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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  Love That Jeep - 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Mike Wells - June 14 - 10:40 am

  I just recently bought my Jeep, and I can tell you that it is one of the best vehicles I have ever owned. The acceleration is top notch; it will even keep up with some of the best sports cars. I love the interior. The seats are so comfortable. The controls are laid out well, and I love the steering wheel audio controls. The sound system in the vehicle is almost as good as some aftermarket systems. I really like the body style and love the 17" wheels and tires. I would recommend this vehicle to anyone who wants a very competent on/off road SUV.

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  suspension problems - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By rough ride - June 14 - 2:00 am

  overall the liberty has been very reliabe.the 3.7 V6 pulls really hard if you put your foot into it. the downside is the goodyear wrangler s/r tires very poor choice for 4x4 lousy traction in the wet or snowand the rear suspension. at about 8000 km. the rear started to bottom out the dealer replaced the shocks and said itwas fixed. NOT!!by 10000 km. itwas so bad you couldnt carry apassenger in the back seat. the dealer test drove it said it seemed fine to him. I finaly got the service managerto come for a ride with me. put him in the back seat. he says I may have a problem.

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  Issues, Issues, Issues - 2015 Jeep Cherokee
  By towsonres - June 12 - 12:35 pm

  I want to start by saying that I love the comfort and styling of this car. I have the 6 cylinder, but that was not in the drop down menu. Jeep may have a serious problem with the Cherokee. Bought my first jeep on a Monday and started to have parking break issues. No fix after three trips back to the dealer to rectify the issue, so the dealer swapped out for another. I drove the new one for 300 miles and had a transmission code, which forced me to limp it back to the dealership. They swapped out the transmission module and they think that this may fix the problem. I sure hope so. I do feel that if you buy a vehicle in excess of $30,000 there should not be trouble the first week.

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  Slowest thing on the road - 2007 Jeep Commander
  By notbrian - June 11 - 10:57 pm

  I traded in our Trailblazer SS for a base model 07 V6 Commander 4x4 for the woman. I picked it up for under $11k with 77k miles and its in really good condition, not a spec of rust under it - and thats rare for Ohio. Anyways, coming from a 400hp monster to this thing, I start dosing off a bit when putting the hammer down. Ive driven vietnam-era military vehicles faster than this slug. The interior and build quality seems a lot nicer than Chevys, and the woman is happy, so I guess Im happy. Its been pretty reliable so far, but Im one to keep up with maintenance. A little bit of that goes a long way, so people should maybe think about that before typing up a page of complaints.

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  Lemon? - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Eleanor - June 6 - 12:23 am

  I bought a 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited with a 4.7L engine in February of 2009. It had odd electrical issues - the message center would constantly tell me to "service the 4WD system" but I never used the 4X4 and the rear passenger side window wouldnt roll up after being rolled down. And the car got terrible gas mileage! My previous Jeep, a 1999 model had gotten great mileage and I never had problems with it. It was a great car! Then my boyfriend totaled my 05 Jeep. To replace it, I decided on an 05 Limited with the 5.7 (Hemi). And this new one stinks too! Gas mileage is even worse, and the passenger side window wont roll up. Plus, the car leaks when it rains. I used to love JEEP!

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  (O!!!!!O) - 2010 Jeep Liberty
  By (O!!!!!O) - June 4 - 9:26 pm

  Well I never owned a Jeep but considered because of the outdoor activities I do. The Jeep Liberty 2010 is the perfect ride for me! I am in Management and do some company traveling and the Jeep Liberty has the classy appearance for my rep! Although after work, I hunt, or fish off the beach and haul moto-cross and 4- wheelers so the ruggedness and off- road capabilities are there!!! Classy on the outside, all Jeep underneath!! The back road travels use to feel like I was busting my old car apart!!! Not any more!!

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  Its the Genuine Article - 2004 Jeep Wrangler
  By Jeff D. - June 4 - 5:26 pm

  My first GP, a 2004 Jeep Wrangler SE 4 cylinder, 4WD, with soft top and hard doors, has been reliable, versatile, and just plain fun. Its a blast for all seasons ... goes anywhere in the snow (though ice is always tricky) ... doesnt leak in the heaviest of rain ... pulls my 16 ft. boat up a bumpy ramp with ease (especially using 1st gear in 4WD low )... and doesnt need air conditioning (just take the windows out on a hot day or lower the top). However, I do suggest that you keep both hands on the wheel in windy and rainy conditions because of the short wheelbase and wider tires. Theres plenty of heat in winter and you can adjust the vents to cover your needs. It has comfortable seats too.

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  New owner review - 2003 Jeep Liberty
  By dambio - June 4 - 10:00 am

  I love my Jeep Liberty. Ive only had it for about 1 month, but I just cant find enough time to drive it. It is the perfect size vehicle and is absolutely exciting to drive. I love the way it handles and especially love the power of the 3.7L V6 engine. My wife and I are both tall (shes 510" and Im 62") and the head room in the front of the car is perfect. There are still several inches left even when I sit straight up (which is rare in any type of vehicle). Most people complain about the handling and ride, but I say an SUV is a truck, not a passenger car or a minivan, and I expect one to behave accordingly.

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  Love my Commander, except for a glitch! - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By Anna - June 3 - 5:46 pm

  Ive owned my 2006 Commander for about 1 1/2 years and I love the ride. It was a big step up from my Mitsu Diamante. I needed something bigger for the growing family. The ride is so smooth. My girls love to go for a ride every night and fall asleep. The glitch is that recently Ive been driving and the truck turns of by itself for no apparent reason, itll turn back on when you restart it.

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  Mines been very good - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Like MY Jeep - June 1 - 9:23 pm

  Wow, I cant believe how lucky Ive been. My Grand Cherokee Ltd has been great with only the brake issue ever a problem. Ive been through 2 sets of rotors and pads in 4 years. I drive it fast and hard all the time and love the way it handles except for the side to side rocking over bumps which takes some getting used to. I have the 6 cylinder and AWD (not Quadra that came with the V8s) and my mpg seems to hover around 16-17 except in really cold weather when it drops to 14. Tows my 20 boat with ease. Upright comfy seating, leather is high quality, midsized (think station wagon). I think its better looking (the 99 version) than the latest model. I liked my 93 Grand Cherokee Limited too. Guess I knew what I was buying.