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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  Great price on OK vehicle - 1998 Jeep Cherokee
  By justinkl - November 28 - 10:00 am

  Im an 18 year old high school student and have had this car almost a year. Bought it to replace my 94 accord. Paid $10,000 for it with ~42,000 miles! Has every option except leather. Gas milage sucks at 13mpg in the city, but then again, I am a lead footed teen. The car seems to like to break on me. Replaced transfer case 3 times, drive shaft twice and rear differential twice, all on Keffers tab! Only other money spent out of pocket has been a set of tires and rear brakes (oil changes and gas dont count!)

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  Great first time buyers of a S.U.V - 1999 Jeep Cherokee
  By Anderson - November 28 - 10:00 am

  Its a o.k. truck if you are looking for something cheap and fun to drive off-road but for comfort and room, try a Ford or Chevy. Good performing I-6 engine but can suck some gas. O.k. ride on roads but jiggy.

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  GO JEEP GO!! - 2001 Jeep Wrangler
  By Hokie Jeep - November 28 - 10:00 am

  I love this vehicle. It is versatile, it is powerful, it is reliable, and most importantly, it is fun. I purchased mine with both tops, a decision I have yet to regret, especially in the wintertime. If you enjoy quiet and smooth rides, this is not the vehicle for you. This is the perfect car for off-roading and sun bathing (nothing better than having the top down during the summer time). And the slew of accessories by Mopar makes customizing my Jeep a lot of fun.

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  Dont buy a jeep - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By metssuck25 - November 28 - 10:00 am

  When i bought the jeep, i was pretty stupid and fell in love with the looks. one of the dumbest things i have done. I have taken the jeep in over 15 times and still i have problems. the quality is so bad that you must have alot of money in the bank just to fix the repairs. such as the ball joints, transmistion, speakers and breaks. I will never buy an american made car again. look at somthing else!

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  IM A BELIEVER - 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Big Boy - November 28 - 10:00 am

  I searched the gammet for my newest SUV and researched all choices extensively. Ive heard a few bad things about the Grand Cherokee, and about the others. One thing Ive learned is not to believe anything you hear and only half of what you see. I know why JEEP is the leader in the industry. I have really enjoyed my trouble free 20,000 miles. I can see why 65% JEEP buyers are repeat.

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  I LOVE MY JEEP! - 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By r.k.b. - November 28 - 10:00 am

  If there was one thing I hope a reader will get from this it would be to test drive a Jeep Grand Cherokee. I thought these things would be loud and drive like a tank. Wrong. My Jeep drives more like a Cadillac and I can see the road so well. I feel much safer and my kids love the looks. I do regular maintenance and besides that its worry free. Thank you Chrysler Jeep of Tuscaloosa, you helped me make the best auto purchase of my life!

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  Love my Jeep! - 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By LauraM - November 28 - 10:00 am

  I would love to buy a new Jeep if only they would start offering the manual transmission again. Mine is a 94, the last year they offered the standard. It now has 103,000 miles on it, still has the original clutch, and runs great...it is a real workhorse. I still love it so much I wont give it up. Now that its getting older it does cost a lot to maintain, but it has been very reliable all these years. Only once did I get stranded...when the water pump went. If Jeep ever starts offering the JGC with standard trans again I will definitely buy one!

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  Fuel Efficient SUV? - 2007 Jeep Patriot
  By VAbaby - November 28 - 12:33 am

  Ive owned my Patriot now for a month and a half and have 2500 miles on it. I love it so far and have taken one summer trip to the beach. This is a great SUV for fuel economy and price! I only wish they had given me cruise and a smarter VIC. I got a good amount of features and it makes for a great car. Love the headroom being 6 tall and the dash is great! Lots of little storage places and I love the solid rear storage floor rather than a stain-possible cloth. A must have for compact SUVs.

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  KEEP AWAY - 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Brian - November 27 - 11:40 pm

  Keep away from the JGC. I had a 2004 JGC and loved it. replaced for new model in 2007. After I bought this SUV I had horrible noise coming from outside after 30mph. Had to take in 3 times for them to redo weather stripping because it was not fastened at factory. Horrible blind spots. Cheap plastic interior. Auto windows dont work when it rains and Chrylser wont fix it under warranty? Cloth seats stain when water gets on them. This has been a known problem since 2005 but Chrysler wont fix. No leg room in back seats. Horrible gas milage for a V6. This 2005 and up model is a huge let down compared to the 1999-2004 model. No wonder Chrysler went under

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  Caution - 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By KJ - November 26 - 1:00 pm

  First, there is a recall on the heated seats so call Chrysler if you have questions. I replaced mine twice before getting my recall just this month (June 2010)- $600 each seat. Brakes have been replaced twice - rotors bad. Transmission went out ($3k). Passenger window broke ($400). Power steering problems, replaced blendor on heater ($2k) in 2006; air- conditioning broke now must replace compressor, valve and blendors again ($2k+); CD player broke; gas cap broke; I maintain this vehicle well but it keeps having problems. This is the 5th Jeep I have had and never had any of these problems before this one.