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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  Jeep review - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By angie - September 18 - 3:56 pm

  I really like how it handles and how big it is. I really like that it seats up to 7 passengers. The design of it is nice. It looks and rides great. I have always love Jeep. It really does well in the snow.

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  Jeep - 1998 Jeep Cherokee
  By MrFiero - September 17 - 10:00 am

  Multiple quality issues, bad paint, many odd things breaking, like pulleys and misc electrical components.

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  this is a great SUV - 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By its a jeep thing - September 17 - 10:00 am

  I have owned the 2001 GC Limited V8 4.7 for over a year and not one problem. If you want good gas mileage, then dont buy an SUV. This car handles great, super pick up in the mountains, and is a very comfortable ride. There is plenty of room in front and back seats. Besides the usual maintenance, it has never been in the shop. It looks great and drives equally as well. I would buy it again.

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  Better than anticipated - 2014 Jeep Cherokee
  By bjhhog - September 16 - 7:25 pm

  Cherokee Latitude. V6, all the bell and whistles except sunroof. I bought this right before winter, and thank god for that because it was the worst winter of all time. This car had the most confident foul weather ride, and before this I had a tech loaded A4 and a 12 Wrangler. I remember having to ride up a 30% grade for at least 800 feet, and I hardly felt a slip. The car is a beast in the snow. The technology they put into the traction system has to rival some of the best SUVs on the market. Very pleased do far.

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  So far so good - 2005 Jeep Wrangler
  By Evan Papajohn - September 16 - 10:23 am

  I owned a 95 Wrangler...wow!!! what a difference in ride,comfort,and quiet. I can actually have a conversation with passengers and drive for three hours without arriving tired....then hop up to my favorite remote place to "chill out"

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  Dont do it. - 2009 Jeep Liberty
  By not impressed - September 15 - 3:06 pm

  Folks got it as a B-day present for me. So it was free and I still dont like it. I drive in -40F temps, the heat often doesnt get the job done on the feet or the dash. Ive actually had ice form on the inside of the windshield. Dealer says "Nothing they can do about it." So its definitely not good for colder climates.

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  Not Pleased - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By BT - September 15 - 9:10 am

  Front ball joints went bad causing excessive wear on new (expensive!) tires, power steering / crank case problems, split hoses, calipers locking up and wearing new brake pads down - black, sooty substance all over hubcaps from brake pad burn. Transmission (auto) sometimes slams into gear unexpectedly during stop & start traffic situations.

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  Great Truck! - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By mscott75 - September 15 - 6:00 am

  So far so good! I have owned my Commander for about 3 months. The only issue I have had was a wind noise from the windshield. I took it to the dealer and it was quickly resolved. I have just performed my first oil change and the truck runs beautifully. I average between 14.5 to 16.7 miles per gallon. Anyone who buys one of these shouldnt get to complain about something like that (mpgs).

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  HORRIBLE GAS MILEAGE - 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By craig - September 15 - 1:03 am

  Only get around 12 mpg in town with v6, has stalled several times and goes 15 or 20 miles an hour then mysteriously fixed itself, if your bigger than 5,6" its hard to get into. Terrible rear visibility. Worst of all, dont get the cloth seats, there impossible to keep clean, even water stains them. Stereo sounds good though.

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  Good vehicle if you can deal with the small things - 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Kevin R - September 14 - 7:52 pm

  Plenty of power with the hemi. Good technology package and plenty of charging points for your devices. Squeaks and rattles are common and dealers are atrocious. Fiat please sell off Jeep line to someone who will do it justice.