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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  Best all around car ever built - 1996 Jeep Cherokee
  By Phoebe - November 14 - 5:16 am

  108,000 miles, Classic package, AC/AT/CC/4.0/4WD, (even push-up sunroof). Beautiful, practical, dependable, lovable car! Just big enough, classic lines, most indestructible drivetrain ever built, nimble, responsive, turns on a dime, excellent reliability & safety record, excellent parts availability, easy to work on. Still looks beautiful inside & out, even the cigar lighter still works, feels so secure on NEs winter roads with the fantastic on-the-fly 4WD, not a rattle or squeak. Ive added a CD changer, a good double cupholder I bought on eBay, and a firm foam wedge cushion for more drivers seat support. Take good care of a Cherokee and it will take care of you for a long time

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  Jeep-Burt! - 2006 Jeep Liberty
  By Krista - November 11 - 6:40 pm

  I have never had any trouble with owning a Jeep. This is now the second Jeep Liberty that I have owned. I have noticed that the 2005 model drives a little smoother. I have noticed that when the wind is blowing hard and driving on the highway that the change in the suspension has helped out tremendously in the new model. Also, they put the window controls in a smarter place in the 2005 model. But you could never go wrong with a Jeep!

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  One Word - Excellent! - 2008 Jeep Patriot
  By bluesky - November 11 - 12:00 pm

  I normally do not take the time to provide feedback, but feel obligated, given I often look at others opinions before buying. In short, this car is excellent! You cant go wrong. Ive owned it almost a year now. No problems whatsoever. Its fun to drive, responsive and intelligently designed. The on board computer display is a nice feature (forget what its called), as it not only gives you the outside temp,but warns you of such things as low tire pressure, etc. Im ave about 26 to 28 mpg.

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  Excellent Value - 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By GupDawg - November 11 - 10:00 am

  My Forest Green over Tan Cloth Laredo is a very sharp color combo. It is a 4x2(but it will go off-road) and an Inline-6. The six, while super- durable, is a bit underpowered for this heavy of a Jeep, but it can do the job. It now has 130k miles and still runs strong. I replaced the spark plugs, wires, oxygen sensor, and distributor cap and rotor myself and saved $200. But $900 for new radiator, hoses and belts from the dealer! Now it needs new brakes and the e-brake is worn completely out. But this is normal stuff for 130k, and when properly maintained, will last 200000+ miles.

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  Pretty Much Just Amazing - 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Justin - November 11 - 5:20 am

  The only problems I have had with the vehicle was the door sills, the were kind of popping up and the seat cushions did something funky and it looked weird. The dealership replaced the door sills and we havent had a problem with it and they also replaced all the leather front and back even though the problem was only in the front, they did a pretty good job but not great. The problem with the seats is kind of back but I guess thats the nature of the beast. It has great acceleration and is comfortable, we take it on long 300-500 mile trips and its a dream. I would highly recommend this SUV if you dont mind a SUV gas mileage.

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  2007 Patriot with Manual Transmission - 2007 Jeep Patriot
  By TM - November 10 - 2:50 pm

  The ride is smooth and the seats comfortable. Ive had the car for over a week and I get a little over 27 MPG. I love the roominess. Seats three in rear seat comfortably. I did get the manual transmission because Im not entirely sure of the reliability of CVT transmissions in general. There is a large debate over this topic. Besides, my previous car was a manual. In my prolonged quest to find a compact SUV that had good gas mileage, was under $20,000, and, of course, looked cool, this was the easy choice.

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  Excellent Car - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By ybbag1 - November 10 - 3:13 am

  Despite poor gas mileage I would buy this car in an instant again. It is extremely comfortable and fun to drive. The steering wheel radio controls and heated seats make it an extra nice drive! The information panel makes me feel safe and updated on whats going on with the car, problems or needed maintenance.

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  Practical AND Fun - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By darkprince - November 9 - 6:30 pm

  Bought my Liberty Renegade used - 40k miles on it. There are some minor quirks to it I find annoying, but overall I love my Liberty! I found documentation in my owners manual from the previous owner- apparently the transmission issue was handled by him (Thank You!). This Jeep is a ball to drive and handles better than any SUV Ive ever driven. One note: Lose the Goodyear RS tires. They slip on wet roads; they wont get the opportunity to try snow/ice. No way!

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  Ryans Jeep Review - 1998 Jeep Cherokee
  By RyanJeep - November 5 - 11:56 am

  Very reliable. Kept regular maintenance schedule ... minimal down-time for mechanical repairs over the life of the vehicle. In family since new.

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  Grand Cherokee Rocks - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By sfwrfowler - November 5 - 10:00 am

  Bought a New 2004 Grand Cherokee and Love it. I use it for my daily commute as well as for off-road adventures and it handles well for both. The navigation system is great especially being able to post breadcrumbs.