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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  Jeep Liberty Review - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By Norman OBrien - December 16 - 10:00 am

  I have hadan exceptional experience with this vehicle. I had a Cherokee before and this Liberty handles better,rides better and is more comdortable. my only gripe is that it does not have as much cargo room as my old Cherokee.

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  Its okay - 2007 Jeep Patriot
  By cnccot - December 16 - 12:30 am

  Im learning to live with it but been hard to leave a fully loaded Suburban. I wanted to save gas money and I have certainly done that but the loss of power and luxury has been a hard one to swallow. Nice when it only cost me $30 to fill up and Im getting 26-28 miles to the gallon

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  Garbage - 2005 Jeep Wrangler
  By Steve - December 14 - 10:00 pm

  This vehicle is for the off road consumer. It rides poorly on the road and feels like it jumps around when you take a turn and hit a bump. I purchased it brand new and the dash squeaks (dealership said that is how they are from the factory). You can see the spot welds on the rear quarter panels. (again ok to Jeeps standards). Weld marks on the doors not ground down, just painted over. (again ok with Jeep).

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  A Jeep Thing I Dont Understand - 1995 Jeep Wrangler
  By Graham - December 14 - 9:13 pm

  It must be a "Jeep thing" that I just dont understand - this little thing is so overrated. I would suggest it to someone who goes off-roading every weekend, but for a daily driver, its atrocious. 4 cylinder = horrid performance and gas mileage as well. The highway ride is unbearable with the soft top, but its another $1600 to get another one with hard upper doors. The reliability hasnt been great - I took it to the shop three times in two months. Minor stuff, but it adds up. If you want something to play with for the weekends or summer, sure, this can be fun, but I highly recommend something else. Im buying a Toyota.

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  Interior Lacking - 2009 Jeep Wrangler
  By Yooper - December 13 - 5:23 pm

  Overall, pretty satisfied. Didnt buy it for the ride, although the 4 door rides better than the 2 door. Seats better than expected. Stereo system is OK. Gas mileage not great, but OK.

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  luv my jeep - 1998 Jeep Cherokee
  By vega - December 11 - 2:00 am

  bought it w/30k miles, its got 130k HARD miles on it now & its still kicking (not w/o some little quirks.... nothing serious, just gives it character! This little SUV kicks butt..... its unstoppable! Let it snow! & rain!? Ha! I rescued people in BIG SUVs during a recent flash flood. PLUS it tows my horse trailer.... not bad for a 6 cylinder! I love this baby and wish they still made em!

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  Must Buy SUV - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By bikin4fun - December 11 - 2:00 am

  If you are in the market for a compact SUV, Jeep Liberty can be the answer to all you need for 4 X 4. This car looks good from the outside, robust engine, roomy interior and can tow up to 5,000 Lbs. The best thing is that it is under $25,000 with all the rebates from Jeep. Forget Kia, Ford, GMC and go for the real thing: JEEP

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  Love My Jeep - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By lacdep - December 11 - 2:00 am

  I love my Jeep Liberty. Its fun to drive, is solid and well built and very comfortable.

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  great 2nd car - 2007 Jeep Wrangler
  By Mike Garry - December 10 - 11:26 pm

  use it to tow behind a Motorhome works great not a hiway vehicle. great for two people and a little gear. Wish it had more towing like the 4 door

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  Northern vehicle for crappy road conditions - 2017 Jeep Patriot
  By Christy Oslund - December 9 - 8:48 pm

  Havent had this Jeep Patriot Latitude long enough to comment on reliability but I can say, if you live in an area with challenging road conditions and a lot of snow, this is a great choice. Bought during a winter where we regularly received 6 inches overnight and plow trucks were leaving my former car stuck in my driveway every morning. The Jeep has handled these conditions admirably; under the worst conditions the 4 wheel drive ads an element of grip and helps get up and down steep, poorly cleared streets. Ive always driven practical vs. plush vehicles, so from my point of view, this is a comfortable vehicle to drive. My first with heated, leather seats and honestly - I love them. So why not a 5 star rating? The drivers door often creaks on opening and I do have some concerns about how this will hold up long term. My need to get over rough roads and living with extreme winters though, made the clearance and 4 wheel capacity of the Jeep more important. Sure, if I was going to spend at least another ten to twenty thousand, I could buy a vehicle that was equally good on rough roads and more likely to hold up better over time. Id rather spend a lot less up front, and re-evaluate my needs in four or five years, by which time car technology will have taken a few more steps.