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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  This Jeep left me wanting a car! - 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By AMarshall - March 13 - 3:50 am

  I bought this vehicle in 2006 with 40,000 miles on it. Still looked and drove like a new vehicle for the first year and my husband is a fanatic about regular maintenance and upkeep. On four different occasions, this Jeep just quit with no warning and I had to have it towed to a garage. Four garages and six well-established mechanics and they still never found the problem. They all say its something electrical (perhaps a short) that they cannot find--even with diagnostic tools. Now, the cooling fan went out (another electric issue) and I cant drive it less than 20 mph without it overheating. BOTH front automatic window mechanism have also busted and had to be replaced at $300 each.

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  Well Built? - 2006 Jeep Liberty
  By Disappointed - March 12 - 1:10 am

  Since buying the Jeep Liberty, Ive enjoyed certain qualities of the vehicle and have cringed at others. The engine is unrefined and sluggish when accelerating. Sometimes when accelerating, if I hit a bump in the road...the car feels like it hits a dead zone and misses. Very bizarre? As an off-road vehicle its great but the poor interior design, annoying squeaks from the dash and caveman engine, its really not an overall good experience. I purchase the vehicle for the wrong reasons which at the time was off-road capability and looks. Both of those qualities hold up over the time Ive owned the Jeep (3 years), but the poor fit & finish, squeaks and overall cheap build is disappointing.

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  Problematic SRT - 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Garbage SRT - March 9 - 4:16 am

  All I can say is that this Jeep is not what I thought it to be. First off, when you punch the gas, the Jeep has this big delay and hesitation. Then it will take off, by that time the other guy is at least 3 car lengths a head of you. I just dont get it. This truck is to have 420 ponys. But it feels like it has half that. Its said to say this but Jeep needs to re-think things a little. I still have my 01 X5 4.4i. And I had my buddy race me with it, sure enough my old X5 beat me by a car length. Im tellin you, they just dont build them like they used too. Even BMW has changed there stuff. Im getting rid of this truck and picking up a Porsche Pepper. That turbo S is sick.

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  No repairs until 97,000.00 - 2011 Jeep Patriot
  By trustyourgut - March 8 - 12:03 pm

  Not a peep from my jeep! No dummy lights were on, no noises, no warning. But, suddenly, one day, it was unable to climb the hilly road. Just stopped, right there, in front of a farm, where a lonely adolescent cow greeted me. Transmission is currently being replaced. Thank God the 2011 has a 100,000 miles trans warranty. I no longer trust my jeep.

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  No more American cars - 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Jpeterson - March 6 - 5:13 am

  Ive had it, whenever I take the Jeep in for service, many more problems are found, brakes have been an issue, 4x4 parts an issue. I have taken immaculate care of this vehicle and done everything the manual said to do, and at 61,000 miles, Im done. Im looking for a Toyota or Honda - anything but Jeep or Ford.

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  transmission - 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By BURRRRR - March 5 - 2:00 am

  at 70,000 miles I now need a $2239.00 major transmission repair. I verified the mileage before purchasing this car in March 2002. I thought the mileage was low and my wife and I are in our 50s and we dont drive rough or go 4-wheelin in the woods. The car went quickly from slow shfting one day to big time slipping the next day and getting lost in no gear at all before the automatic transmission shifted to high gear. terribly disapointed.

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  07 Jeep Grand cherokee Limited Vibration - 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By flattop60 - March 4 - 4:26 am

  We have had the vehicle to the dealer 3 times for the same problem....vibration in the driveline. Enough vibration that the vehicle in the rear view mirror looks like it has six headlights. Dealer has replaced both driveshafts and then turned them 180 deg. This was a fruitless effort, however it did improve some but the 180 flip put it back to its previous high vibration.

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  Nothing but problems - 2003 Jeep Liberty
  By Diane - March 2 - 2:10 pm

  Bought our Liberty new in 2003. After 2006, it has been nothing but maintenance problems. Issues with windows, door locks, blower motor, A/C compressor, Drive shaft. I could go on! This is only city and highway driving. I simply laugh when I see the TV commercials with a Jeep Liberty off road. Good luck with that! Cant wait to get rid of it.

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  I think I bought a lemon - 2008 Jeep Commander
  By firecracker - March 1 - 12:33 am

  I have had all kinds of electrical problems with this car, since I purchased it. The dealership was not very helpful. The locks locked while I stepped out of the car, and the car was running. They lock and unlock as I am driving. Auto wipers dont work that great, and neither does the reverse assistance. The Sirius equipment was faulty. The angle of the windshield, makes it very prone to getting hit by road debris--I replaced two windshields within six months. The breaks had to be replaced within the year, and six months later, need it again. I have never had so many problems with a car. The problems returned about six months after repair. No leg room in the middle seat area.

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  Premature Failures - 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By C. Bond - February 28 - 2:00 am

  33000 miles- The fuel pump failed. 35000 miles- The power steering pump failed. 46000 miles the sway bar disconnected. 52000 miles the IPS sensor failed. 70000 miles the tramsmision pump and torque converter failed. The remote control memory, door locks, power mirrors and seat controls have failed roughly 4 times. What really got me is when the repair facility was familiar with the failure mode each time. You mean its normal to loose a fuel pump at 33,000 miles? Oh, and the "certified" service department local to me is a joke. 3 transmission repairs, and 2 of them returned a vehicle with loose transfer case bolts?