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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  I Love My Little Jeep - 2007 Jeep Compass
  By docgent - April 4 - 3:50 pm

  This car is really amazing and I love the fuel economy. It has some zip in the city and fun in the mountains. I owned a Honda Element for 3 years and sold it and bought this dandy of a vehicle. It rides great and feels like a car, yet has the room and comfort of a expensive SUV.

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  Think before you buy one! - 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By MOTV8D - April 4 - 3:16 pm

  I have had my SRT8 for almost a year and it has been a year filled with visits to the dealership. The Jeep is a fun vehicle, but has proven to be less than reliable. The outright performance is amazing. The limited usefulness should be a consideration when looking at making a purchase. The low towing capacity (3500lbs) and small size make it more of a toy than a true SUV.

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  Liberty 2.0 - 2008 Jeep Liberty
  By Walt - April 3 - 10:43 pm

  This is our second Liberty. Our 1st was a first year 2002. I noticed that the interior did feel like a step down from last gen. The ride is smoother but it feels a little slower on the on the freeway on ramp. I got another Liberty for the 5000 pound tow limit. We do pull a coleman camper with it, and needed that option. I do like it overall and feel and it fits my towing needs better that the rest of the cute ute crowd. My wife loves the Skyslider roof. Its what sold her on the new jeep.

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  Like my Cherokee, but Better Mileage - 2008 Jeep Patriot
  By Doug - April 2 - 11:36 pm

  Totaled my beloved 99 Cherokee in a crash that could have killed me, but I walked away from. Wanted another Cherokee, but with better mileage. After reading about everyones complaints regarding power, I test drove a 5-speed manual Patriot. It seems whatever issues people have with lack of acceleration can be blamed on the CV-tranny, not the engine. "But how can I talk on the phone and sip my latte and drive a manual transmission?" You cant. Go buy a Kia. After two months, I am extremely pleased with this car. One of my initial reservations about buying it (it had everything I was looking for for less $) was that I wasnt seeing any on the roads. Seems I am seeing more and more each week.

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  Great Jeep! - 2009 Jeep Patriot
  By afmcronnie - April 2 - 2:13 pm

  This Jeep has performed flawlessly. The FD1 4x4 package is more than adequate for driving in moderate snow or for use on primitive roads. The ride is great, a little stiff, but it IS an SUV. The interior is well thought out, with the exception of the cup holders, which are invisible at night. The 110 volt outlet is especially handy. The cargo area is good sized, as long as you are only hauling groceries or light cargo, like camping equipment. You can fit 2 lawnmowers in it and still close the hatch. The engine is responsive and economical, as long as you leave the CVT in Auto mode. The ESP program allows you to ignore the 4-Lock option and concentrate on driving in foul weather.

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  Great riding SUV - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Dave - April 2 - 4:23 am

  First Jeep product Ive ever owned. So far, very happy with the JGC. Ride is very smooth, I have the 4.7 L v8 and has good response. Probably should have bought the HEMI but 4.7 is just fine. Best riding SUV Ive ever had and quiet too. 10000 times better riding than my old Ford Explorer.

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  Jeep Unlimited is great - 2004 Jeep Wrangler
  By reelynole - March 31 - 10:00 am

  This is the first Jeep Wrangler. I previously had Jeep Cherokees. Here in the Tampa Bay area we have been besieged by HURRICANES giving me the opportuntiy to tow about ten idiots out of flooded streets including a Honda CRV suv. I felt great about that. I easily tow my 2500 Lb. boat. I put the sunrider top down for a summer day. I love this vehicle. The car is quiet, comfortable and rock solid. I know the engine is reliable. I put 200,000 miles on two cherokees and the Wrangler has the same in line 6 cylinder engine. You cannot go wrong with this rig.

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  Be careful of this year model - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By gladejd - March 31 - 1:40 am

  We bought this model brand new in 2005. It was the first year that Jeep released the Commander, using the 4.7 V8 engine. As you know most jeeps use the 3.7L V6 engine, which is dependable. However, this car, we had it overheat once, and it blew the head gasket. On top of that, the engine block cracked. This is after one overheat mind you. The car is too expensive for me to fix, so I will end up selling the car as a parts motherlode. Too bad we paid a lot of money for this car. I cant say about the later models, but I learned a valuable lesson regarding any car. When a car model comes out for the first year, recommend not buying it and wait till the following year or two.

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  Jeep Engine - 2016 Jeep Cherokee
  By JT - March 30 - 2:39 pm

  I have a new 2016 Jeep Cherokee Latitude with 1200 miles on it. I noticed a noise coming from my engine at a traffic light and I thought it was the car behind me but when I turned the radio down I discovered it was coming from my new Jeep. When you turn the radio down you can here a ticking sound which sounds like a helicopter propeller. Very Annoying for a Brand new Vehicle. I went to the dealership and let the service manager drive it with me and he heard the same noise. Then he asked the mechanic to go with me and he heard the same noise. I had taken it back to the dealership to have them diagnose and they said that it was a Purge Solenoid Valve and they replaced it. But when they called me to pick it up they said that it was still making the noise and probably will stay that way until Jeep comes out with a replacement part or a recall. Really!!! You pay $30,000 for a new Jeep and you get this kind of noise. I have owned a lot of other Vehicles over the years and the Engines have always been quiet with the radio turned down and you did not even know they were running. The Engineers at Jeep need to take a look at this because it is unacceptable in my book and not up to standards. Unless someone likes listening to this noise I guess you will be ok with it. But when you test drive I would listen for this noise before you buy. The Dealer started more of the Jeeps on the lot and they all made this noise and he told me this is the way Jeep has made them. I did call the Jeep Service Center and all they could tell me is that they would make documentation of it. We all know where that is going! Maybe the CEO of Jeep should get in the car with me for a test drive and listen to the noise and see if he likes listening to it. You think they would have discovered this before they came off of the assembly line. Not so Sincerely! Concerned Customer

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  Very enjoyable - 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By James Nichols - March 29 - 3:56 pm

  We bought the vehicle used, 1 year old. It now has 65k miles on it and have had 2 problems up to date. I had to replace the driver side window regulator. Plastic piece broke. New piece made with metal. Recirc door for the a/c had to be fixed. New piece supposed to be an upgraded fix. Neither problem overly expensive.