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:

• 

  Four years and counting - 2004 Jeep Wrangler
  By Jeeper Jim - April 8 - 11:46 am

  I love my TJ Rubi. Shes a gas to drive and be seen driving. You cant just cant beat top-down-doors-off Jeepn fun. Took her on the Rubicon Trail stock and she bottomed out a few times. A 4 inch lift kit and 33" MTRs and shell go anywhere. Gas mileage stinks but so what. Its a Jeep!

• 

  I used to love Jeep, until..... - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By Simone - April 8 - 3:16 am

  I have owned 4 Jeeps and this was my first Liberty. It is only 18 months old with 25,000 miles and I cant tell you how many times it has been in the shop. It had to have the engine taken apart after only a month! It is in the shop now actually for another 7-10 days having the engine taken apart again. Unfortunately I am past the lemon law point and am frustrated because I have always loved my Jeeps, but this is getting ridiculous. I am having all these problems now, what is going to happen as soon as the warranty expires. I dont think I will be able to keep it that long.

• 

  Unlimited X-Wrangler - 2007 Jeep Wrangler
  By Scott Ashmore - April 7 - 8:20 pm

  I bought the Unlimited X-4door 4 wheel drive in February 2007. Have 1000 miles on it. Took it over the mountains and it snowed. The vehicle handled great. Only put it in 4 wheel drive once, smooth transition. Have an automatic, and at times it doesnt want to lock in gear when shifting. One problem I did have, I was driving 25mph when the light came on showing wheels slipping and the Jeep lost all its power, shut down. Love owning a 4 door. My first Jeep!

• 

  Back Luck w/ Miss Liberty - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By Jeep Lemon - April 7 - 4:26 am

  I previously owned a Wrangler, followed by a full size truck, to now owning the Liberty. I thought it was cool looking when I bought it, and the test drive wasnt so bad. Within 1 week i had major problems. The main one being that the steering is really tight, almost feels like I dont have power steering. Ive been back and forth to the dealers who have yet to fix it. Ive talked to other Liberty owners who had similar problems. The steering makes it hard to control the car, and makes the ride uncomfortable, as well as makes it feel unsafe. Very disappointed with this car and cant wait to get rid of it. Nothing but problems. Looks wise, and off-road capabilities - its a decent lil SUV.

• 

  Problems - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Jason - April 7 - 12:26 am

  Im having problems with my 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo. The power windows dont work and the interior lights wont go off when headlights are on. It doesnt even seem like my 4 wheel drive even works. My mirrors wont work,everything is powered. I had a 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee, Now that was a beautiful suv! Until a tree falls on it and totals it.I love Jeep but not sure about these problems.It may even be the dealships fault. Who knows.....

• 

  Huge Improvement - 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By JeepRepeat - April 6 - 6:46 pm

  This is our 3rd Grand Cherokee that weve leased. This 2006 Jeep is a huge improvement from our 1997 and 2000 Grand Cherokees. My kids said that our new Jeep rides better then my 2005 Nissan Maxima, which I only drive on nice days. Big improvement on engine and transmission, however the 3.7 liter is a bit sluggish around hilly areas. The handling is also greatly improved. No more leaning when going through the corners.

• 

  Only reliable during the test drive... - 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Colorado Bird - April 6 - 8:40 am

  My 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland is my third - and last - Jeep. While none of my Jeeps have been models of reliability, my 2014 Overland is by far the least reliable. Problems with the electronics started literally the day after I got it off the lot. Issues escalated to highway stalling, not starting, blank screens, etc. would leave it with the dealer for multiple days only to have the software updated and nothing repaired. As I write this it is in the shop for its fifth time, at least this time they did some real work. Replaced the water pump, crank shaft positioning sensor, blind spot sensor, etc. the car only has 25k miles! For a 50k vehicle the issues and dealer service are way below expectations. Its a great car to look at inside and out, but at only 25k miles I plan to take a huge loss and trade it in for a subaru outback today. Bye Jeep.

• 

  V8 Ltd. Best SUV - 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By tevon - April 6 - 2:00 am

  Ive been in other SUVs and trucks and nothing has been like this vehicle. I have truly enjoyed driving this SUV for the past several years and not had any major repairs or constant worries like you would have with other high mileage vehicles. I purchased the vehicle at 95K miles and in 3 years have added another 60K miles.

• 

  Dont Do It!!! - 1998 Jeep Wrangler
  By PoorMe - April 6 - 2:00 am

  2nd transmission in 2 years

• 

  TERRIBLE STEERING & BAD REAR-END - 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By BJS382 - April 6 - 2:00 am

  AS AN EX-JEEP LOVER....YPU PEOPLE WHO RAVE ABOUT IT NEED TO DRIVE IT ON LONG TRIPS....THE STEERING HAS WAY TOO MUCH DRIFT IN IT...AND IVE OWNED FOUR PREVIOUS JEEPS...AFTER 3 WEEKS FROM PURCHASE...IVE HAD TO TAKE IT ON 6 TRIPS FROM FLORIDA TO ILLINOIS...U NEVER HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT FALLING ASLEEP..THE STEERING KEEPS IT ALL OVER THE ROAD. REAR-END WHINES UNBELIEVABLY...HAD IT REPLACED AT 3,000 MILES,,,STILL NO IMPROVEMENT...BUT STILL..THE STEERING IS A SAFETY HAZARD...U ONLY NOTICE IT ON LONG TRIPS...STEERING OK FOR IN TOWN DRIVING...IM ALREADY LOOKING AT THE KIA SORENTO....IF OTHERS HAVE THE STEERING PROBLEM PLEASE E-MAIL ME BJS382@AOL.COM