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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  2005 Jeep Liberty - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By Tomk - November 13 - 8:10 am

  This vehicle is fun to drive. I love the size although the cargo space is a bit limited. The rear seats fold down easily for more storage area. The ride is smooth and tight without being stiff. The seats are well padded and sit comfortably, but are very narrow (and Im only 160 lbs). I have the leather trim option which means the seats are mostly vinyl with a little bit of leather on the sides. The back and seat bottoms become very hot and "sweaty" in the summer. The highway ride is comfortable but has a lot of wind noise above 60 mph. I have 7000 highway miles since purchased new in Sept 05. The EPA sticker boasts 22 mpg highway and I cant even break 16 mpg.

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  Ive Been Waiting for a Jeep Like This - 2007 Jeep Wrangler
  By Eric in California - November 13 - 5:00 am

  My 97 Wrangler was stolen and I was forced to buy another SUV after a decade of loving my first Jeep. Boy am I glad I rented a car for months waiting for this Jeep to show up in CA. I loved my Jeep and it was tough to lose it, but my pain disappeared almost instantly once I test drove the 07 Wrangler Unlimited Sahara. I was hooked. It was far fancier. I never thought I would get into the comforts of this upgraded model, but they are easy to get used to. Four doors are awesome and extra cargo...I needed all along. Everyone that drives in my Jeep loves it. After a year I am still in the infatuation stage. Jeep did right on this one. Heres to another decade, or much longer I hope!

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  Jeep styling with great mileage - 2008 Jeep Compass
  By tryan02 - November 12 - 9:16 pm

  I have had the compass for a month now and love it. Although Ive only run one tank through it (its my second vehicle). I got 26 mpg on the first tank and it aint broke in yet 300miles on it total. I bought the plain jane nothing on it to brag about. No problems so far. Great vehicle for the money got the $250 cash back made it a $15,000 vehicle talk about bang for the buck.

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  i enjoy it - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By its a good vehicle - November 12 - 7:06 pm

  My 2002 Liberty Limited has served me well since I purchased it. Only minor (and mostly normal) issues have arisen in the past 40k miles (+/-). Its got great off road ability and its very fun to drive! My only cons about the Jeep are the gas mileage, interior design, and comfort of the ride for the passengers. Overall, its a great vehicle for these 122k miles so far!

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  3rd Jeep - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Kevin Straight - November 12 - 10:50 am

  This is my 3rd new Jeep since 1996. The first, a Cherokee Country impressed me immensely, giving nearly trouble free service during 6 years of ownership. Replaced by a 2002 Grand Cherokee Laredo with the 4.0 engine. I was happy with the design but mechanical problems, while never putting it out of service, were exasperating. The fuel mileage was underwhelming too. This new Grand Cherokee Laredo offers better ride, better build quality, much better performance with a 4.7 V8, and (believe it or not) better fuel economy! My one gripe is that for an extra $225 the paint quality should not exhibit the flaws I have found.

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  Love Jeeps - 2005 Jeep Wrangler
  By Doc Savage - November 11 - 7:10 pm

  This is my 4th Wrangler (still have the 98). I enjoy the open air fun and offroad ability of the Wrangler. Been a rag top man for years and love the open air.

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  2014 Wrangle under 6000 miles - 2014 Jeep Wrangler
  By brkdvs - November 11 - 2:14 pm

  I am having a lot of personal issues with my Jeep. First I would like to say I understand the Wrangler is not supposed to be the most comfortable or fashionable vehicle but I have highlighted some problems that are completely unnecessary. 1. All the plastic is "chalking" and turning white. It looks really bad. 2. Terrible amount of drive-train play. It feels like the transmission will fall out of the vehicle at some point (lots of clunking and knocking) 3. The serpentine belt will not stop squeaking. 4. During heavy rain fall the cowl vent will leak and fill the passenger and driver footwells with water.

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  1 Year with our Liberty - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By Larry Hogelie - November 10 - 10:00 am

  We have been quite happy with our Liberty. We have had very few problems (rear hatch window blew out, power locks cycling, brake sqeak. All repaired without incident. This Jeep has amazing off-road ability. It will climb a rock strewn creek bed better in 2WD than than other brands in 4WD. Amazing. This is the my 9th 4x4 I have owned. My biggest disappointment is the fuel economy. I get the same highway mileage as my I did with my 93 GMC Suburban. To me this inexcusable. I know that a full size Chevy 4WD extended pickup delivers a real 2-3 mpg better than my Liberty. If it wasnt for the poor mileage I would have given our Liberty a much higer rating.

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  Very pleased - 2003 Jeep Liberty
  By samuraiRSX - November 10 - 10:00 am

  Great vehicle that feels very solid and has good power. The cloth seats are very comfortable and seem to be made of material that should wear well. I am 510" and 260lbs and have ample room inside. Due to great road height visibility is excellent, and insurance rates are very good. CR gave it average reliability (which is much better than a Ford/Mazda SUV), and I have gotten several comments on the great color (Patriot Blue). I had to go to a couple of dealerships to get a good deal, but 0% for 60 and 7 year 70000 powertrain are hard to beat.

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  Yellow wont die - 2001 Jeep Cherokee
  By Steph D - November 9 - 11:10 am

  2Dr/4WD Cherokee, commutes 200km daily and goes trail riding on weekends. Does a long paper route once a week and takes three dogs out and about. 4.0L engine just keeps on ticking and she just turned 310,500km on odo, I figure shes good till 500,000km.