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:

• 

  Renegade - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By Bob - January 24 - 3:26 pm

  You have to get used to the new engine/transmission combo. These are now designed so there is no engine drag. In other words if you are on the highway and take your foot off of the gas pedal the vehicle will continue to roll with no drag by the engine. Also when on an incline, stopped, when taking foot off gas to go to the brake the vehicle will roll on you. There is no engine "hold." It takes a bit of getting used to.

• 

  abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz - 2004 Jeep Wrangler
  By jaimie - January 24 - 10:00 am

  it is very fun to drive,its smooth,turns on a dime,comfortable,breezy,and i love the style.Only one thing not enugh room for my hole family.

• 

  Jeep Liberty Review - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By suzie Vigil - January 24 - 10:00 am

  I have a family of three and this SUV is perfect for our size. It is very reliable, sturdy and comfortable...

• 

  Fun with Jeep - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By Blazer814 - January 24 - 10:00 am

  My Jeep liberty is everything I would want in A SUV. It gets better gas mileage than the previous SUVIve owned.I would definitely reccommend it to any one looking for a new vehicle.

• 

  REAL off-roader - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By Copperhead - January 24 - 10:00 am

  Actually I rateing our 2003 model. Almost 50000 miles w/o any problems. Although gas mileage isnt as high as wed like, buts its a real jeep off road and still fun to drive on the pavement.

• 

  Jeep Man - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By Matthew W Odle - January 24 - 10:00 am

  I own a loaded Jeep Renegade now one year old. My family loves this Jeep although we dont care for filling up at the gas pumps. A few squeaks and rust spots on the wheels. Truly love this vehicle except for a few minor things.

• 

  we love our jeeps - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Tam of West Virginia - January 24 - 10:00 am

  We love our Jeeps. We find our jeeps incredibly dependable and safe for the entire family. We love to go places where the average driver can not go. Thanks to the versitility of our jeeps we are able to expand our adventures throughout all four seasons of the year. No matter if there is 3 feet of snow in the beautiful mountains of West Virginia or a Summer vacation on the incredible Sand Dunes in the Outter Banks of North Carolina. We are still able to enjoy the great outdoors.

• 

  my jeep - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By AnitaandKeith - January 24 - 10:00 am

  I purchased my vehicle brand new. And with only having 23,000 miles on it now little things are starting to go wrong for instance the rotors are supposedly bad and are not covered on the basic warranty i hope that this is not a sign for things to come.

• 

  Best Car I have ever Owned - 2007 Jeep Wrangler
  By JeniPa - January 23 - 10:00 pm

  I have owned 2 Jeep Wranglers (95 & 98), a 2000 Jeep Cherokee, and a 2006 Honda Elemnet. The 2007 4dr Wrangler is by far the best vehicle I have ever owned. I have two children and can finally drive my beloved Wrangler without making every outing uncomfortable for my family. This thing has tons of cargo space and leg room, the freedom top is great - just pop off the front tops and you can feel like you are in an open air Wrangler and still feel good about having the kids in the back. The ride is smoother than older models and is amazingly quiet. The stereo system is something Jeep should be proud of as well! The only drawback is the gas mileage but the fun factor makes it worth it!

• 

  Worth it! - 2010 Jeep Patriot
  By MC - January 23 - 12:43 am

  I bought a silver Latitude Edition with CVT. Came with Sun and Sound group, Alloys with Firestone tires, foglights, heated seats, and touch screen multimedia display. The SUV gets good mpg, excellent ride/handling, extremely cold A/C, and has enough cargo space for vacations. Overall, this is a quality, well priced vehicle that you should consider when in the market for an SUV.