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 vehicle guaranteed to get you from A to B - 2000 Jeep Wrangler
  By Ben - June 1 - 12:33 am

  This vehicle is very rugged and can handle about anything. I have used and abused it and always works great. I dont like how the A/C system is not too cold and this is bad when you are offroading. Most of the time my top is down, which is also a hassle. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to have fun driving!

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  Splish Splash (The Sloshing Noise) - 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By mtepper - May 31 - 4:13 pm

  Nice quiet ride with very little road noice. Solid feel and actual communcative steering feel! Comfortable front seats. Went on a Road trip from LA to SF and got 25 MPG!

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  New JK Kicks [non-permissible content removed] - 2013 Jeep Wrangler
  By rogerdl05 - May 30 - 7:51 pm

  I have owned other Jeep Wranglers and this one by far has been the best! The new Pentanstar engine makes it, I have put on 33"s with a 2 inch lift and it still feels spunky when the engine decides to kick in. This vehicle is great but it is has a few things that drive me crazy.

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  Four Wheeled Dirt Bike - 2010 Jeep Wrangler
  By Mike - May 29 - 5:46 pm

  I have had a number of Jeeps but, not the new JK Wrangler. A few weeks after buying it, we drove it from Indiana to Moab, UT and were pleasantly surprised at how well it rode, tight build quality, fuel economy (low of 18, high of 24), did not feel wore out at the end of the day, etc. We took it out on some mild Utah trails and this thing is awesome off road in stock trim! My wife is the daily driver of it and she absolutely loves it (weird as it sounds. went from a Jetta to the Wrangler). I have always thought Wranglers were the perfect vehicle for both summer and snowy winters. Not perfect but, IMHO, the imperfections are irrelevant. Buy one, they are a BLAST & hold a great resale

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  satisfied owner - 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By nor - May 28 - 10:00 am

  The 2001 jeep (v8) has excellent, smooth power and gets the exact same gas mileage as our 6cyl.(17 city,19 hiway). Acceptable smooth ride for a 4X4. Has been very reliable so far with only a few small problems (seat heater and warped brake rotors). Dealer very responsive and good to deal with. We dont like the leather seats, too slippery and uncomfortable. Drivers hand and elbow position on the steering wheel awkward and uncomfortable. We love the car and would buy another.

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  Repeat Liberty buyer - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By Gerry - May 26 - 8:46 pm

  I bought my 2005 Liberty in Dec.2004 to replace my 2002 Liberty. I did not expect to do this since I had bought the 2002 as a compromise vehicle because my Audi could not navigate a rough trail to a cabin in New Hampshire due to low ground clearance. To my surprise, I got to like the Liberty (although not its thirsty habits) and once the brakes and tires were upgraded in the 2005, I could not resist renewing the experience. The lights are much better in the 2005 also. Some say the cargo volume is small. However, I got a full dresser, nightstand, mirror and various other bedroom items inside the Jeep with all doors and windows closed and put the two headboards on the roof. No problem!

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  Great car if it were reliable - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By diesel guy - May 26 - 4:10 pm

  We have owned several diesel cars and had hoped this car would perform as the others. It has a lot of nice features. My wife loves the heated seats and the 6 cd changer in the dash but the cup holders are awkward. Our trouble is with the engine reliability: Turbo boost hose, EGR valve and the numerous recalls. The transmission is now making noise and popping out the dip stick. The sevice engine light is always on. Im thinking of trading it for a VW

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  Trouble, Stay Away! - 2009 Jeep Patriot
  By mottea97 - May 26 - 10:00 am

  It is a great car until it started to leak from the rear dome light. No one at Chrysler can seem to figure out why. It has been to the Dealer 5 time and the leak still occurs, not to mention the horrid brake scream that has been cleaned 3 times and returns. Great on space, Seats need work and form fitting for comfort. The 2.4L engine is way underpowered for moving a vehicle like that. Sometimes you have to pray that the car will make it passing and not end up in an accident.

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  Red, Racy but Rough on the MPG - 2009 Jeep Liberty
  By D Cowan - May 26 - 10:00 am

  Reasonable cost to buy and maintain, but mpg is only 12.5 avg. spirited driving in town traffic. With care, can get 23 hwy. Visibility is great.

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  TERRIBLE NEVER BUYING ANOTHER - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By JusEmptyEntirePocket - May 25 - 12:26 pm

  I bought my 05 Jeep Grand cherokee in June of 2008 and have had nothing but problems since day one. Right away the starter went and then from there on the list is endless now the rear end is leaking the car only has 54,000 miles on it and its sitting in a driveway because within the past 3 weeks it has cost me over $2,000 in repairs. love my jeep but it is really getting ridiculous. I am looking into trading it in for a brand new honda, no more jeeps even though I have loved them my whole life. I guess its just the luck of the draw some people have good luck others do not.