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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  Love it - 1999 Jeep Cherokee
  By jackie - December 15 - 10:00 am

  Yes, I love it. Kicks ass in the snow! No major problems, just power windows were replaced. Always reliable and fun to drive. Has the feel of a car, but has the room of a wagon.

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  Very Satisfied - 2008 Jeep Wrangler
  By VSmith - December 14 - 7:36 pm

  I bought my 2 door Sahara in Dec 2007 and put about 6K on it annually. Ive been very satisfied with it, no problems or service needed beyond oil changes. Ive had good luck with Jeep products with respect to reliability.

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  Grand Cherokee Limited 4x4--Gotta Hemi! - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By KAH - December 14 - 12:16 am

  The Hemi makes this 4x4 SUV stand out from the other mid size SUVs that I test drove before buying. I like the clean lines and boxy look better than the tack on fender flares and side cladding of others. The interior is functional, the controls are simple to read/use, and the seats are firm -- supportive for a long drive. Im 62" and find it roomy, and my girlfriend likes driving it as well (she is 54"). Weve done mild offroading and towing, and it executes flawlessly. No problems to note in 14k miles, except for a couple of recalls (reprogram fog lights & reflash computer). I chose the Jeep over the Toyota 4 Runner Limited, but you couldnt go wrong either way.

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  Better than the new ones - 1995 Jeep Wrangler
  By goofyfoot - December 13 - 5:36 pm

  Previously had a 2001, this one rides a little rougher, but the simplicity and better mileage make it much better in almost every other regard. And so inexpensive to purchase as well. I hope to keep driving it for a long time since you cant get a car like this anymore.

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  2005 Jeep Renegade 4x4 - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By Marc - December 9 - 7:36 pm

  I bought this because of the incentives at the time - 0.0% financing for 5 years PLUS $2500 rebate. Its early miles still and happily no problems to report. After being stuck in traffic for hours the seat became uncomfortable as most seats do. Drove through thunderstorms very confidently - nice to have security of Selec-Trac AWD. There is less road noise than I expected and braking is adequate considering how heavy it is. All that said, if price were the same, I would go for an Xterra for my specific needs, mostly because of Nissan reliability, but also the more aggressive style and the more powerful engine.

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  The Family Truckster - 2000 Jeep Cherokee
  By WillieG - December 8 - 2:00 am

  All in all my Jeep has been a good reliable friend. Better than expected acceleration from the 4.0 liter six with decent torque for passing. Have put 55,000 miles on it and has never failed to start or left me stranded. Excellent handling both on and off- road, well for a SUV anyway. Love the classic looks of the exterior, but the interior could stand a bit more room, especially in the back seat. Gas mileage has been in the 18-22 mpg range since new. Only real gripe is its tendency to eat up front brakes and rotors. Replaced the pads twice and had the rotors machined three times and replaced once for warping and vibration.

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  Decent SUV - 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By keeferk - December 7 - 4:50 pm

  I just bought this jeep in college with 308k miles on it. I was pretty wary about having problems at that high of a mileage, but so far the only thing that needs replaced is the tires and maybe brakes. I had to test it out in the mud today and the check engine light came on. Great drunk person carriage, Ive saved a lot of lives driving people around in this thing. Wouldnt trade it for anything.

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  Love it! but not perfect! - 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Aaron - December 3 - 3:36 pm

  I have only had one major problem with my Jeep when I needed a new transmission at about 110,000 miles. Other than that it drives great and is very reliable. Awesome in the snow! It will drive through anything! Comfortable to drive and handles well. The gas mileage can be pretty brutal especially if you try to go above 70.

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  Rides great but engine shut off once - 2007 Jeep Wrangler
  By Peter - December 2 - 12:46 pm

  Ive owned a couple of Wranglers over the years and the 4 door is by far the best version so far. Rides great and turns heads. Family of four, we traded in the minivan. Softtop is fine in the winter, no need for the hardtop. I noticed another review where the owner indicated the engine shut down while in driving mode. This happened to me once on the highway at 65mph. The console lit up, the gauges went wild, and then the engine cut off. It fired back up after a few moments but I had an 18 wheeler behind me and a pucker factor of ten. It seems to be an electrical problem as the engine was running normally prior to the event. Look for a recall soon at a dealership near you.

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  310,000kms - 2008 Jeep Liberty
  By dsantin - November 29 - 8:55 pm

  Still going strong 310,000 kms. Live in heavy snow belt, rusty Ontario- rural. 4x4 excellent-- never stuck- plenty of confidence in snow and mud. Have used in mud, lagoons, ditches, snowy farmer fields, towing, fording water-- works well. Unexpected good manners and ride on highway. MPG fair. Roomy versatile interior. Starts/ runs very well-- NO RUST? Did not get skyroof-- you guys that got it and have problems- shame- This was a first year North American redesign-- ant1icipate problems with gimmicks. Some little things-- blower gone at 300,000- so what! Rear liftgate hinge thing- broke but found replacement at junkers for $400. Differential rear troubles after 180k