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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  A wonderful vehicle - Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland - 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By jonnieb57 - May 13 - 10:27 am

  I am completely satisfied with my Jeep. I can understand the frustrations of those who have had problems, but I cannot complain at all. I bought the car used with about 35k miles in 2011. I have never had to do anything to it not in the maintenance schedule (which I have followed). The car has 57k today. I find all seating positions comfortable. The controls in my Overland are wonderfully placed. I feel on par with any of the luxury SUVs, other than perhaps the quality of aworkmanship for some of the fitting of parts, etc, when I get really picky. But the price more than makes up for this. It drives a bit like a bit sports car if you trust it. Note:I drive a 3.0L diesel in Germany.

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  Almost a Perfect SUV - 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By OIIIIIIIO - May 12 - 4:30 am

  Got the 2010 Grand Cherokee Limited 4WD with 5.7L 8cyl Hemi. Love the manly Jeep body style. The thick, heavy, solid body and all time 4WD make me feel very safe in this SUV. The 5.7L Hemi has tons of power for uphill acceleration. Handling is great thanks to the firm suspension, the 18" wheels and the TRUE all time 4X4 (Quadra-Trac II which splits the power 50-50 front- rear by default). Surprisingly the cabin is very quiet even at 70mph. The dashboard layout is simple and straight forward. The GPS is easy to use without reading the manual. The leather seats are very soft and comfortable. I test- drove X5/MDX etc but overall none of them can compare with the 5.7L 8cyl Hemi Grand Cherokee.

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  From SRT 8 to Diesel, both great. - 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Stugoesfast - May 11 - 8:06 pm

  2006 SRT8 marked our return to Jeep. We found it a blast to drive and were completely satisfied with all aspects of the car. It was trouble free and was reluctantly traded for the 2007 Overland diesel. We ran that car continuously for a little over a year , with oil and filter changes the only work required. After 40,000 trouble free miles we traded for 2008 Overland diesel to avail ourselves of the last great meld of German engine and the best of Detroit. We could not be more satisfied, the 2008 is more refined than the 2007 with the feature list expanded and perfected. The reliability and build integrity is something we have remarked from the 2006 SRT to todays Overland. Love it!

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  ALL AROUND GREAT - 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By blackmax - May 10 - 10:00 am

  Despite Consumer Reports calling this AN unreliable car, this is the BEST vehicle I have ever owned, incl. Porsche, BMW,Mercedes. The only problems I had were a waterpump that blew after a dealer "powerflushed" the system (their fault), and a noisy differential AFTER the dealer replaced a $5 seal and screwed up the repair. Otherwise, this has been as reliable as a stone. W/ 127,000 miles, Ive had NO other problems throughout the vehicle. Also, AVERAGES 20.4 MPG w/combined city an freeway driving!!!!! Original tires went 95,000 miles and Ive never had an alignment!

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  Great vehicle - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By normanviking - May 10 - 10:00 am

  I bought this vehicle used. For $16,000. It had 70,000 miles on it. The only thing I did was replace the cv boots. Everything else is great.

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  Dont Waste Time Researching - By This - 2008 Jeep Patriot
  By Mark Nahra - May 9 - 6:50 am

  Great vehicle. Researched Ford Escape and all other small SUVs and the Patriot is the best value even if gas goes up to $5 a gallon. No need for you to repeat my research. Been getting about 21.5 mpg on the first tank mostly city driving though. Sharp vehicle, with really great handling, I can get it into tight spaces. Have your cake and eat it to with this SUV. Cant wait to see how it will perform in the snow.

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  Too much fun - 2010 Jeep Wrangler
  By wolv - May 8 - 10:00 am

  This is my first Jeep and wont be my last what a great 4x4 a total blast to drive and a great value. Off road its a demon nothing it cant handle if your buying for gas mileage buy something else, needs more power but Im going to correct that. You cant beat the price or reliability nothing comes close in a 4x4 and tons of accessories to trick it out to your needs, but my truck got bad mileage and was nowhere near as fun to drive, wont buy a Chevy truck again got to have a Jeep

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  New Jeep - good looking, great ride - 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By robm66 - May 8 - 10:00 am

  Have only had Jeep for a few days, but put about 200 miles on it today. Drivers seat is super comfortable - firm and supportive. This is my third Jeep in a row and was looking to get Audi or something like that that would be more fun to drive. But this jeep just felt right to me. I think it looks great and so far, its been a pleasure to drive. Radio is great (Nav/Sirius unit), intuitive to use. Nav is great as it shows you directions on Nav screen and, when hidden, directly in front of you between speedometer and tachometer. Time will tell on build quality and reliability, but Ive had good luck so far with the jeeps. Noticed that stepping up into jeep seems higher (Im 61").

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  Happy 2011 Jeep GC owner - 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By JJ - May 8 - 10:00 am

  I got a Laredo X package and could not be happier. In order to get the V8 Hemi on a Laredo you have to get the X package which comes with leather seats, my Gig radio, auto climate control, etc. My only options were the panoramic sunroof and a towing package. The GC has a smooth and very quiet ride. I was driving a Magnum RT with a Hemi and wanted to add 4x4 and towing to the Mercedes inspired ride. The GC has a back seat that is just as roomy and comfortable as the Magnum and has slightly more cargo room in back. I like being off the ground again in an SUV - it just feels safer.

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  Of Course Its A Jeep Thing.... - 2005 Jeep Wrangler
  By Kmskimberly - May 7 - 3:43 pm

  Not only survived but conquered the 3 feet of snow in lovely New England. The gas mileage leaves much to be desired which is severely compounded by the fact that once youre in it all you want to do is drive. Great strength for the more difficult jobs and I love the shift on the fly instead of the hubs in my 86. Also glad they went back to the classic headlights. Once you get used to it, the soft top takes just a few minutes to handle. Im glad they improved the suspension, and the heating system seems better as well. The seat is lowered a bit but can be raised later if you dont just get used to it. Careful of some blind spots and wind turbulance on the highway. Explore and Enjoy!