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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  Excellent 4wd SUV! - 2008 Jeep Liberty
  By wasabi - September 10 - 6:23 pm

  This is my 4th Jeep Liberty. Every one that I have owned have run excellently, very reliable and safe. Never had any issues. Ive had my 08 Liberty Limited for only 4 months. Last week a woman ran a red light at 45 miles/hr and hit the front drivers side of me. My airbags (front & side curtain) went off and they saved me from very serious injury. The Jeep is a total loss, but I can tell you it did excellently in the accident. I feel very safe with the Libertys. I am in the process of buying another one as I type this! Highly recommended to anyone looking for a safe and reliable 4wd SUV.

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  diesel power - 2006 Jeep Liberty
  By danny brandle - September 9 - 6:20 pm

  My Jeep Liberty is the coolest car I have ever owned. It is fun to drive, and looks good. I havenÂ’t done much offloading YET, but plan to some. It only has 3200 miles so I want to break it in slow.

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  Mr. Reliability - 1997 Jeep Wrangler
  By Jim/PA - September 8 - 6:46 pm

  I have 105,000 miles on the Jeep and it still runs well. The mileage is poor, but it starts up ever morning. I had both the hardtop and soft top until the soft top ripped off while driving on the highway. The driver seat is comfortable and the seatbelt holds you in your seat over all terrain. I planned on having the car til it dies [ or I die], but Im getting sick of the water puddles. I have the hardtop and I had to remove all of the carpet and plugs so I do not have the musty smell. I definitely recommend the Jeep, it was well worth the money I paid in 97 -$18,000. Not to mention the resale value is great!!!

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  Amazing Summer Vehicle - 1992 Jeep Wrangler
  By Kevin Maude - September 8 - 6:20 pm

  I bought my Wrangler as a second summer car and boy did I make a great decision. There is nothing better then taking the top down and riding with the tunes turned up in a Wrangler! And dont forget to give the "Jeep Wave" to fellow Wrangler owners - priceless.

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  Dissapointed!! - 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Mari - September 7 - 7:32 am

  I love the comfort and look of my Jeep Grand Cherokee in eco diesel, but I have been non stop at the dealer since the first day I stepped out of the dealer. I have owned this vehicle not even a year and it has been in service for 4 times for check engine light. I have wasted countless hours waiting for my car and the service telling me they are not up to date on how to take care of the problem. I call Chrysler customer care and they told me there is nothing they can do but keep fixing it. I was told to leave with the car even though it was telling me it needed to be serviced and so engine didnt start a day later, I had it towed to the dealer and they supposedly fixed the problem. I feel stuck not knowing if this car is safe or who to turn too? The dealers are no help.Think twice on this pricey problem.

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  The Good and Bad - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By Escott - September 6 - 5:10 pm

  The Commander seems to be a decent driving SUV so far. It has a very comfortable luxury ride. The vehicle can be challenging however for shorter drivers, due to the high back row seats.

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  Slider roof noisy - 2008 Jeep Liberty
  By ahck123 - September 6 - 2:46 pm

  Do not buy with slider roof. Purchased vehicle on 1/1/09. During test drive I asked about the roof noise & was told it would be a minor adjustment that could be done the next day. As rebates were expiring that day I purchased the car. The next day they couldnt fix in a day and I would have to leave the vehicle. After a week, the dist mgr, and 2 serv reps drove the car all agreed the noise was excessive. A week later they replaced a part and have declared it fixed. The noise is unchanged. I have paperwork showing that a Chrysler engineer said the repair they were going to do would not fix the problem. Chrysler will not buy the car back and have said it is normal noise.

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  Piece of Junk! - 2016 Jeep Compass
  By Jeff - September 6 - 3:20 am

  This Jeep was a loud, gas guzzling, bumpy ride! I was lucky I was just renting. The only thing I liked was the new car smell. I never had to fill again before getting to Las Vegas from L.A. I would never buy this car. My Hyundai had more pick up.

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  Its A Jeep Thing - 2000 Jeep Wrangler
  By Jeepin1 - September 6 - 2:00 am

  Number 2. This is my second one and after i sold the first one i couldnt wait to buy number two. I had and SE first now a sahara. Its great never a problem yet. I miss my hardtop on number one though. Definately Reccomend that.

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  Wrangler Wreck - 2002 Jeep Wrangler
  By frosty1 - September 6 - 2:00 am

  Our Wrangler was crashed into the back of a van at 35mph, the airbags did not deploy, the seat belt did not retract and our daughter broke her nose on the windshiel, $9500 damage. We have found other related airbag incidents in similar Jeeps, Chrysler investigated for 3 months and determined "the impact, which did not involve the frame, did not create the longitudinal deceleration to deploy the airbags." This care will not protect you.