beautiful gas guzzler that drives pretty darn well.....when it works. It is 13 months old and has about 9500 miles, here is the problem list: The forward collision warning system goes off randomnly, activating the brakes about half the time!!!! This is the worst problem I have, its unsafe, the vehicle will brake very hard when this happens, I have almost been rear ended several times. It has been in the shop 6 times for this problem. FYI they replaced the camera/sensor, the part cost $1400 according to the warranty ticket!!! 5 other signifcant problems and Jeep cust service is horrid, its getting lemon lawed!!

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  Problems at 42,000 miles - 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By luvmyjeep - November 4 - 8:56 am

  I love my jeep, I commute 130 miles round trip a day, mostly highway mileage in the Northeast and dont need to worry about snowstorms. Unfortunately, as soon as the warranty expired, the check engine light started going on, and there was no power to the engine upon acceleration. When this happens, I put the car in park and in drive again and the performance is back. Check engine light seems to go on when there is less than 1/4 tank of gas. Bringing it to the dealer next week to see whats going on, but this is very disappointing. This is the 4th Grand Cherokee Ive owned, and the first Ive had problems with.

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  Original Owner 99 Grand Cherokee - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By kh - November 3 - 9:00 pm

  Weve had this car since it was new. At about 80K mi, had to rebuild rear differential. At about 125K mi had to rebuilt entire rear end again, along with shocks. I was told my dealer that this was a "known problem". Car engine is strong, interior has fallen apart in hot Virginia summers - vinyl has split and cracked. I am disappointed that this car wont last much longer - I thought Jeeps were good for 200K.

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  Limited Hemi - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By bradyd - November 3 - 3:44 pm

  Love my Jeep. Had some problems right away when we bought it. We bought the $200 deductible warranty which came in handy. Had to rebuild the rear differential and fix the cruise control wiring. Now it has the famous "Service 4 Wheel Drive System" message but not worrying about fixing that. It pulls my 16 boat like nothing and never downshits going up hills. Gets great mpg. 19 on freeway and 21 at 60 mph. Hemi is the way to go.

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  Jeep - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By neil - November 3 - 10:30 am

  Nice looks, drives well, poor gas mileage, noisy on highway from whine during passing. Small interior, would be hard for a large person. Seat belts do not fit large people. Came with some factory paint defects. No service problems. Needs backup warning. This is my 3rd Jeep and it is by far the best so far.

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  Can Drain Your Wallet - 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By staatc - November 3 - 1:48 am

  I was really excited about owning my first jeep and had great plans for it until the death wobble hit. All my suspension and steering components all wore out at about the same time and I had to put almost $1,000 into it just for parts and did the labor myself. Then as soon as I got it driving good again, the oil pan gasket started leaking. While the engine itself will run forever, be sure to take time to inspect all of the other components and have a mechanic check it over too.

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  Good Jeep - 2007 Jeep Patriot
  By Great Car - November 2 - 10:53 pm

  I like my Jeep Patriot. It is a very good vehicle. When bad weather hits I never have to worry about getting to where I want to go. It gets decent gas mileage for an SUV, and I havent had any mechanical problems. I wish it had an automatic transmission instead of a manual transmission. All-in-all, its a good car that I would recommend to Jeep lovers.

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  Great Midsize SUV at an affordable price. - 2016 Jeep Cherokee
  By Nick - November 1 - 9:25 pm

  Extremely comfortable drive, love the seats and all interior features. I am 64" 220 and feel very comfortable driving in it for long periods of time. We love taking it on road trips. If you dont need the V6 or 4X4 you can make a super economical purchase. If you do go with the 4X4, is the same 4 wheel drive system as a wrangler, and helps the resale value, and a lot better to take off road than most other mid size SUV 4X4. 4 other Jeeps have been in our family, we love them. If youre not into Kia, Hyundai, Honda, Mazda, etc. This is def an affordable option to explore.