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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  Reliable SUV - 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Dan Houle - January 11 - 2:00 am

  Strong SUV, feel very secure and very reliable. Negative: No futuriste gadget (GPS), no lock on gaz system, expensive to maintain in good codition

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  love it - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By reagan - January 11 - 2:00 am

  It is a great town and country drive.

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  A good buy - 2008 Jeep Liberty
  By Jeep Owner - January 10 - 10:46 pm

  Ive owned my 2008 Liberty for over 3 months now. Consumer Reports does no justice for the Jeep. The ride is great, smooth and comfortable. Interior is well fit together. This Jeep is great for traveling, camping and just getting around. Gas mileage could be better. Sticker range is 16- 22 but I get 18-24. Consumer Reports also says that the engine is week and difficult to pass on the open road. Found that NOT to be true at all. Id recommend this over most in its class.

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  Second Jeep, Twice the vehicle - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By trent - January 10 - 10:00 am

  Great vehicle, replaced my Cherokee which I was very fond of. I was apprehensive at first, but this is an amazing SUV for the price. Fun to drive.

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  I like it more than my Cherokee. - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By Tim Cantor - January 10 - 10:00 am

  A wonderfull ride! Solid, comfortable, and far more stable than I expected. Looks great too! A good replacement to Cherokee. The value for dollar is simply outstanding. No rattles, and the doors sound very solid when they close.

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  JEEP is a piece of junk - 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By gbyt - January 10 - 10:00 am

  I purchased a 6 cyl 4WD JGC Laredo last year - I sold it with 17,500 miles on it. Nothing but problems, front brake rotors had to be resurfaced twice, fuel pump had to be replaced, passenger electric window motor went out, etc... Serious defects with a vehicle that cost $28,000. I also have a toyota tacoma - the exception being that this vehicle has 152,000 miles on it and still going strong. Until Jeep fixes these quality defects - I would be very hesitant when buying another Jeep vehicle - just talk with others who have owned a Jeep Grand Cherokee.

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  Sold a bad jeep that broke down on me - 2009 Jeep Commander
  By Ms. Johnson - January 10 - 9:40 am

  Jeep rides very smoothly as if you were in a luxury vehicle. The front seats are comfortable and the back seats are not comfortable on long trips. Your legs in the backs seat tends to hurt because the seats are up too high. I like the theater seats for view but not for comfort. My brand new jeep broke down on me: 1st the cover underneath the front end of my jeep that covers the oil fell down, 2nd my water pump went out, 3rd my tensioner belt went out that is to only name a few. I had to take my vehicle back several times to the dealer. I am not satisfied, because I take long trips and I am afraid that my jeep may brake down. The positive side of my jeep it runs through the snow perfect.

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  Thanks to Edmunds for the poor review - 2010 Jeep Compass
  By skier15 - January 9 - 1:30 pm

  I needed a low cost reliable replacement for an old 4WD that was costing me a fortune to keep on the road. Thanks to the bad review, I was able to scoop up a certified used Jeep Compass with 2 years on the warranty for less than $16,000 (automatic with power package) -sweet! Why the bad review? It isnt a big tough off road vehicle, a honking big family/gear hauler, or a luxury vehicle. It is just a great everyday car. I found the interior nicer and more comfortable (reclining rear seats=less cargo space) than the Toyota RAV and it is less noisy and had better reliability than a pre 2009-Subaru Outback - both more $$. Getting 27 MPG mixed city/highway!

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  Repairs - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By oregon80 - January 8 - 7:25 pm

  I have a 2005 Jeep Liberty Sport 4x4 6 Speed. Engine Runs Great, about 15 mpg city. Only 44,500 Miles, bought new. Have already had to replace Shifter, Water pump, and Power steering Hoses. Now Im getting a Clinking noise when I take off on a hill in 1st shifting to 2nd. Its a loud clink. Once I get going the Transmission runs smooth and quiet. Any Ideas.

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  LOVE IT - 2015 Jeep Renegade
  By pibirish - January 8 - 6:36 pm

  I have had my Renegade for about 5 weeks and have absolutely nothing bad to say about it. It is fun to drive and looks awesome. I waited 4 months for them to come out and bought mine the day it arrived at the dealer. NO REGRETS!