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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  fun ride - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By pam smith - October 22 - 5:43 pm

  Nice smooth ride, great on road trips; did better on gas than I thought it would. Fun to drive. Would buy again.

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  Love It - 2009 Jeep Patriot
  By Mike - October 22 - 12:00 am

  I have been dreaming about owning a fuel efficient trail rated Jeep and along came the Patriot Freedom Dive II. I have prior tested the VW Tiguan, Subaru Forester, Outback and Impreza, Honda CRV as well as Toyota Highlander, RAV4. I own a Nissan Pathfinder LE 2001 and wanted something smaller. The Patriot fits the bill. It is fun to drive, easy to handle and well built inside and out. The materials are great. The navigation system and uConnect phone are fantastic, the satellite radio and iPod controls are amazing. I love the permanent AWD system which can be locked into 4x4 and 4x4 low. I cant wait for winter to update my review. I bought Jeep despite the crisis - Jeep will likely live.

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  Impressive - 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By JG - October 21 - 5:36 pm

  Very impressive in the snow. GPS is a nice feature, especially for a Realtor! Heated seats provide steady warmth. A comfortable interior, sleek exterior.

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  Love It! - 2007 Jeep Patriot
  By cladygray - October 21 - 3:20 pm

  Have owned the 07 Patriot since April. Was the last one on the lot for 07s. Got good deal. Did a lot of reading before test driving. Was looking for a more economical vehicle- still have Dodge Dakota Quad V8 but it sits in the driveway most of the time. Kept it to haul trailer & boat. Got the fully loaded version. Seats are very comfortable-both my husband and I have bad backs and have yet experienced any problems. Drive city & highway-have just got to 3000 miles and am getting 22-26 mpg. CVT took some time getting use to-really like the fact that you cant feel the gears change.

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  Repair Rebuilt - 2003 Jeep Liberty
  By jeepguy - October 21 - 6:56 am

  After 200,000 here is the rundown of what has been repair/replaced on my 03. I have essentially rebuilt this SUV, after I "gambled" on the transmission at 160,000 hoping not much else would happen and I could not afford a new car payment. Heads(machined)/Head Gasket and all supplementary gaskets for top of engine Cooling System, hoses, and Radiator AC Compressor Fan and Interior Temp Relay Serpentine Belt (twice) Battery (twice) Regulator Water Pump Transmission Front Transaxle Shocks Rear V Stabilizer Front Ball Joints (recall) Front Control Arm Never mind the brakes, rotors, and tires and I still like the car, sort of.

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  Always getting compliments - 2007 Jeep Commander
  By EHD - October 21 - 5:10 am

  The last 20 years Ive been driving minivans and sedans for work. I finally decided I needed something a little more fun. 5.7L Hemi is powerful. Handling on mountain roads is great. Feels, looks and sounds like a luxury car inside. Everywhere I go, people rave about its looks. As it turns out, the Commander is great fun.

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  Why Buy A Small Compact? - 2008 Jeep Patriot
  By Ted - October 20 - 11:10 pm

  Here are the facts. I am a Jeep Patriot owner. I do not represent Chrysler or any other car company. I am a retired independent sales rep. I have owned this Patriot for two months. I bought the Sport 5-speed manual transmission. MSRP 18,800, purchase price 15,300. This is by far the best vehicle for the money anywhere on the planet. I consistently get 31.5 MPG on the highway and 26 MPG city and all around driving. It has plenty of power, plenty of comfort and the E-package gives plenty of options for an unbelievable price of 2,200 bucks. I cant believe Jeep and Chrysler arent pushing this car more than they are. Beats any other SUV or import compact by a long shot.

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  Good Experience - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By sjordan2009 - October 20 - 2:10 pm

  I bought my 2005 wk new and it now has 105000 miles. Ive abused it in the snow, at the beach and on the trails. Had to replace the starter at 60k miles ($200) and the heater core at 90K miles ($1000). I plan on keeping the vehicle another 100K.

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  Solid, Well Built, Reliable - 2007 Jeep Commander
  By mda687 - October 20 - 8:11 am

  Terrific SUV for the money, lots of room, smooth driving, easy to navigate, very comfortable to drive and ride in. Really enjoyed owning this vehicle, the only thing I would have done differently is get the V8, however the gas mileage would have been a drawback over the 6 Cyl. There were times more power would have been nice, however the 3.7 6 Cyl. Does a pretty good job, it just has to work a little harder, going up hill. An easy 8 out of 10 overall.

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  Jeep - 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Jeff - October 19 - 7:26 am

  First of all, everyone must realize that this is an SUV and not a car. If you are not going to use it for towing, bad weather or rough land, this car really isnt for you. For the most part, I think Jeep did keep true to its history. For example, it is awesome in heavy winters and the torque is nice. However, I did notice the window sills and seat nuts rusting. They are still using the same bulletproof v6 engine and the stereo is decent.