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 Ride - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By Pat - May 1 - 6:00 pm

  Solid SUV with great acceleration. Handles GREAT in a foot of snow.

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  RDS TOY - 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Richard B. - April 30 - 7:49 pm

  Just returned from a trip to WV, and my Grand Cherokee performed flawlessly. This is my first Jeep (formerly a Ford lover), and I am not saying this because its mine, but Jeep has don their homework on this vehicle. We drove over 700 miles on out trip, but I did not experience any sore back, arms or buttitis. Most comfortable and easiest to drive vehicle I have ever owned. Fuel mileage was 22mpg overall and the air ride suspension is wonderful, especially when getting in or out.

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  Well loved Liberty - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By Love my liberty - April 30 - 6:53 pm

  We have had our Liberty for about 2 months and I love it!We got the color that we wanted and a 6 speed manual transmission, which is rare. When we bought it, the reason was that I needed a small SUV with 4x4 for our lovely CO winters that sometimes play jokes on traffic. In the short time that we have had it we have only had a flat tire which was my fault. Our fuel economy has been wonderful!! Better than my husband expected at about 25- 29 mpg depending on how much I put my foot into it. It has also helped us get out on the weekends for family outings. Taking the dog is easy, too. Maybe we have great luck with this SUV, but it is well made and tons of fun to drive!

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  Who would give me cash for this clunker? - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By No More Jeeps for Me - April 30 - 2:56 am

  Purchased new online in 99. Had to replace front & rear differentials shortly after warranty expired. Lost arbitration w/ shop that used wrong diff. fluid due to Jeep bulletin. Replaced condenser, evaporator, shocks (twice), rotors, pads, yada, yada, yada... Does this vehicle have a seal that doesnt leak? CD changer quit working & front passenger speaker blew long ago. Transmission shifts hard from 1st to 2nd during the winter... likely a viscosity issue as dealer cant fix w/o pulling out tranny which I wont pay for. Check engine light has been on for 2+ yrs now. Dealer wont cut wire. Got 132,000 miles with mostly new parts so hoping for 200,000 miles. Repair bills mounting...

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  Performer, Sad to see you go - 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Roman - April 28 - 9:46 pm

  Funny to read the reviews below: A/C gone at 100K, back wiper gone at 120k, cant keep back door up, 4 Wheel drive shifter not functioning properly, gas tank gauge gone at 110k, changed air sensor 2x (causes engine light to turn on) and looks like it needs a third swap, muffler change at 160k, front wheel suspension needs alot of work... still Im going to miss you! After the long hauls, major home renovations and 4WD to ski slopes the Jeep performed well. The motor still feels smooth, quiet and should support future use with some major work on the above requirements.

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  Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT-8 - 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By John Broyles - April 28 - 9:26 pm

  The most fun SUV I have ever driven. Nice interior, very stiff and sporty suspension. If you are looking for a high performance vehicle that can be driven year round, this is the one. Very nice interior and exterior design.

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  after 80 days stilll not very happy - 2014 Jeep Cherokee
  By vlowe945 - April 28 - 9:44 am

  bought w/ 2 miles on it, 2nd day wouldnt start, been in the shop 6 times & towed once, transmission malfunctioned the ck engine brake & esc light came on then rolled forward down the driveway in reverse, it said service transmission & needed computer updates. when started it idles high then acts like its gonna die & smooths out, taking off from stop it shimmys from side to side. on the interstate with cruise @ 70 mph rpms are 2200 but plus or minus 1 mile the rpms drop to 1850, I resorted to video recording every time I got in it as evidence of trouble, have a active case with Jeep but if there is a issue and it doesnt throw a code its not fixable! but I did get a 6/60k free maint.

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  Gotta love Jeeps - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By SarahSmile - April 27 - 7:03 pm

  I just traded my 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 4x4 for a 2004 model. I owned the first for 3 years and loved it! Drives beautifully and is the perfect size. I did have to take it back to the dealer because of the rotors but they fixed them for free. I dont like the brake dust that gets all over the rims and I guess this is a common problem for the model. Other than that it is great.

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  My second Wrangler - 1995 Jeep Wrangler
  By wingman67 - April 26 - 4:31 pm

  This is our 8th Jeep and my second 1995 Wrangler. I bought my first 1995 Wrangler S in 1997 and drove it absolutely everywhere including out of state trips. I wanted another one and knew I wanted the same type....old school leaf springs and ruggedness that vanished after the 95 model year. Now I have a 95 Rio Grande model. Rides exactly like my first one......kidney pounding rough and exactly what a Jeep Wrangler is about. Has about 133,000 on the clock and gets about 19 mpg if Im easy on it. This is my daily driver even in coldest of winter. The soft top and soft upper doors are no problem with that strong heater. Love this thing as much as I did my first one and Id recommend to anyone!

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  dont waste your money - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By abrown - April 26 - 12:43 am

  We have owned this vehicle for one year now and have regretted the purchase every day since. It has been in the shop so many times we have lost count. It will die while in motion and cause loss of steering and braking. It has happen several times and no one can seem to fix the problem. It is a death trap! Luckily, these "stalls" have happened at low speeds. Wind noise, water leaks, ac makes horrible sounds, numerous recalls, and slow response throttle are just some of the problems we have faced. We bought this car brand new, it was not used. These problems are happening to most owners of this car. NHTSA is investigating the engine and hopefully the situation will finally be fixed. Horrible!!