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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  05 Jeep Grand Cherokee - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Rocky - November 11 - 4:53 am

  Rides GREAT, lots of extras that are standard. Wonderful design and build. Great power from a 3.7L V6! 4X4 model is a "all-time" making the fuel economy TERRIBLE. In a day of $3 a gallon fuel, this is a BAD "gas guzzler".

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  Its a Lemon... - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By clwoolst - November 11 - 2:56 am

  Purchased 2005 Jeep Liberty Sport 4x4 on 6/30/05 with 14 miles on it. Has been in the shop with a known transmission defect (but apparently undisclosed by manufacturer) for over a month. The release date for the repair has come and gone, but it is now on back order. Chrysler/Jeep will not stand behind product. Told me to sue them under lemon law. Think twice before you buy! At the very least verify that the vehicle you purchase was manufactured after April 2005.

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  This is awesome! - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By wildernessman - November 11 - 12:10 am

  Jeep really has it down. This vehicle has got to be one of the best ones out there. Ive already taken it off roading and it conquered the territory like a champ.

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  I love my Jeep Liberty - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By MK - November 10 - 4:13 pm

  today i bought my Jeep Liberty , and I had to drive it home from the dealership in a blizzard.. The weather was horrible, but I felt safe. I was very impressed how it handled the road.

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  AMERICAN MADE JUNK - 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Sarah G. - November 10 - 3:50 pm

  Bought this after my 98 Camry got totaled in an ice storm. Thought I was upgrading...boy, was I wrong. Shame on me for not reading the reviews before purchasing; shame on Daimler Chrysler for poor build quality and shoddy reliability. Only owned for 6 months because repair bills kept piling up. Went to four different garages; none could figure out why the vehicle kept stalling. Replaced computer, coil pack, went through three fuel pumps...nothing solved my problem.

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  Great Bang For Your Bank - 2007 Jeep Patriot
  By JeepChicago - November 10 - 10:50 am

  All in all a great vehicle. Bought in July 07. I dont know what some people expect for under $25k these days but this is as good as youre going to find. You are going to buy this car for the following reasons: 1 - best mpg for non-hybird suv 2 - great style for a compact suv 3 - made in USA FYI - There is a "break in" period for the CVT transmision. Maybe 2000 miles before the acceleration becomes smooth.

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  Best Car Ever...Only owned Jeeps - 1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Lisa - November 10 - 4:56 am

  In my family we keep our cars to the end. We all have Jeeps. Mine is the oldest..1994 with 234,000 miles. Runs like a gem. When people see it, they cant believe the year and the miles! I am just starting to think about trading it in and it makes me sad! I have not had to replace engine or anything major. Water pump, Synthetic oil changes every 6,000 miles and sometimes I have to get an oil leak repaired. Best car ever. I tell everyone to buy Jeeps, they are worth it!

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  Love it - 2007 Jeep Liberty
  By justin - November 10 - 3:40 am

  I love my Jeep, I get 23 mpg and have few complaints. The window regulators will last longer if you clean out the track with a q-tip and then spray with a silicone lubricant.

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  Poor Service and Reliability - 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By billmn - November 9 - 10:09 pm

  Purchased 2014 Grand Cherokee 16 months ago. Worse car ever in terms of performance (40 years of owning cars). Eight different times in shop for over a dozen problems (not counting 3 recall issues). No help from dealership GM on any front as he would not answer a call, e-mail or letter. Note that this was not a stalking but singluar contacts with no response. Went through "lemon law" arbitration which was a complete joke. Told that this level of service issues was "normal and reasonable". I guess spending 25+ hours in waiting rooms is a privlege and honor in the Jeep world. Would not recommend this auto manufacturer to anyone under any circumstance.

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  Stay Away - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Dean - November 9 - 2:06 am

  I bought this grand Cherokee back in 1999. It turned out to be the most unreliable car I had. The dealer took it back and I will never get a dodge/Jeep again. I think the main issue was with the new 4wd system they introduced that year. It cause many drivetrain issues. Look at all the recalls for this vehicle. My Jeep had all those issues.