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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  looks good...runs bad - 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Ryan - November 26 - 9:33 am

  Bought in 05 with 65,xxx miles on it. Other then routine maintenance, just switched out the alternator. Been through 3 serp belts,no idea why. CD player is crapping out on me. Front two speakers are going out. Cooling fan went out at 89,xxx. At 126,xxx, needing new relay switch, A/C light wont come on unless the defrosters are on. Alignment keeps going out. Rear axle keeps leaking. Fuel pump is starting to go out. All not major problems...but when they add up it gets annoying. My favorite part is that the car leaks water every time it rains. The weather stripping is fine except for around the sunroof. No mechanic I know can figure out why it does...

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  I could have done better - 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By gamma500 - November 26 - 12:33 am

  Leased this Limited 4.7 AWD..at 1,600 miles had catastrophic transmission failure not uncommon with the Daimler 300 series auto tranny. Opted for new Jeep replacement after they wanted to give back original with drivetrain removed and replaced. 2nd vehicle had a locked rear caliper so I got new rear brakes after a few miles. So-so gas mileage and typical V-8 (USA style) performance, i.e. mediocre which WOT producing a lot of engine thrashing noise but little acceleration. Large A pillars and bulky rear view mirror setup makes for large forward, lt/rt. blind spots. Interior plastic soft and easily scratched, like "soft" exterior paint. Comfortable seating, moderate rear leg room,

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  Love it! - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By Jake - November 26 - 12:26 am

  Bought for my wife. Great vehicle. Rides like a luxury car, very quiet. Decent mileage. Looks great and fun to drive. Excellent trip car with plenty of headroom even with the sunroof. Loaded with standard features, traded in a Grand Cherokee Limited and all I miss are the heated seats. No major complaints.

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  Not bad, Not bad at all. - 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Justin Brown - November 25 - 7:03 pm

  I recently purchased a 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee 65th Anniversary Edition with the 4.7 Liter V8. I do a lot of highway driving an was instantly impressed with the Gas Mileage. I average 20, sometimes event 21/22 in a V8! (and i am a 23 yr old male, so believe me when i say i dont really baby it) The city gas mileage i average around 16/17, which is "ok". I mean it is a V8, cant expect a lot. I love the power the V8 offers, and the towing capabilities. The looks are sleek, and I always get compliments. I HATE the seat belt chime doesnt turn off. Overall I am really happy with the purchase, I have had it for about (2) months now and no real complaints so far.

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  Love This Car - Bought 2! - 2009 Jeep Patriot
  By Dave - November 25 - 2:10 am

  Bought the first one between snowstorms - was very impressed with the combination of 4WD, traction and stability control. Traded the old Wrangler for the second Patriot because we liked the first Patriot so much we were fighting over who got to drive it. Both have sunroofs, a great sound system, and 17inch Wrangler tires with alloy wheels. The bells and whistles are well worth it. The autoshift works fine for fast acceleration, but it takes a little to get used to. Put it into 6th for flat highway driving and get better gas mileage. We especially like the lower road clearance - better stability and plenty high enough if you dont go off- road, and its still higher than a car

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  call me a fool - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By jlh452 - November 24 - 10:40 am

  call me a fool. I have owned 5 Jeep Cherokees/Grand Cherokees over the years. This one is by far the worst of the bunch. With 21,000 miles, I have had 4 rear pinion seal leaks, 1 transmission leak, faulty front brake rotors (I had to pay 50% of the cost to replace the warped rotors since I had over the 12,000 brake warranty), a relay replacement so that the rear flipper glass would operate, a transmission recall where a vent tube had to be installed to prevent potential engine fire and lots of other aggravation. The vehicle does ride nicely...especially from home to the dealership for service. Gas mileage is poor. Never again-this is why the domestic car producers are losing to the imports.

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  Dont buy this vehicle! - 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Jim - November 24 - 4:10 am

  I purchased my Jeep with 20K miles and at the time thought it was a good investment. Ive owned it for 4 years now and its been in the shop at least a half dozen times for electrical related problems. First the lights wouldnt work, then the automatic windows, then the bucking and stalling, now its the directionals. These are cheap fixes either. Each trip to the shop seems to cost $400. This is the least reliable vehicle Ive ever owned. Ill never buy another Chrysler product and neither should anyone else.

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  Highly Defective Substandard Suv - 2008 Jeep Patriot
  By truth1hurts - November 24 - 2:40 am

  We bought the 2008 Patriot new for $25k and within a few months endured unjustifiable anxiety for unrelenting warranty repairs on an inferior made cheap product. First and last time Jeep buyers, the 5-speed manual transmission went through 4+ major warranty repairs: clutch, transmission, defects, gear box, ball bearings, etc. It had to be towed a few times to the car lot. We lost value and money in a headache suv that was highly defective and unreliable and dismissed trips too. Very poor car, dealership, head office and managers. Stacks of warranty repair files amplifies our deserved poor rating of the car and all involved.

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  This thing is a tank - 1999 Jeep Cherokee
  By tlrthnu - November 23 - 1:46 pm

  This thing is a tank. Parents bought it new in 99, never had a major problem with it. The engine is rock solid. 190K miles on it and going strong as when it was new. Never had any leaks or any problems at all. Have replaced some parts outside of wear parts (rear springs, U-joints, front stabilizer shock), but this thing is tougher than nails. With new shocks and rear springs, rides better than my sports car. Even ran into a tree two years ago, had it fixed, and you could never tell anything ever happened to it. We expect to keep this Jeep at least another 100K miles. We live off three miles of rough dirt road and it takes the punishment and asks for more. Best vehicle weve ever owned.

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  Perfect Size True SUV - 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Rod Barneycastle - November 23 - 5:07 am

  This is actually a 5.7L Hemi. Comfortable, quiet, and tows like a champ.