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 first car - 2007 Jeep Patriot
  By matt142 - March 11 - 7:28 am

  My patriot was my first car, buying it after graduating college. I bought it after the car was only on the market for a few months. I love the look of it, reminds me of the old Cherokee, which I hope they bring back. It gets great gas mileage on the highway and around town. Ive taken my Patriot from the deserts of Arizona to the snow of the midwest to the beaches and it has never let me down. With 90K on it, I have had no major problems, excluding replacing the ball joints, but that could be due to my spirited driving.

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  Explosive - 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Gene - March 9 - 6:06 pm

  Your mind cant seem to comprehend that something so heavy (4800 lbs) can explode with such force at the touch of the gas! Amazing power and handles like a sports car. Very user friendly interior. I would give comfort a 10 however the contour of the seats are a little narrow on your upper legs when you sit. Only reason I give fuel economy so high at a 5 is what do you expect from a 400+ horsepower beast? Performance is at par with my Subaru STI. Only vehicle on market that is all-wheel drive with 8 cylinders besides Audi! From reviews etc I do hear reliability is avg at best so take extended warranty. High 4s 0-60 is believable and mid to low 13s is too.

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  Much more good than bad - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By Jeep Owner - March 9 - 8:56 am

  Although I have not owned this vehicle long, I love it. With gas prices as they are, it is not a gas saver, however, I find that I get the same gas mileage as I got with my 6cyl sedan, yet have more room. This vehicle has a smooth ride and I dont have the fears I have had in other SUVs. I have been easily able to fit 3 car seats in the back. I have found that oversized people are a little uncomfortable riding in this vehicle. I have also found that in heavy rains, the highest speed of the wipers is not fast enough. It is also an inconvenience that you have to get the replacement for the rear wiper from the dealership as it is an nonstandard 13 1/2 inch blade. The seats stain easily

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  New Rocky Mountain Edition - Love It - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By BLANCK88 - March 9 - 5:33 am

  This is a great vehicle. Fun to drive and impressive off road. Handles well on the road and even better on the beach. :-)

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  Bad transmission - 2007 Jeep Patriot
  By Sharon - March 8 - 5:16 pm

  I purchased this vehicle with only 18,000 miles on it a year ago. I was really happy with it until it started chugging every so often while driving in reverse and also while driving at very slow speeds. I have been told that it has transmission problems and will need a new one. It only has 29,000 miles on it, the 3 yr dealership warranty has expired and I have been told a new transmission on this vehicle runs $7,000.

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  Second Liberty - 2008 Jeep Liberty
  By Rick M - March 7 - 7:56 pm

  I work in broadcast engineering, and need a vehicle to go offroad on some very rugged roads. This is my second Jeep Liberty and is replacing a 2004 Liberty Sport. The 2008 has a lot more passenger and cargo room. Its ride is a lot smoother and quieter, both on and off road. The radio is a drastic improvement over my 2004 Liberty. Im not sure why Edmunds and other reviewers keep comparing the Liberty to a RAV 4 or Ford Escape. The Liberty has no competition in its class. The 2008 Liberty Sport comes with a lot of features that were only available as options on the previous years Limited models. Temp guages, Compass, Tire Pressure Monitoring, Side Air Bags, ABS Brakes, etc

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  Bullet Proof - 2002 Jeep Wrangler
  By jsav262 - March 7 - 7:36 pm

  Pros: This vehicle is what it is... Its a Jeep. If you love to play in the Sun or Snow, If you love to manouver in & out of a parking garage at the mall or trees in the woods, this is the one. You can do a good job of getting wherever you want with this one right out of the box without all the lift kits & tall tires. & for those people, well this vehicle lets you do that too. Cons: Its NOT the "family Vacation" car. Most families have at least 2 cars now a days anyway, so who cares?! Have Fun.

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  Love My Car - 1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Starvada - March 7 - 10:00 am

  I bought my (first) Jeep about six months ago. I put on a new set of tires and replaced practically every belt on board - they were all dry rotted from sitting idle in the desert southwest. I agree that the breaks need some help, and the alarm is a nuisance. With present gas prices the 15-19 mpg range gets expensive quickly. I drove 3700 mi over 3 weeks this winter without so much as a hiccup, so Im quite pleased.

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  JEEP?? or CHEEP?? - 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By AJS2 - March 7 - 10:00 am

  I dont usually buy Domestic, and now I know why... While generally reliable, the gas mileage is poor,I am now inundated with repairs,9 At 105,000..and the fit out and comfort is not nearly as nice as the competitors at Toyota,or Nissan. IF I had to o it over again, the extra 5k for the Import is well worth it.

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  What a Jeep - 2008 Jeep Patriot
  By ShadowRider - March 7 - 6:13 am

  I bought the Patriot after much research starting at the time of its intro at the Frankfurt auto show. I have driven Jeeps since 85 and this is the best one yet. I love the handling and spaciousness. The ride is much smoother than many of the midsized and fullsized suvs I have riden in. The 4WD is easy to use and efficient. Bottom line is that I would recommend this vehicle to any of my friends. I love it, and have no intention of driving anything else, except my motorcycle.