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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  Transmission problems - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By Cubs1021 - March 12 - 1:03 am

  I purchased my Livery when it was 2 years old. I loved it!!!! Very comfortable and fun to drive. At 58,000 miles, I began to experience transmission problems. The transmission slips constantly in damp and snowy weather and the check engine light comes on. Took it to the dealer 3 times and they still cant find the problem. Calls to the Jeep customer service have been useless. I am also having trouble with the rear passenger window going down. My warranty will expire soon and I am concerned I will be stuck with a huge repair bill. I love the looks and the comfort, but I will NEVER buy another Jeep vehicle. The gas mileage stinks as well. About 15 city. 18 hwy.

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  Starting to have problems - 2007 Jeep Compass
  By Sue - March 1 - 4:26 pm

  We bought our 07 Compass one year ago. We bought it because of the warranty. I loved it in the beginning, but in the year, we have replaced 5 speakers, need new tires (only 32,000 miles)and had a tie rod replaced. Now there is a terrible noise coming from the back rear area when the brakes are applied. Took it to the dealer, they said it was a CD case rattling in the cubby in the back, well I didnt know and took off, and it is still doing it. I am not happy I am thinking there is something wrong, maybe the ABS or something. I am not a happy JEEP person at this point. Anyone else have issues with noises in the back end??

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  Lots of problems - 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Desert Rat - February 25 - 12:06 pm

  The first 36K miles went OK with only one warranty repair. The rear bumper was replaced (It turned a greenish color!). The crappy Goodyear Wangler tires wore out prematurely and I put Michelin LTXs on. The car handles much better and with less tire noise.The problems started at about 40K. First the drivers side window broke. (The dealer told me that this is very common). Next the circuit board in both tail/brake lights burnt out and the assemblies needed to be replaced. (Once again a very common problem). Next the passenger side window motor broke and the window dropped into the door. (Another very common problem). Now the car has a vacuum leak in the brake booster. My least reliable car.

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  More weight same engine - 2009 Jeep Liberty
  By rkr - February 23 - 8:43 pm

  The car is very comfortable in terms of driving, with a better chassis and suspension. Handling is also very controlled and easy for such a heavy SUV. The engine on the other hand is very slow, and the car feels like it drags even when you are flooring it. In terms of fuel economy, it is not the best either. Some exterior details are overdone, and back end looks somewhat squished (done for ground clearance)

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  Dont be fooled by its longevity - 2001 Jeep Cherokee
  By Coleg5 - February 17 - 2:00 am

  Bought new in 2001. Front end shimmy & pulsating brakes from day one (never fixed). Taken to the shop 12 times over a 2 year period. Problems either came back again or were replaced by others. I tried repeatedly to get satisfaction from Chrysler with no success. I was even told by an employee at their complaint department that all Cherokees have that front end shimmy problem and there is nothing that can be done. I finally got rid of this lemon a few months ago. I had intended to buy a Dodge pickup after this vehicle, but due to this experience, I will NEVER buy another Chrysler product!!

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  Highly recommend NOT buying the Jeep - 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By KS~Driver - February 16 - 10:00 am

  Trouble, trouble, trouble!!! This vehicle was very poorly built. Weve had nothing but trouble from the a/c, transmission and brakes. Though it was never left us stranded it has costed dearly to fix numerous times. The Jeep handles well in winter conditions only when in 4-wheel driver.

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  Have a 2003 and still like JEEPs - 2003 Jeep Liberty
  By bzalways - February 11 - 8:09 am

  My wife and I have owned several Jeeps over the years. Recently when our 1995 Grand Cherokee was wreaked and the frame bent (brother-in law borrowed it) we decided to upgrade to a used 2003 Liberty Renegade. My wife loves it and enjoyed driving it everyday for 5 mos. til engine blew. At 168,000 miles we didnt think twice that the miles were high (The 1995 GC had 204,000 and I have a 1994 GC still using with 242,000 on it!) but we were wrong. Apparently with the 3.7L "oil sludge" becomes an issue over 100,000. Something about faulty valves cause premature engine wear. No recall yet but have seen many incidents of blown heads, head gaskets, and blown motors in very young motors. Beware.

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  2007 Cherokee stalling/accelerating problems - 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By 07jeepgrandch - February 8 - 1:41 pm

  Bought my Cherokee brand new in 2006, immediately began having problems... the same as most complaints on here. My jeep would lose power, fail to accelerate over 30mph, fail to start, check engine light goes on & off, all dash lights come on & off. This began before 30,000 miles so the dealer replaced the ignition switch under warranty, that worked great for 20k+ miles but the problem began again recently. PLEASE report your issues to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 100s if not 1,000s of people are complaining of this problem online and Chrysler needs to be held responsible for it. http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/complaints/

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  Why my Jeep is a LEMON... - 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Jeff - February 7 - 11:43 pm

  We purchased our Jeep in Sept. 2007 and have had it back for repairs three times in the last two months for the same problem. Our Jeep Grand Cherokee has stalled out and has slipped out of gear 14 times during this time. The vehicle only has 11,000 miles on it and the Chrysler Dealership repair shop first said it was a fuel problem, then it was error messages identifying the transmission, and now the dealership has told us that it is unable to duplicate the problem and has given us the Jeep back with no repairs being made. My wife has almost been involved in two accidents, one of which my two daughters were in the car. I always heard about the reliability of Jeep but this will be our last Jeep

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  Wont buy one again. - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By yiterrp - January 29 - 10:00 am

  Less than 9000 miles and Ive had it in twice for power steering problems. It will be going back for the same pboblem. The dealership appears to be unable to correct the problem. Gas mileage is poor, interior noise is much too high.