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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  09 Commander - 2009 Jeep Commander
  By JGS - July 14 - 12:46 pm

  Very satisfied. Excellent four wheel drive system. Very powerful, smooth, and quite powertrain. Achieving slightly better mpg than EPA estimates.

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  Great vehicle - 2008 Jeep Liberty
  By D. Kissell - July 13 - 9:40 pm

  Really nice Jeep, pretty comfortable to drive/ride in, has a lot of good features for the price. Seems a little smaller on the inside than it looks from the outside, but theres adequate storage space. Pretty good value and a great warranty program and has a 5-star crash rating.

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  Good experience - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Duke Malibu - July 13 - 11:46 am

  Very solid. No major problems with any larger repairs of more than $500. Good runner.

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  Watch out for the windshield - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By Nestorr - July 12 - 11:26 am

  Overall the Commander is an eye catcher. I love how it drives, but unfortunately the windshield is very weak. I replaced it twice in the past 2 months. Is not a good sign when a "Trail rated" vehicle cant take a hit from small debris. It can sustain direct hits from road hazards as long as its not hit on the edges of the glass. I would like to know how the Hummers windshield performs when it comes to road hazards.

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  old faithful - 2002 Jeep Wrangler
  By jimped - July 12 - 10:00 am

  very satisfied with this vehicle for the price fairly solid and well made tested this vehicle to the max on and off road and was happy to say it held its own the outside body could have a little more strength, sides could be reinforced

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  Bad Idea - 2006 Jeep Liberty
  By bmd3 - July 11 - 12:10 pm

  I owned my 2006 Jeep Liberty for 4 years and I had nothing but problems. I just sold it and have never been happier to be rid of it. It saw the garage once a month. It is very hard on brakes, tires, the calipers continually seize and I cant tell you how many times Ive driven around with a smoking wheel and the smell of burned rubber in the car. It blew fuses, had to have the back springs replaced, it sometimes will not start.....never, ever again.

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  Love it, but trading it in. - 2007 Jeep Liberty
  By Hampton, VA - July 11 - 1:50 am

  I love my 2007 Liberty, hate to let it go, but the factory warranty expires in Nov and Im not impressed with the overall quality of the vehicle and will be trading it in this month. Ive replaced five window regulators, and thats a lot of time sitting at dealerships, waiting for it to be fixed.

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  This is not a car - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By tom desuler - July 10 - 10:23 am

  I just bought a 99JGC limited will all the fixins. I researched this vehicle and Chrysler thoroughly before purchance. this vehicle is a jeep -not a car and wont respond the best driving to work and back everyday. It is built for offroading and rides like a jeep -not a passenger car. Most of the complaints here come from ignorance of how to drive the vehicle and maintaining it . Some are lemons but folks dont seem to understand that u need to buy a honda civic to goto work and back -not an engineered quadra track 4 wheel drive off road devise. If u drive it like a car thru constant stopping and starting in urban jungle traffic u will wreck the rotors and the dual transmission.

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  Awesome - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Zac - July 10 - 10:00 am

  I bought my Black on Black Leather Limited Grand Cherokee from a co- worker who bought it new. It has 108,000 miles on its 4.7 Liter V8. The co-workers husband is a Chrysler Certified Mechanic, so I really found a Diamond in the rough since the 4.7s sometimes have major problems due to lack of oil changes. I love the Jeep. People always complain about the gas mileage, well people its a V8 Suv. Its NOT a Honda or Toyota or Hyundai. And none of those cars have what a Jeep has anyway. I would definitely recommend getting one to anyone who asks, just be warned that its not a hybrid.

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  Surprised - 2008 Jeep Commander
  By Karon - July 10 - 10:00 am

  This vehicle was purchased for my husband. He had a 2005 Jeep Liberty Renegade. He loved it but it was time to find a new vehicle. When I went out shopping to the Jeep place, they showed me this 2008 Commander Limited. I feel in love with it. Its nice to have room as a passenger. We have no need for the 3rd row seats, so that isnt a issue. I highly recommend this vehicle if you want comfort & fun driving. The downside, which I was surprised about, is the cargo space. Not enough. We are going to see if removing the 3rd row seats will help that. Otherwise, everything is great about it. Cant believe we bought a V8, but with a vehicle like this. its worth it!