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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  Love Love Love this car - 2006 Jeep Liberty
  By Nicole - February 1 - 6:43 pm

  Started leasing this car almost 3 years ago, and couldnt be happier with it. Only problem I ever had was the back wiper stopped working twice when I first got the car. I also had to get new brake pads and rotors but that was according to STS so who knows if I actually needed that done. SO much fun to drive, lots of power, love the available 4WD for when it snows. Mileage, of course, could be better. The lease is almost up and my dad is pushing me to get a dodge...I cried all the way home tonight thinking of how much I will miss my Jeep if I go through with the dodge deal :( I would love to have this car forever and ever and ever if I could.

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  Loving It! - 2008 Jeep Patriot
  By Kristen - January 31 - 9:53 pm

  So after looking at the Chevy Equinox, Pontiac Torrent, Mazda5 and a few others, Jeep had the best lease terms and no doubt the absolute best warranty in the business, which led us to lease this truck 1 wk ago. So far so good, its fun to drive with the euroshift making up for its lack of spunk when passing, a little down shifting goes a long way. My own complaints are that its 2008 and you can still lock yourself out of the car with THE KEYS IN THE IGNITION! Ive already done it, if you hit the lock down manually by accident while getting out too bad!! Also the cup holders are in a stupid spot and the tailgate door is super low. Im 510" and Ive hit my head a few times already

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  Great all around Performer - 2006 Jeep Liberty
  By traceit - January 29 - 9:23 am

  I bought my 2006 Jeep Liberty Sport here in Reno on 05-29-2006. It has great performance and handles great as well. It corners well, and has a lot of power for its size. I was impressed with its climbing abilities and the overall smoothness of the ride. It goes everywhere and is suitable for runs to the grocery store, taking the family to dinner as well as all of the outdoor activities that you expect a Jeep to be used for. The steering is a little numb (better keep an eye on the speedometer - youre going faster than you think!) and the 3.7 V-6 is a little thirsty at the pump, but it does have 210 HP and quick acceleration, so the trade off is well worth it. All in all, I give it 4.75 stars out of 5.

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  LOVE THIS SUV - 2016 Jeep Patriot
  By Dianne - January 29 - 9:07 am

  I have never owned a Jeep product. I always stuck with Honda or Toyota. This vehicle tops all of those. The head room and leg room is wonderful, I am 59 and I have lots of room.

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  Third Jeep - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By sunman168 - January 28 - 11:20 am

  The Jeep Commander is my third Jeep SUV. I started with the boxy Cherokee followed by a Grand Cherokee and now the Commander. The styling of the Commander reminds me of my first Cherokee which is simple yet very retro. The performance has been great, the ride is excellent, and the features inside are very user friendly. I went with the 6 cylinder to help me with the gas mileage and it is just enough power to haul my family around.

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  GOOD FUN CAR - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By ryan2333 - January 28 - 10:00 am

  This is a good buy fun to drive all around a good car Love jeep

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  Awesome Jeep - 2007 Jeep Commander
  By Waffen72 - January 28 - 7:00 am

  My wife and I love our new Commander. Fun to drive, great road visibility, quiet ride, very comfortable seating all around. The 3.7 V6 delivers plenty of power, and is very responsive with its electronic control fuel injection.

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  I love my Jeep! - 2003 Jeep Liberty
  By sugar00101 - January 28 - 5:56 am

  Great vehicle. Very easy to park, and I am bad at parking. Handles well. Very comfortable. Even after 12 hours of driving in one day, my back and neck was not sore like it would have been in previously vehicles owned. I have owned this Jeep for over 2 years now, and it has only been to the shop once for a battery change, and I put a lot of miles on vehicles. It is up to 90,000 and has a lot more in it. I would recommend this to anyone. Great get up and go, cold ac, I love the chrome accents, I wasnt 100% crazy about the body, but it grew on me quickly.

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  New Ride - 2016 Jeep Cherokee
  By stewaz - January 28 - 3:19 am

  Just upgraded from a 2007 Cherokee and this blows it away. Love everything about this vehicle.

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  I think overall it was a good purchase. - 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By jglen - January 26 - 10:00 am

  I think the Jeep is beatiful, and it runs excellent. Ive kept it in good shape, and pretty much the only thing I regret about it is not getting the sunroof. It has needed only the following minor repairs, so I think the 100k miles extended Chrysler warrantee I got was necessary: some problem with a transmission seal, the lock mechanism wouldnt let me start the car one day, fuel pump needed to be replaced. So only twice in 2 years I have not been able to drive it. The warranty covered 100%. so It was not bad at all, considering this Jeep is an awesome ride, very comfortable in long and short drives,