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 but Maybe Unsafe - 2007 Jeep Liberty
  By KAP 10 - May 19 - 6:16 pm

  I had my liberty for a year and a half and absolutely loved it, minus a few problems with the windows. However, I recently ran off the road, hit a culvert, took a nose dive, and then flipped. My airbags did not go off, even thought I took a nose dive. Also, my seat belt never locked. The car did holdup well and all 4 doors still opened easily, even though I ended up up side down. But the seat belt should have at least locked, this was very dangerous.

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  SorryWePurchased - 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By gotcheated - May 18 - 9:29 pm

  Bought 2014 Grand Cherokee Summit on Dec 21, 2013. 18 days later it was flatbed towed out of my home garage. It would not shift into reverse. Due to our dissatisfaction, we were kicked up to corporate with Resolution team. A brand new transmission is being installed now, a full 2 wks after being towed. Being told from service dept that it is taking longer to install than anticipated, as it is a bigger job than they thought. That makes the customer feel confident. Virtually no communication from corporate or dealership. Do not want this "new" majorly repaired car back. Problem with the transmission seems to be happening with many of the new purchases. Expected a reliable new vehicle for the $

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  Loved it, but now Im over it . . . - 2007 Jeep Patriot
  By dl_in_ks - May 18 - 6:04 am

  I bought it new because of the looks and the "lifetime" warrenty. It does get pretty decent gas mileage but thats about it. I had replaced only the battery and tires by the time it hit 98,000 miles - 90% of which were highway miles and 0% off road. Then the problems started happening, the whole front end had to be replaced and its still making noises. The alternator went out, the sun roof is leaking, the CVT transmission scares me enough that at times Im scared to pull out into traffic. It now has 109,000 miles on it. I just returned from a week long/2,600 mile trip - I was concerned about being able to make it back home! This is my first Jeep, this is my last Jeep!

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  The BEST Vehicle I have ever bought ! - 1998 Jeep Cherokee
  By Jessica - May 16 - 12:53 am

  I bought mine back in 2005 it is 2WD and it had 90,000 on it. The price was right so I couldnt pass it up. I am so glad I bought that Jeep, this May will be 5 years that I have had it, and I have only a few repairs. I replace a water pump at 145,000, and a clutch at 180,000. Other than that it has been only your basic up keep. I now have 220,000 on it! Its still going strong, this vehicle has sat put year round in the MN cold and it has always started, not once has it not. Everything still works great in it except the air did go out at 183,000. I will never get rid of my Jeep its been awesome! It is sad to know that they did stop making them after 2000.

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  Surprisingly good - 2007 Jeep Liberty
  By Jim S - May 15 - 4:20 pm

  Hi, I bought my jeep as my first new car. Its been reliable, has a great 4wd system that allows shift on the fly at 50 mph! Its the limited with all the bells and whistles - which is the only downfall. Though a steal price versus options, the premium sound doesnt play mp3s and the roof rack system is a step down from the Cherokee. The trunk is small. But, its reliable, does well both on and off the road, through snow, mud, and cities. parking is excellent as its the size of civic. handling is very sharp and acceleration is good

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  One month and 1100 miles into my 16 JGC - 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By MDRRI - May 14 - 10:40 am

  Cant comment on reliability because its still new. However, the driving experience is fantastic. I traded a 2013 200 convertible with the 3.6-litre Pentastar. Its a sweet engine, and its even better with the 8-speed transmission behind it. Im averaging 20-21 MPG with short freeway runs and some around-town puttering. Thats much better than I expected, and not much worse than the 200. I bought it from an out-of-state dealership and drove it 450 miles home from the showroom (averaged 25 MPG on that run with speeds between 65 and 70 MPH - great for a brand new engine). Its a fantastic road-trip car. Comfortable, nearly silent on the highway, firm and supportive front seats with plenty of leg room, and an overall feeling of confidence and stability. This thing has all the hallmarks of a luxury car. The 8.4 uConnect with Nav is easy to operate and the big screen makes changing settings easy. The voice recognition works well, too. Minor quibbles: I wish the wiper control was on a stalk on the right side of the steering column - a quick flick of the finger for a mist wipe is easier than a twist of the turn signal lever; I would like the steering wheel to telescope out further as I like to sit way back (I can still be comfortable, but I would be more comfortable with the steering wheel a bit closer). The base audio system is not bad, though I have ordered Focals from Crutchfield to upgrade the speakers. All said and done, this is a great vehicle - comfortable, solid-feeling, and reasonably economical considering its capabilities. I believe it holds its own as far as features, comfort, and roadability when compared to high-end SUVs costing thousands more, which makes it a bargain. What remains to be seen is how it holds up over time. So far, so good, but its still brand new. If it turns out to be reliable I will keep it until the wheels fall off. I have owned Chrylser vehicles for many years and theyve all been great, so I have hope for this one. Update at two months and 3300 miles. MPG is up to 27 on road trips with the cruise control set at 75 and the AC cranking. Still averaging 21-22 puttering around suburbia. It seems the AC could be a little more powerful - my only complaint. Still loving my JGC!

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  Love it, but looking for more - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By Roger M. - May 14 - 8:06 am

  My 2006 Commander is the best riding and most comfortable Jeep Ive ever owned. With the incentives in place at the time I bought it, it was a real value too. The next time Ill be looking for: 1) A V-8 ... the V-6 is a bit underpowered; 2) Lets give the 3rd row seat some leg room; and 3) How about just a couple more inches of storage capacity when the 3rd row seat is opened? Would it help to hang the spare tire off the back, a la the Liberty?

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  Disappointed - 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By a dude - May 14 - 5:26 am

  Still bought the car as it was my first serious buy ever. SO far, replaced front axle seals($800), transmission at 75k($2600), rear axle seals($800), front and rear wheel bearings($600), all around rotors and pads at 90k($500), valve cover gasket and oil pan gasket.

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  Great Jeep - 2000 Jeep Cherokee
  By dio_19_80 - May 13 - 10:00 am

  Great to drive and does every thing that we could ask for.

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  Jeep, everything you want in an suv. - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Jeep4me - May 13 - 10:00 am

  I just picked up my new jeep about a month ago, paid a little under 400 a month for the lease, and i must say i am extremely satisfied with this car. Though i know it will chug a lot of gas, i truly enjoy the drive of this car and the seats are the most comfortable seats i have ever had the pleasure to sit in.