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:

• 

  Would drive it off a cliff - 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By SAJ - April 19 - 12:23 pm

  I bought what I thought was going to be a good looking reliable vehicle. I had a Chevy Caprice for over 13 years and was looking to find something I would love as much. I looks HOT! But looks are deceiving. It is 03 and still looks brand new even without a good car wash. BUT... The piece of junk has spent more time in the shop than any vehicle in earth history except maybe another Jeep Grand Cherokee. Seat Heater, Brake rotors, 5 complete sets of brakes and rotors. Shimmies really bad after about 6 months of new brakes. The heater sensor something , air conditioning lvr things, cruise control, battery goes dead, electrical shorts but nobody can tell me why. Would not sell to my worst enemy.

• 

  RELIABLE WORK HORSE - 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By jerrymax - April 19 - 11:06 am

  I bought this as a third vehicle. I also have a 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee and a 1997 Nissan Maxima that I keep on Long Island. I bought the 1997 Grand Cherokee with 138,000 miles on the odometer to keep at my other residence in upstate New York. As with my 1996 model it has been a reliable work horse. My 97 has the SelecTrac system that allows you to shift between RWD and AWD. In AWD it handles upstate winter weather conditions beautifully. The inline-6 engine is noisy but tough as nails. Good as a second (or third) car and local daily driver. A bit bouncy on long trips. No problems to report in first 5000 miles of driving. I recommend using 89 octane fuel rather than regular.

• 

  love it - 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By sprtsphntc - April 19 - 1:57 am

  came out of a 2000 expedition.wow, what a difference on so many levels. 1st, expdt. was very comfortable, but other than that, car gave me too many problems. jgc is awesome, love everything about it. handling, comfort and all the technology!!! everything is where it should be and lots of great features. upgraded to x package with all weather package which gave me a sunroof, quadtrac II, daytime running lght, h.d. rubber mats (got carpet ones too, free).and some other goodies. got the navi. works good. stereo is awesome and already had some snow and ice in philly and handled excellent. different than exped. compared it to 4runner, edge and mdx and liked this the best!!

• 

  High cabin noise - 2007 Jeep Patriot
  By Dissatisfied - April 18 - 12:53 pm

  I purchased this vehicle two weeks ago. I was drawn to it by the exterior design. The price also seemed like a bargain. I went on a long trip this weekend and I noticed that the cabin noise was high at 60-65 miles/hr. The vehicle has poor insulation from road noise. I can hear the sound of my tires on the pavement. It also drowns out the the stereo system and ones conversation. Dont try using your cell phone either. You wont hear a thing. Also, a high RPM at speeds of 65 miles adds to the noise. The high cabin noise is such a major nuisance that I cant see myself driving it for another month. On Monday, I am going back to the dealership for a trade, or better yet go with another make.

• 

  Can you say HEMI? - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Dan - April 17 - 4:46 am

  Attracted to the sleek lines, tried the HEMI and there was no looking back. This is definitely the best SUV that I have ever driven. From Rovers to Hummers. There is no comparison to hitting the accelerator of the HEMI and being driven back in the seat! You have to drive it to believe it.

• 

  Nice Jeep - 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By alamo889 - April 17 - 2:00 am

  I work on jeeps for a living, so I knew what to expect when I bought mine. Mine has the 4.0L engine. The only thing my Jeep needed when I bought it was an exhaust manifold ( they crack all the time on the 4.0)> Jeeps are high maintainance people! They need alot of T.L.C. You didn`t buy a Toyota. Keep the oil changed every 3k miles, rotate the tires every 6-7k miles (very important on a jeep) and dont beat the vehicle up on the road. Take care of your jeep and more than likely it will take care of you.

• 

  My Jeep Wrangler - 2004 Jeep Wrangler
  By Whitney Mills - April 17 - 2:00 am

  Its a very very nice car sporty looking and fun to drive and jsut ride out with friends in !

• 

  Great for what it does. - 2004 Jeep Wrangler
  By jimmywalker - April 17 - 2:00 am

  This is THE BEST offroad vehicle stock, period. I wish it had a bit of a lift and a little wider tires, but I can understand that lawyers are involved. But its a great platform to build on with stock lockers, Dana44 axles, beefy transfer case, etc. Make no mistake, this is built for offroad, so it wont ride like a minivan. Lots of the features are for offroad only. (For the guy who "broke" his lockers...never, never, never, never use the lockers on-road. Ever. The fact that you have to shift into 4Low and not driving faster than 10mph should be a clue they were intended for rock crawling, not grocery getting).

• 

  19 mpg..23000 miles - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Johnny Ramos - April 17 - 2:00 am

  I have had my Grand Cherroke since July 03, mostly street use. L.A. and Orange county freeways. The tires are my only complaint. Contact me at laazerdude@yahoo.com for details. I use my jeep mainly for business, I have kept a religous service record. I will remain a Jeep owner, I have considered other makes, read alot of material. NOTHING in our driving experience as a vechile that HAS to be used for work will compare: dollar for dollar.

• 

  Electronic Problems - 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Eric - April 16 - 4:50 am

  3 Times to the dealer for electronic problems. Front windows would roll up and make a loud clunk, limit switch/motors needed to be replaced. Heated seat stopped working, dealer fixed by replacing part. Current problem is rear left taillight stops working intermittently. Car has low mileage and is not exposed to bad weather, anyone else having these problems?