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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  cylinder misfire - 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By tiamaria - May 24 - 11:18 am

  I purchased my jeep cherokee and chose not to buy the extended warranty. At 68,000km the engine light came on and my warranty expired at 60,000....code read indicated cylinder misfire...currently my jeep will be taken apart and in the mechanic shop for a week or so, its been there now for two day...power train warranty does cover it thank heavens....however extremely disappointed its already in the shop for repairs...apparently this is a common problem had i done my research i would not have purchased this vehicle...next time i will be getting extended warranty...but not a chrysler....good luck!!! my brothers lending me his truck for now!!!!

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  New motor and 180k miles later... - 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By dburkland1028 - May 23 - 9:53 am

  I got my Grand Cherokee about a month ago from a wholesaler for $2000. Obviously it was a little rough around the edges with some dents and high miles (180k) but with a new 4.0 V6, this Jeep runs strong! The tranny is stock and shifts cleaner than a lot of brand new cars. For an SUV in its size range, the mileage is amazing. I get about 20 in city and up to 28 on highway. Mine suffered the plague of this model GC with warped front rotors. It was a quick and cheap fix, however, buying one with body damage is a risk, especially around the doors. Being a unibody car, the frame gets bent very easily, which is the last remaining problem on mine. Beautiful interior, lots of space, A+ ride!

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  2014 5.7 V8 JGC OVERLAND - 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By surferron - May 23 - 9:38 am

  Getting 20.2 mpg hwy. improved after engine break in. Large media screen is nice but slower than a Lexus. Good voice recognition . Hard seats with great ventilation. Cheap plastics for interior . Lots of ports for plug ins.

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  I love my Jeep - 1997 Jeep Cherokee
  By Chris Jeep - May 22 - 2:00 am

  The Jeep has been dependable, reliable and a great fun to drive. I have enjoyed my Jeep and very sad to let it go. I wish these vehicles were still in production. If so, I would have bought another just like it. The engine light came off and on, but you learn this was just a malfuction and nothing mechanically wrong. My wife never like the ride, but she just could not appreciate it.

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  Exellent SUV - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Ryan62 - May 22 - 2:00 am

  I own a 99 JGL with select trac 4wd, 98k miles and have had only 2 issues with it. (1) The water pump went out after a grueling 4x4 expediton. Mud, water forging, steep inclines, and rock hopping. (2) The transfer case had a slight leak. Other than these minor diffculties the Jeep has ran great. It does have the clunk when shifting to reverse, but thats the nature of a good transmission. It also has the hard shift between 2 and 3rd, but I speculate the factory told the computers to shift at a bad time; it only happens when I take some time to get up to speed, not when I floor it when the stop light becomes green.

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  Love my Jeep - 2003 Jeep Wrangler
  By Rev. Roger - May 22 - 2:00 am

  I have had my 2002 Jeep Wrangler now for almost two years. I absolutely love it! I wish the fuel economy was better due to the fact that I commute about 70 mile round trip every day. But, it has been a blast and great bonding tool for my whole family. We love to camp and go four wheeling off-road. My Wrangler has taken me everywhere I had had the guts and lack of common sense to go. A party on wheels...

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  i love this car - 2003 Jeep Liberty
  By missboobooghs - May 22 - 2:00 am

  i love it, but it gets sucky gas mileage

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  First Jeep - 2005 Jeep Wrangler
  By D - May 21 - 2:40 pm

  I bought my first Jeep about a month ago (05 Rubicon) and I absolutely love it! I often take the long way home from work just so I can drive it a little longer. Although it is being used mainly for commuting, I do plan to take an occasional off-road excursion, and I cant wait to see what it can do. Not the most practical vehicle for everyday use, but thats not why we buy Jeeps. It definitely delivers everything that is promised with a Jeep. Pure fun!

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  DECENT VEHICLE - 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Dan P - May 21 - 10:00 am

  Overall, a good SUV. Very little trouble until now. Recently replaced the water pump, fuel pump, and Battery. This is its third Battery. I cant complain though, I see this as normal wear and tear items for a vehicle with 175k. The only complaints I have is with the door panels. They started to come apart at 100k. All 4 panels will run you around $600.00, and you install. Exhaust header is also a problem. It cracks and develops a leak. There are aftermarket headers available. I found Gibson headers to be the most desirable. These are direct replacement, and bolt right in. All in all, I like my Grand.

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  Jeep Liberty Limited Edition - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By Dianna - May 21 - 8:00 am

  I love my Jeep Liberty Limited Edition. However, it drinks gas faster than I can drink water. If it was not for the high prices of gas and the amount that is used by the Jeep Liberty, this would be the perfect vehicle!