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:

• 

  FANTASTIC VEHICLE - 2000 Jeep Cherokee
  By Xar77 - May 10 - 2:00 am

  Weve had the Cherokee for 2 months and already have put 6k miles on it. Fantastic ride both on the road and off. Handles the Denver traffic with ease, takes on the Rocky Mountains too!!!

• 

  Great Vehicle - 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Mike97 - May 10 - 2:00 am

  Have had the JGCL with HO V-8 for about five months. Zero defects in build quality--no faults so far, which is surprising. Very comfortable with no "climbing or crawling" required for entry/exit, important to someone with orthopedic problems. Front seats adjust to almost any desired position, and the heated seats are great--tho the high setting is definitely high. Great vehicle, with decent gas mileage using regular gas on the road at legal speeds, tho not so great in town. A "Keeper."

• 

  Never a Jeep again - 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By xrt - May 10 - 2:00 am

  It is my first time( and for sure my last) to buy a Chrysler product. I bought the car in june, 2001 new. I had lots of problems with it: serpentine belt was replaced,tenssioner was replaced,steering column was replaced, brakes roaters were replaced two times, bad paint spot on the door, molding around the wind sheeld needed to be re-glued, the oil pupm was replaced, a valve in the transmission body was replaced, side mirros were replaced. The most annoying thing is these issues were never resolved by the first or the second or even the third visit. It is a nightmare dealing with the dealership I deeply regret my experinece. BUYERS BE AWARE

• 

  Goodbye Ford! - 2006 Jeep Liberty
  By Marscan - May 9 - 6:10 am

  20 year Ford Explorer driver, never thought for a minute I would look at another brand. Fell in LOVE with my new Liberty at first sight, then knew I was driving it home after a test drive. Handles like a dream, excellent power, and lets be honest, its one hot lookin SUV!

• 

  2003 Liberty Sport - 2003 Jeep Liberty
  By khurt1 - May 8 - 9:03 pm

  Contrary to many of these negative Liberty reviews, I would like to say we love our Jeep. Milage is ~ 12L/100KM city, 9.5L Hwy loaded. It hauls my 19ft. travel trailer very well. Great in snow and ice. Major repairs: front rack and pinion unit @ ~ 120K kms. Mileage is now at ~ 150K kms. Bought vehicle at the end of 2008. No other major repairs.

• 

  If MPG doesnt matter, youll LOVE this - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Bob - May 7 - 9:06 pm

  Terrific look, ride & feel. Sirius and GPS are nice perks too. Controls are easy to reach and adjustments are a snap. My only complaint is the stated MPG ratings are baloney. Driving almost exclusively on the highway at a steady 75mph, the best I can do on a tank of gas is 17mpg. Other than that, Im VERY happy with my new wheels.

• 

  A Must-SEE - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By antonella - May 7 - 6:06 pm

  This SUV gives everyone an incredibly reliable SUV while still having the comfort and luxury of a car. Honestly, it feels like Im driving on a cloud, its like I dont even feel the ground under me.

• 

  still a few bugs - 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Dez - May 6 - 3:30 pm

  This is my second Jeep. Traded in a 1999 GC limited in Nov 05. Have also driven long term/owned a Lexus 330 (wifes car), 2005 Durango (long term rental), an X5 4.4 , and 2002 Land Rover. Out of this group my $42K+ Jeep is the least refined and has the poorest build quality. Loose door handles and passenger door, wipers that turn on whenever, clunky drivetrain, tweeter shorted from factory, rough shifts. Other than these items the truck is unique in that it corners well, blows the doors off almost anything in its path and is impressively plush. Overall would not buy it again given the price tag and the quality issues. Service has been of very low caliber; nowhere near Lexus or BMW.

• 

  Smooth ride, and Lifetime Warranty! - 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By James Oliver - May 5 - 4:32 pm

  I have only owned my 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee for a handful of months. But I work as Jeep Service Advisor at a Jeep dealership. My Laredo X with a panoramic sunroof and of course, a Hemi is so much fun, and stylish. Its smooth, confident in handling, bold, powerful, quiet and very comfortable. Major step up from the previous gen (WK) with soft touch materials, and great quality plastics. My Jeep only has 20,242 miles on her clock, but as a Service Advisor, I write repair orders all of the time. It is very common to see these 2011-2013 Grand Cherokees (WK2) with well over 100,000 miles. They do not rust for what I have ever seen, and if they are taken care of, then they will last you forever. If you do not like that it had 4 recalls (Recalls that replace very expensive parts with no money from you) then you need to look for a bike. All vehicles get slapped with recalls. That should never be a deciding factor when buying a vehicle. This is my second Jeep Grand, and my fiance is on her second Liberty. I also was able to buy a LIFETIME WARRANTY! Great brand! Love it! (To leave review, I had to put that its an SRT. But, its not.)

• 

  Perfect for a Family - 2007 Jeep Commander
  By sbitterle - May 5 - 3:42 am

  2007 Jeep Commander, have owned it now for a year. Purchased it used, so somebody else took the depreciation in value. This truck is a tank. It will go through any kind of weather, terrain. Love it. Our family of 5 rides comfortably in it. Less room than our old Caravan, but this vehicle weighs twice as much. I feel better knowing that my family has 6800lbs of metal around them. Cant comment on the leaking issue, as mine doesnt have a sunroof. Gas millage is not the greatest, but I knew that buying it. Bottom line, if you want a durable, safe truck....This ones for you. NOTE: I do regular fluid changes on engine, trans, rear end diff.....So have not had any reliablity issues.