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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  I hope the newer Jeeps are better! - 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By blackjeep - December 5 - 2:00 am

  I bought my Jeep with 47K miles and until recently its been great. I now have 100K miles and several problems. The tranny is poorly design because I now have slippage. The interior door panel are garbage due to the poor choice of material(it shrinks in heat). I have to replace the distributor next, after just replacing the ball joints. If the ratings for the newer models are as bad, Jeep will soon be out of business.

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  Saved me in a rollover - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By siii - December 5 - 12:29 am

  I loved loved loved my Jeep Liberty. I bought it at 108k and drove it for 2 years. I also drove it home, 500+ miles away at least once a month. The pickup and acceleration is slower than other cars, and the gas mileage was usually 20 mpg (highway). Weird noise in the rear breaks when he was running at ~30mph but it stopped over 40mph. Always had it since I changed the breaks.

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  Loved it! - 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By adchick - December 3 - 8:56 am

  I cant say enough good things about my Jeep. I bought it used with 18,000 miles on it. I finally turned it in at 120,000 due to the age on the car gas prices creeping up to $4 a gallon. This jeep got about 18-19 avg. It was reliable and durable and comfortable. Fun to drive and looked good as well.

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  1st Jeep...Sweet. - 2007 Jeep Wrangler
  By crispy - December 3 - 6:16 am

  Have had it for a month and turns heads where ever I go. Great handling, great color (Rescue Green), quiet ride, top removal is easy. Fold down seats are awesome to be able travel with larger objects. Great for families now too. Only way could get one was if was family capable for car seat and stroller space. Qualifies as practical and fun. Cant wait for spring.

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  115,000 miles and going strong - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Russ Archer - December 3 - 3:33 am

  I bought my 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo new in 2004. It was a V8 demo model with less than 1,000 miles. I got a great deal on it because it was a demo and because of a $6,000 cash incentive. Ive driven it now for over five years and have put an average of 23,000 miles per year on it, mostly highway. I had the shocks replaced at around 50,000 miles and all four axle seals replaced at about 70,000 miles. Actually, the rear ones were the only ones leaking but I thought Id better go ahead and have them all replaced. Other than those two issues, it has been surprisingly reliable. Major services were done at 30K, 70K, and 100K and I did most oil changes myself every 3K to 5K miles.

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  pretty great - 2011 Jeep Compass
  By Dillon S. - December 2 - 3:44 pm

  it looks and drives great. However there are quite a few problems according to complaint websites. My 2011 jeep compass has a few, the driver window is slow and creaks when you roll it up, and rain drops drip from the dome light in the trunk when it rains or has rained. (It does not have a sun roof)

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  recalled parts - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By puckett1 - December 2 - 9:26 am

  i bought a used commander... its only 2006.... i have had to pay out 1000 for the software since it is under the cup holder and it gets the software wet..... i feel jeep should pay me back for the design.... my mercedes transmission wiring has shorted out. they said this should be a recall since they order this part alot. which cost me another 1000. i feel you should give me some of the money back since both of these parts have some recalls... i dont have much money single mom and all....

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  Love it - 2007 Jeep Patriot
  By lainee guffey - December 1 - 2:33 pm

  We love our Patriot...we own 2 other Jeeps (Wrangler and Commache) and although I love my Wrangler i would have to say the Patriot is a very close second. We love the comfort for road trips and the mileage is not bad either. Will always purchase Jeep products in the future for their reliabily (99 Wrangler has 180,000 miles on it and have only had to replace the water pump). The styling on the Patriot gets a lot of good comments from stangers while out. We are totally satisfied with our purchase have recommended the Jeep Patriot to others.

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  In defense of the Compass - 2016 Jeep Compass
  By KeithG - December 1 - 6:59 am

  Not for nothing, Im a little tired of all the hate this car gets. Its funny how in this review the 430N Uconnect radio is made fun of but when its ported to a wrangler its totally fine. Look, at the end of the day if you came into a compass wanting to hate it, you will. However, if you loosen your expectations, I think you may be surprised. Lets face it, its not made to be an off road king, a fuel saver nor an SRT. Its a cheap Jeep that gets you a decent amount of features with the High Altitude sub trim and some confidence in the snow and that enough if you ask me, considering you can lease one for the $200 per month mark.

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  Bad locks and a lot of engine heat - 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By lala76 - November 30 - 9:01 pm

  I had to replace the locks because my jeep has one key hole and that door quit working so I would be locked out for weeks at a time, have to wait for the battery to go dead and triple A to send a locksmith to get me in. The heat coming from under my jeep when it is running is so tremendous I do not drive with my window open and nobody can stand next to it and talk to me through the window without feeling like they are being cooked. My back window does not open and the windshield wiper back there falls off if I try to use it. The heat takes an hour to actually get hot by then its time to get out of the truck and doesnt matter.