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 Comfort - 2010 Jeep Wrangler
  By NJelectrk1 - April 28 - 12:56 pm

  I understand this is a jeep and its rugged and tough and can go almost anywhere. In fact that is the reason i purchased it in the first place.That said however, Im not sure what the people at jeep were thinking with a rock hard console cover and door armrest.come on a little comfort while taking this beast off road would be greatly appreciated by all.what could it actually cost to include a console like the Tuffy aftermarket. just a little bit of refinement would go a long way. sore elbows take away the fun of driving

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  a predicatable 4 Cylinder Jeep - 2008 Jeep Patriot
  By Matt K - April 26 - 8:00 pm

  Overall a very nice car. I enjoy driving it around places and it is very rugged. Gone over some medians in some midnight runs and it handles them like a jeep should. (haha) Gas mileage is around 19MPG for me in the city with the AC always on frozen. I really hate the small 13.5 gallon tank for gas, the Honda CRVs tank is 2 gallons bigger! The CVT makes some noise during hard acceleration but overall fairly quiet. The car pulls pretty well around 4K RPMs (torque curve). I dont drive like a grandma which could also point to the less than standard gas mileage.

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  I love my jeep, for the most part.... - 2008 Jeep Patriot
  By aurora182011 - April 26 - 6:36 pm

  I love my jeep and I plan on keeping I will say it runs great and its comfortable, and good on gas but this water leak thing has got to be fixed i was on my way to work today and water started pouring out of my map light and all over my stereo and into my shifter housing......not happy, dealer ship said its not their problem..... not happy, auto body shop said they had no clue but pressure tested it for 50 dollars and found out nothing.....not happy. I still dont know how to fix it without spending all my money....not happy

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  Jeep 2006 New - 2006 Jeep Liberty
  By dslizzy - April 26 - 2:36 pm

  So, I have had this Jeep for 4 months now. Runs okay, no major defects. However, I am getting 13.3 MPG. My low fuel light or chime does not work. Loses power and does not shift correctly when putting strain on Jeep , like going uphill. Took it to dealer, and they naturally found no problem. The dealer told me as far as the low fuel light not coming on, "You have a fuel guage dont you?" I told him yes, and he said that I must have more reserve fuel than what I thought. So I went to fuel up. I put 18.5 gallons in. That chime and low fuel light should have worked. In my opinion, there are better SUVs out there. MPG on sticker is no where near the actual MPG that you get.

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  2016 Jeep Cherokee Latitude 75th Anniversary v6 - 2016 Jeep Cherokee
  By James Gardner - April 26 - 8:56 am

  I set up test drives for both the Jeep and a Mazda CX-5 for the same day. My fiance and I drove the Mazda and we both really liked it. We went into it with a Mazda bias, and were only testing the Jeep to say we compared the Mazda to something. We finished the test drive and absolutely fell in love with this car. Im 66" and am coming from a 2003 Kia Spectra, so this Jeep is a huge step up for me. The particular Cherokee we got is a 4x4 Limited 75th Anniversary Edition with the optional V6 engine and a moonroof. I wasnt sure the V6 was necessary, but Im so glad I got it, because it is an absolute blast to drive. The fuel economy isnt the greatest thing in the world, but we went in knowing that. Im also new to the area, so when we have a little extra money, were going to spring for the Navigation system. I have only owned this Jeep for about a month now, but I dont have a bad thing to say other than the gas mileage isnt that great. But considering thats because Im accelerating around people with a V6 all the time, I cant complain too much. Love this car!!!

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  Bang for the buck - 2015 Jeep Patriot
  By Mark - April 24 - 5:52 pm

  I bought my jeep one year ago and put 12000 Miles on it. I was looking for a 4x4 vehicle under $20,000, the jeep patriot was the only new 4wd or awd vehicle I could find. With automatic and air I paid 19K out the door. I live in northern California and dive on dirt roads and in the snow. The jeep has excellent road feel for off road not the feel of a car made for the road with awd. I see the pro reviewers give the patriot low to average score but compare it to a cars that cost 10k more. I give the patriot 5 stars because it just gives the most bang for the buck, sure an awd car that cost 5K more has extra comfort on the road but the Patriot has adequate road comfort and is far superior off road. I have had no problems with the Patriot and my only complaint is the gas tank could be larger. I average about 21mpg and get 26mpg on long trips. If you drive an SUV in a big city the patriot is easy to park in small spaces and has an outstanding turn radius.

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  The Best Grand Cherokee ever? - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Ray - April 24 - 8:16 am

  Jeep really knocked one out with this Grand Cherokee. Every aspect of this Jeep is notches above the model it replaces. Most impressive is the trucks ride and handling. Smoother and less body roll. Makes you believe youre driving something alot more expensive.

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  Not bad for the buck - 2007 Jeep Patriot
  By 1eyedjack - April 23 - 2:50 pm

  Owned the Patriot for over 2 years now. Gas millage wasnt very good till about 15,000 miles. Ran it through the mountains west of Denver Co. and that broke in that tight little engine. If I try I can get 27 to 28 MPG around town and oddly enough about the same on the road at 75 MPH. 32 MPG at 55 MPH. There are a lot of little things I would like different but you get used to how things are. To date I have had no issues with this unit. Everything seems to be working well. It even made the 11,003 foot climb on Interstate 70 west of Denver Co. with no problem. I reset the millage calculator on the down side of the mountain and got 437 MPG coasting. Beat that.

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  Like it. - 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By SI - April 23 - 10:00 am

  Got it at 124000. It was a fleet car, well maintained and garaged. Several things were tuned up by dealer. So far I like it a lot. Knock on wood...Good handling in wet weather, especially helpful here in Seattle. Roomier than any sedan. Overall I like this car very much.

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  X-Factor: Why I love my Jeep! - 2002 Jeep Wrangler
  By Zaks Dad - April 23 - 10:00 am

  Had my X for 1.5 yrs now, and still love the bugger! It is fast, nimble, goes over any obstacle, and parks like a Geo! A Tonka Toy that I drive every day, it is most high on the grin factor. Must haves: full steel doors, with real windows, premium sound, good sunglasses for top-down enjoyment! I have the 3.73 gearing option, and it launches like a jackrabbit. Only thing I wish Id gotten was ABS. This is the best convertible/truck/toy/go- anywhere vehicle ever! Ive owned musclecars, foreign sports cars, trucks, and various other vehicles, but nothing has turned my crank like this Jeep. I fall in love all over again every single day!