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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  Highly Satisfied Buyer - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Robert Hager - December 30 - 10:00 am

  Previous 3 SUVs were GCLs. Particularly enjoy the feel, confort and the many "bells and whistles" of the Overland especially rain-sensitive wipers and tire pressure monitor. Appreciate pleasing interior design. Would highly recommend to my friends.

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  Ive had older Jeeps - 2005 Jeep Wrangler
  By Marcus - December 29 - 7:13 pm

  Ive had older Jeeps but this one is the best Ive had. Although it doesnt have the V-8 that Im used to, the 4 liter has more than enough power to run down the highway @ 80 mph, and of course off-road on any trail that is suitable for vehicles. Havent done a lot of off-roading in this one, but the 4WD is torqued enough to handle anything, providing you have the right additions (lift, tires, rocker guards, etc.) I would recommend if you want something that is fun to drive and can take you wherever you want to go, this is what you need.

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  Great vehicle. Dont buy it for fuel economy - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By COMMANDER n CHIEF - December 29 - 6:56 pm

  Beautiful vehicle with terrible gas mileage 10.9 mpg city 13.5 on a good day for the highway

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  My 2nd Jeep Product - 2010 Jeep Liberty
  By Randy - December 29 - 11:50 am

  I traded my 1999 Cherokee 4x4 Sport for the 2010 Liberty 4x4 Sport. I like the looks of this vehicle. So far so good. Have a small water leak in the rear thats annoying and hopefully will have that corrected soon. Vehicle feels solid on the road. I am happy with the Liberty.

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  LOVIN IT! - 2003 Jeep Wrangler
  By adam - December 28 - 12:30 pm

  There is nothing like driving a Jeep! The Sport is amazing! There are countless clubs and everyone in a Jeep is part of the family. I will never be without a Wrangler in my driveway for the rest of my life, for those of you who dont have one yet, its a Jeep thing, you wouldnt understand! ;)

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  Mixed Feelings on our Bailout Buggy - 2009 Jeep Wrangler
  By JDH - December 28 - 10:00 am

  Got this bailout buggy in 4/09 and have 17,500 miles. The transmission went out at 14,000 miles and its been a downward spiral ever since to the point that we are considering trading this in for something else. Before that, though, we loved the car. While performance is mediocre, nothing beats a topless Jeep in the summer. Keep the tops off, though, as long as possible since they were poorly designed and engineered. The hard top leaks consistently. Fuel economy is lackluster around town at 14 mpg, but shines on the freeway at 20 mpg at 75 mph. No complaints on the interior of the vehicle, so far. The Sahara model specifically has a smooth ride as well. Also, the 4x4 system is beyond great.

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  First SUV after sport lux cars - 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By bakoff - December 28 - 5:52 am

  I have a 2014 JGC Altitude 4x4 with a May 2014 build date, and it is really great so far. I am confident that many of the issues reported in the early builds were software related and have been cleared up. My observed mpg is 17, so that is a little disappointing. I will admit that I have kind of a heavy foot. Coming from a string of luxury sport sedans, the lower mpg is offset in part by getting to use regular gas rather than premium (which costs about 12% less at current prices in my area), and dyno oil rather than synthetic.

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  I got a deal - 2015 Jeep Patriot
  By Augusta Harvey - December 27 - 6:48 pm

  The price was well worth it ! Im very happy with my decision! Alot of room for a car seat and 2 booster seat . In the rear seat!

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  Highway Robbery - 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By kgastenaue - December 27 - 8:52 am

  I bought this car in March and it has been broken from day 1.The lights in the air conditioning panel never lit up but some of the others did. I asked the sales person about it and he said "those lights dont illuminate in this model". I brought the car back for service. They kept my car for the day, ran some updates and they still didnt light up. In addition my trunk wasnt opening 90% of the time. I was told if they couldnt duplicate the problem it couldnt be fixed. I took it to another service center instead. The whole light panel had to be replaced and updates hadnt been done at all to my car from before I bought it. Three trips later my trunk still wont open most of the time.

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  I Love My Jeep! - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By twilson - December 26 - 2:33 am

  This is my second Jeep Liberty and I love it. Its sporty, rugged, loads of fun and has POWER! Forget those wimpy car like SUVs, this Jeep is great. I would buy again. Oh, and you cant beat the price loaded.