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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  Still Kickin - 1996 Jeep Cherokee
  By josephmartins - August 28 - 11:06 am

  Bought it with 154k miles on the odometer. Fifth Jeep I have owned (incl a 90 and 2001 Cherokee, and a 97 and 98 Grand Cherokee). I never hesitate to buy a high mileage Jeep if it has been cared for by the previous owners. Immediately switched it to synthetic fluids/lubes for everything but the transmission. Just passed 232k miles and still going strong. Needed to replace the radiator at about 190k miles. While I had things apart I also replaced the coolant hoses, heater hoses, trans and power steering lines just to be safe. The last thing you want to do is tear it all apart again in 30k miles. Lazily neglected to replace the water pump. That came back to bite me about 20k miles later.

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  WOW What A Ride.. and SAFE - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By Bette - August 28 - 2:23 am

  Had a 1999 Jeep Sahara. When I traded it in, only had 1170 miles (no typo error). Had a great fear of driving except for dirt roads. Got the Commander 2 weeks ago and havent stopped driving since. I feel so safe in this car. I thought the fear was all in my head, never thinking I didnt feel safe in the car. I love driving again and all fear is gone.

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  If you like your Jeep Service guy... - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By NewJeeper - August 27 - 11:23 pm

  After 5 months of ownership here are my thoughts. Youll love this vehicle if you live near the dealership, because you will likely be visiting them often. Ive had AC problems, lots of them. AC gets stuck blowing heat if you turn the selection knob too fast. I actually had cold air blowing out one side and heat out the other. Gas mileage is terrible with this thing, TERRIBLE. The transmission shift is also horrid; you have to wait for it to catch up when shifting from reverse to drive. Good thing it has manual override, its about the only way to get the performance up to par. Other than these problems its a good vehicle and fun to drive.

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  BEWARE! LEMON. No Help From Chrysler! - 2007 Jeep Wrangler
  By newchryslerhater - August 27 - 6:16 am

  To make a long story short...this vehicle has been a nightmare. Drove it off the lot with 3 miles on it and had immediate problems. Have taken it to 4 different Chrysler/Jeep dealers and only a few problems have been fixed on it...mainly TSBs & recalls. Chrysler will not help and the dealerships have outright refused to fix my car. Needless to say, this is illegal. The list of problems now consists of 35 line entries...bad clutch, rough shifting, broken seatbelts, pourous soft top, leaking hard top, high-pitched shrieking sounds, dead horn, fluctuating stereo volume, and the list goes on & on. Although a very cool vehicle, customer service & mechanical assistance is unacceptable!

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  Worst Vehicle I Ever Owned - 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Joe - August 27 - 4:43 am

  Bought this car new. In 4 years needed major engine overhaul. 2 years later needed new transmission. Sold it instead of replacing trans. It was in the shop for something all the time and was recalled multiple times. Will never buy another Jeep/Chrysler vehicle. Also, too small inside. Buy a Tahoe instead.

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  Computer hell - 1998 Jeep Cherokee
  By Linrose - August 27 - 12:00 am

  I have replaced the computer in my 1998 Cherokee Sport 3 times. Luckily the last two were still under warranty. My mechanic tells me that the 98 model does this but the 97 and 99s dont. Tried junkyard dealers and was told they cant keep em in. Also the tach, speedometer, air bag lights fail intermittently. Probably different problems. Dont like the location of the "gear" indicator, causes me to look down, away from the road ahead. Otherwise I love it.

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  SUV Bargain - 2007 Jeep Patriot
  By JerZee Joe - August 26 - 7:30 am

  This is my first Jeep and it is great! I always liked Jeep but never liked the mileage they got. Quiet, smooth, solid, affordable 4x4 ride. I did not experience any excessive road noise. Fun to drive, lots of comments on its great looks. With a 13.5 gallon tank it doesnt break the bank on fillups. The mileage keeps getting better the more I drive it. In driving to Tennessee it took the mountains with ease. Although it isnt a speed demon off the line,the engine is adequate for the vehicle, handles well. If you looking for more speed and power, then dont purchase an economy vehicle and wish it had more power. Plenty of storage room, I like the wide dash. Jeep has a winner with the Patriot!

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  not great - 2012 Jeep Wrangler
  By jshhand - August 24 - 5:16 pm

  I ended up selling my wrangler after 3 years. I had numerous issues with the heat. Specifically the heater core,oil cooler and radiator. I had them all replaced under warranty. The heat never did work properly on the vehicle. I did like the look of the jeep. It towed my boat well. I dont know if I trust the 285hp . It always felt under-powered. Unfortunately It was rough on the road, had very little storage and was incredibly slow on the road. I would give this vehicle a honest rating of 3 out of 10. I would not purchase again. although it did have amazing resale.....

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  GRAAAAAAND Cherokee - 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Jay - August 24 - 5:15 pm

  Oh YES!!! SUCH a great value if you like Range Rovers and such. If you like the Mercedes ML350 you will LOVE the Grand Cherokee! Drive one, buy one!

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  GRAAAAAAND Cherokee - 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Jay - August 24 - 5:15 pm

  Oh YES!!! SUCH a great value if you like Range Rovers and such. If you like the Mercedes ML350 you will LOVE the Grand Cherokee! Drive one, buy one!