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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  V6 4X4 Love it!!! - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By Bigmaninds - February 17 - 10:03 am

  My family & I love it, we travel alot, dish out the tough terrain to it and it doesnt stop. Have the 2.25" lift but jeeps design for this needs a solid front axle. Overall its reliable, comfortable, and its very fun to drive. I would buy another but with the HEMI motor.

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  My jury is still out - 2006 Jeep Liberty
  By Jim Walker - February 17 - 4:56 am

  I upgraded from a 2002 2wd Sport Liberty to a 2006 Sport CRD. I love the diesel. The vehicle is a breeze in traffic and parking. Not bad on the highway. After all, its a small car with large guts, heavy. Good storage with the back seats down. The dash is laid out well. Best looking compact SUV on the road. My previous 3.7 Sport delivered 17, plus or minus, MPG for 4 years. I am a bit concerned, however, with the CRD. So far, 1000 miles, I am achieving 20 MPG. I love the power and smoothness of the CRD over the 3.7, but my jury is still out as to "was it worth the upcharge?". As the motor "breaks in" I will keep you posted.

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  I LOVE MY JEEP! - 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By cclark10105 - February 16 - 11:46 pm

  The Jeep was the only thing on the dealers lot that appealed to me. I went in looking to purchase a new car and feel in love with the used jeep! It has never left me any where and runs great plus I love the way it looks. The inside is a little plain and simple but over all its an awesome car. I feel safe in it. The only down fall is the gas mileage but that is the price you pay driving as SUV! All-in-all I am a very satisfied Jeep owner and dont see myself ever purchasing anything other that a jeep.

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  Chrysler ruins what had so much potential ... - 2007 Jeep Patriot
  By kingtj - February 16 - 5:19 pm

  I bought a 2007 Jeep Patriot Sport 4x4 with the CVT transmission, used, just over a year ago as a "certified used vehicle". Thankfully, I also bought an extended warranty. The vehicle is ideal in concept; small fuel-efficient SUV that seats 5, can haul a lot of cargo for its size (including a full length ladder if you fold down the passenger front seat and back seats), and great snow/ice handling too, at a reasonable price. In reality? Chryslers cutting corners everywhere ruins things. My CVT transmission is shot, after less than 70K miles, and had bad ball joints/tie rod ends at 37K miles. Interior is full of cheap plastic everywhere, too. Even the factory battery wore out in 40K miles.

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  A Hunk of Junk !!!!! DEFINITELY a lemon! - 2016 Jeep Cherokee
  By Ben Fink / Anthony Gordon - February 16 - 7:04 am

  Wow , What a huge dissapointment, was really excited and bought a 2016 trail hawk with the 6 cycl engine Heres how owning one has gone (FYI i only have had it 3 weeks ) Week 1, computer froze with rear camera stuck on and blaring latin oompah music ,,,,,,,brought it back to the dealer for repair ,,,,they said dust got in the computer? Week 2 , brought it in for a computer update ....... Week 3 ,,,,transmission froze up while driving into neutral , couldnt get it out of neutral , had it towed to the dealers ( Santa Monica ) and its been sitting there for 3 days and nobody has even looked at it yet What can I tell you ,,,its a huge disappointment , jeep dosent seem to care.... its been in the shop more than Ive actually driven it ,,,,,wish I would have bought something elese and the dealer is NO help whats ever !!!!!!!!!!!! #jeep #trailhawk #jeeptrailhawk #lemon

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  Unlimited Soft Top review - 2005 Jeep Wrangler
  By JD - February 15 - 10:33 pm

  This is my first Jeep. The ride is great in the Unlimited, steering is very nice, and the 4 wheel disc breaks are excellent. The Unlimited Wrangler shifts into 4X4 seamlessly. My only gripe is the gas mileage, I have average 15.5mpg the first 1000 miles. But, I didnt buy it for its gas mileage.

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  First Time - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By James Seay - February 15 - 6:33 pm

  After owning an Expedition, a few Tahoes, Range Rover and an Infiniti FX45, I settled on a Jeep as my next SUV. Frankly, the huge factory incentives were a big part of my decision. Great job on the part of Jeep, because I really like this truck. Excellent lines, great interior setup and controls, love the Hemi, Navigation system and the reliability and dealer service has been better than I expected.

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  Fuel - 2010 Jeep Compass
  By janet - February 13 - 1:10 pm

  Eats up way too much gas. My 7 year old Kia got better miles than this no way I get 23 miles a gallon.

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  Over Torqued Tranny for In-line 6 Cyl? - 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Drive For 5 - February 13 - 2:00 am

  Bought my 96 Grand Cherokee Laredo from my folks in April 01. The SUV drives itself about 8 mph without hitting the accelerator. It constantly bangs in gear, especially reverse. It has had these problems since day 1 and the dealership told my folks that its "normal". Im worried, especially since it has only 57,XXX miles on it. I am considering upgrading to a full size SUV for my family. Drivers seat feels tight. Rear seat room is also tight. The childs car seat takes up most of the space. 4.0 In-line six cyl is adequate at best, wish I had the V8. Sluggish acceleration.

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  Fun 2 Drive - 1997 Jeep Wrangler
  By Sharkie - February 13 - 2:00 am

  I was impressed how smooth this Jeep drove after driving some of the older models with the leaf springs. Jeep has come a long way. This machine really knows how to handle rough terrain. The top still needs much work to make it easy to bring up and down.