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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  2006 Jeep Liberty : TOTAL LEMON - 2006 Jeep Liberty
  By Straycatstride - June 23 - 10:00 am

  I purchased the car new 4 years ago, theres less than 60k miles. I have replaced 4 window regulators and motors, and now 3 more broke. Thats an average of 1 every 6 months. The electrical system constantly shorts out and of course nothing is under warranty. The dealership wont stand behind their product, nor will the manufacturer. I will never buy another vehicle made by this manufacturer!

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  Waste Of Money. - 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By amandajeannnn - June 22 - 8:40 am

  I was given this vehicle as a gift for my first car. Where Im from the 4 wheel drive would come in handy, so it seemed like a good buy. Well after about a month of having the vehicle everything went down hill. Theres about 128,000 miles on it and Ive already spent over 4 grand fixing things that have gone wrong. Ive never seen a car with so many problems. Maybe its old age, but from what Ive heard from other jeep owners, the grand cherokee model is not worth the money. Its been three months and Im already looking for a new car.

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  Like no other. Period. - 1998 Jeep Wrangler
  By Mike - June 18 - 12:13 pm

  My Jeep is a rugged, strong vehicle that is nearly bullet-proof. Mine has nearly 95,000 miles and the only problem Ive had was when my clutch died, but that clutch took 45000 miles of hard driving. It is extremely easy to fix up or add upgrades, even if your not experienced. Wranglers have extreme capabilities out of the box, and with a few upgrades, theres few places you cant go, and even though the top speed is around 80, that doesnt mean its lacking any power. Also, there is nothing else like driving around in the summer with the top down, and whenever you pass another Wrangler, there is the all-knowing "Jeep Wave" that tells you that there is someone else who understands your love.

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  "Dont make a pretty woman your wife" - 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Mona - June 17 - 10:00 am

  This vehicle never should have been allowed on the market. The dealers have been trained to tell consumers that "everything is normal for that vehicle". It has become known for differential and brake rotor problems, just to mention a few. I must say, it is the most comfortable riding SUV I have driven.....but that is NOT ENOUGH>

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  Bummed - 2002 Jeep Wrangler
  By Are you Kidding - June 17 - 2:00 am

  I was totally disappointed with the Jeep Wrangler experience. I was expecting an SUV that was fun to drive and got just the opposite. Oh well, back to driving a truck.

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  Hmm. Brake problem - 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Jeepster972000 - June 17 - 2:00 am

  Unless you own a company that makes the rotors, this vehicle may be too expensive. I love jeep vehicles, I own a 97 wrangler with no problems, but my 2000 Grand Cherokee has been in the shop for brakes 3 times (12K, 16K 27K) Plus we have started to notice a driveline howl, which the dealer says is normal. Jeep should stick to building just wranglers!

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  trade me cars - 2006 Jeep Liberty
  By kd - June 10 - 12:56 pm

  I bought my Jeep liberty brand new in August 2006. While it was under warranty, I had the lower ball joints replaced, the manual shifter replaced a few other dumb things. When the warranty ended, I had to replace a 200.00 dollar idle air control valve, the rear window regulator needs replaced and the a/c is broken. The seats stain badly even with rain water and snow flakes. If I had known this particular car was a lemon, I would not have bought it.

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  One fix after another - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Dahne - June 8 - 10:00 am

  Car seemed to have one problem after another. Main computer went out, water pump, etc. trading it in friday..

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  4.0L Laredo4x4 - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By TJTheKid - June 8 - 10:00 am

  Ive been pretty happy overall. 15.5 MPG average could be better. Off road you cant beat it stock off the showroom it handles great off road. The 4.0 six has enough power for this vehicle. The V8 is a gas guzzler. I have had to repair the front disc brake rotors replaced twice, water pump, transfer case leak between transmission and rear differential carrier bearings. First set of Goodyear Wranglers lasted over 40K miles. I recommend these tires. Weather strip at rear passenger door causing noise. The infinity cd stereo is great.

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  Very Disappointed! - 2006 Jeep Liberty
  By Dont Buy it! - June 1 - 11:06 pm

  I have owned this jeep liberty for two years. I have always wanted a jeep until now! My windows keep dropping from poorly designed window regulators, the a/c sucks, has a lot of road noise, and the interior is a stain magnet! I am very particular about the inside of my car and rain drops from just getting in the car stain the seats! I dont know what kind of fabric this is but its awful! All of these problems are also very expensive to fix! The outside looks nice but the gray cloth seats are another story!