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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  Best suv i have ever rode in! - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By rozzyroz - November 22 - 3:03 pm

  This is the third JGC that we have owned since 1999. we have had a 1999, 2002 and this 2005. the 2002 had a steering pump hose burst on a -20 degree day, but i guess you would have to expect that.. the other two have never had any problems. we have long commutes to work and school for my son, when we had to replace the 2002 after an accident, we decided to try other suvs...after all the test drives, we both agreed that none of them stacked up to the jeep. the leather interior, the 4.7 v8, the sunroof.. all awesome. looks great,and drives even better. we get some nasty snow in the Ohio area, so we are thankful that jeep offers such a superb 4 wheel drive in a great package!

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  Poor on Gas - Great Otherwise - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By Alleygal65 - November 22 - 9:20 am

  Ive been hit and my Liberty comes out smelling and looking like a rose. It handles beautifully on and off-road and in snow. Its great looking too. BUT the gas mileage is a REAL problem.

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  Beautiful, powerful, but frequently in the shop - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By costeld - November 21 - 7:09 am

  Until the 2011 Grand Cherokee was released I thought the 2004 was the best looking year of the best looking bodystyle. Has robust suspension and agressive approach and departure angles for offroading (though most are just daily commuters). Interior on the Overland was very nice and had unique styling. Nice engine/exhaust note, felt more powerful and faster than its 265 bhp rating. Good towing ability: 5000 lbs hardly noticable.

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  . - 2000 Jeep Cherokee
  By LGH - November 21 - 2:00 am

  Overall, were pretty happy with our Jeep. Here are a few items which needed to be improved on the model: (1) there was a piece of trim over the right rear windows which came off in a car wash; (2) there are no rear headrests for kids too big for baby/toddler seats; (3) the vehicle isnt as manueverable in tight spots as our 89 Bronco II (oddly enough).

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  Dont buy one - 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By JEEPJUNK - November 21 - 2:00 am

  118,000 miles and Im on my second transmission and it now needs to be rebulit. I have the full time 4X4 and its a gas hog. 16 mpg on the highway. Ive heard from others with Grand Cherokees and they also have put transmissions in within the 100,000 mile range. 99% of my driving is highway and no offroading so you cant blame the driver for a crappy trans. Stay away from Jeep. Buy foreign. It may cost more up front but will last longer.

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  Fits my needs perfectly - 2012 Jeep Compass
  By wmillonig - November 20 - 4:38 pm

  After 2 months and 2k miles, am ready to give you observations. Theyre almost all good, Ive been been very happy so far. Fit & Finish is fine and Ive had no issues at all during the break-in period. I chose this over a comparably equipped 2012 Ford Escape. Would I buy another someday? Probably, but if they gave it better thigh support? Definitely!!

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  [non-permissible content removed] - 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By johnoyed - November 20 - 5:41 am

  5 time jeep owner, Lease 2011 jeep Grand Cherokee Overland. Warning lights start blinking , Hard time starting, rear cam doesnt work. They say its the mother board. Under warranty- Great!!. BUTTTTTTT it will take 2 weeks to get it and they will not give me a free rental. Im paying lease, insurance, garage on a car that is out of commission for 2 weeks because of warrantied parts and they want me to pay for rental car. So i guess a warranty doesnt mean anything. Last time having a jeep.

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  The best of what we are made of? - 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By racing_s2k - November 20 - 2:28 am

  To make a long story short, I picked up my 2014 JGC on June 13 with 12 miles. Made a right out the dealer lot and the radio (8.4a) would not stop flipping. Transmission would not shift out of first gear. Took it right back to the dealer. The steering column sensor was bad, which controls the radio and transmission. This part had to be approved and shipped by Chrysler. It took over a week for the dealer to receive the part, and another couple days to install the item and test the vehicle. I understand that mistakes happen and you can not expect perfection. However, a DOA vehicle, Chryslers taking so long to repair a vehicle, and other little defects cause me to questions the build quality.

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  Great Car - but not the cheapest - 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By GeoffreyG - November 19 - 10:23 am

  Purchased my 93 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited (V8 5.2 L) in the summer of 02 with 96,000 miles on it from Valley Dodge in Boulder, CO. 2 weeks after I bought it, it needed some repairs - the starter and a couple of factory recall items as well. Other fixes throughout the years - Power Steering, Idle Motor, A/C Pump, Coolant Sensor, 4x4 Switch, Power Window Switch, Battery (2x), ext Paint, and other minor interior items, but overall the engine has continued to run like a champ at 160K+ miles now - and not even an oil leak! The interior is loaded (...with things that can break...) and power everything, AWESOME for city driving or off-roading - would recommend the Limited model over other models.

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  Love my jeep hemi - 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By hemi - November 19 - 8:26 am

  This is my 3rd jeep. 1992 Jeep Laredo, 1997 Jeep v-8, and 2007 jeep hemi. I loved them all and they all were great vehicles to drive. i love the 4 x 4 system. In Michigan we get big snow and thats when i have the most fun.