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 liberty - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By tanmommom - June 19 - 10:00 am

  just bought it new to me but if feels great love it only thing doesnt have sunroof next time i know my husband loves it

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  The perfect 4x4! - 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Chris Hull - June 17 - 2:00 am

  This truck rocks! I have owned it for 6 years and never had any problems. Performance is outstanding with the v8 and the full time Quadra-Trak is by far the best on the market. Owned a Range Rover during this same period and it was the most unreliable POS compared to the Jeep (not to mention costing much more)

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  Jeep Cherokee - 1999 Jeep Cherokee
  By Bill - June 16 - 12:40 pm

  I bought my Jeep in Dec, 08 it rides very good in bad weather conditions, but the previous owner must have went off roading with it, cause the ride was very rough, replace shocks and struts an that helped alot, it had 110,000 on it an now has 123,000 been having electrical issues as of late, this is a suv that I wouldnt hesitate to buy brand new, am looking to upgrade to a 2001 with less wear an tear! Gas mileage isnt a problem as has been reported by other buyers!

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  Driving is Fun Again! - 2008 Jeep Wrangler
  By Cheadlem - June 16 - 6:53 am

  Ive only had the Jeep about a month but I am extremely pleased with this purchase. Ive had numerous compliments on the color (Red Oyster) and the style (Sahara 2D) and have taken the top off and on multiple times as the rain dictates. It is easy and comfortable to drive in the city and on the highway. The sound system is fantastic and it gets better than expected mileage (~16 city/21 Hwy). It is extremely maneuverable and I can park it right beside my 03 Suburban in my garage and open both doors. I wouldnt have gone for the satellite radio or navigation system but they came with it and now I wouldnt want to do without them. Im a Jeep man now.

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  Deep Money Pit - 2008 Jeep Wrangler
  By chezeppelin - June 14 - 4:05 am

  i had my 08 wrangler x for four years. in those four years my emergency break broke ( right after the warranty expired of course), i had a leaky rear differential, there was a recall on the fuel tank because sometimes while filling up the gas would over flow and spill, and last but not least, my steering gear box went out. the steering gear box was a 700 dollar fix, too much if you ask me from a 4 year old vehicle. the steering gear box started going out relatively quickly, but the dealer refused to fix it because it technically still worked, when it finally went out around the 80k mile mark, i was in for a costly repair. the jk was loud on the highway, no room, rough, and a guzzler.

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  Nice to look at but terrible computer system - 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By zulk - June 12 - 3:41 am

  I fell in love with the 2014 Grand cherokee limited. Loved the style and the features included seemed like it was well put together. Sadly that was short lived. Mechanically the car has been good but the electronic head unit is a complete nightmare constantly freezes reverse camera never works heating/cooling radio anything controlled through the head unit including navigation cant be changed when it freezes until you get out of the vehicle make sure the fob is far enough from the car for the computer to reset. 5 attempts so far to fix latest is a head unit replacement we will see

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  9th Wrangler and counting - 2013 Jeep Wrangler
  By drdanobgyn - June 12 - 12:30 am

  Just got my 2013 Wrangler 4 days ago. Had a 2012 and it seems like a huge difference. Drove it to Wright Patterson and back this morning. All expressway and got 27.7 mpg. Thats 65 almost all the way. Driving 55 is better yet. Love the new seats. Much more cushioning. Got the Alpine stereo and its awesome. Plenty of room for me and the dog. Took the back seat out, so my next date has to ride in the back since the dog has the front.

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  Biggest Mistake Ive Ever Made - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Bumblebee - June 11 - 2:00 am

  This had to be my worst car buying experience ever! Bought brand new and had nothing but trouble from the day I drove it off the lot. In and out of the shop. And dont believe their warranty lies either... read the fine print! The hood was not aligned correctly to begin with. After a couple thousand miles the brakes needed replacing and had to be replaced every 2 to 3 thousand miles. Transmission was a mess too. Resale value was the worst ever. Finally dumped this piece of junk. Dont ever buy a jeep... youll REGRET IT!!!!!

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  Air conditioning - 2006 Jeep Liberty
  By Dawn - June 10 - 7:33 pm

  I own a 2006 Liberty which was the first new vehicle that I have purchased.I have many of the complaints some of the other owners have such as, the windows falling. Three times for me too. The seats staining are unbelievable too. My most recent complaint is the air conditioning. I was just told by my dealer that my compressor is shot. I have found no complaints or recalls related to 2006 Jeep air conditioning issues. This will be costly as my vehicle is also out of warranty like many other consumers who are faced with the same reality. What a disappointment Chrysler has been for me with this one. I plan on issuing a complaint. Maybe they will surprise me.

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  Problems - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By Joseph - June 9 - 12:16 pm

  Like my truck but now I hit 50K miles on my 06 Commander and here come the problems. It is all electrical. It will shut off all dash lights make a lot pop and come back on. took it to the dealership and they cant find anything wrong. Then the way home from the dealership it happens twice. But the dealership said everything is fine... Yeah right!