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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  Worth The Small Headaches... - 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By jeepo - October 28 - 10:00 am

  I purchased my 5.2 V8 in late 2001 and have put 10K miles on it since. In that time I have grown to love this vehicle despite its quirks. The most common problem across the board is bad differentials which cause a loud growl or whining noise when bad. Other than that,my only problems have been a bad IAC motor($90)and a steering dampener and Catalyst,probably about $700 total. Not bad for a vehicle that has over 100K on it! Nice interiors,but cheap parts overshadow this,not good for a 35000+ vehicle.These are capable offroad vehicles that will reward you if you take care of them. You MUST keep on a strict maintenance schedule to avoid problems.

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  5.9 LTD...Rare for a good reason! - 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Cowbell - October 28 - 10:00 am

  My relationship with my 5.9 LTD is Love and Hate. Within 5 hours of purchasing it I was stranded on the side of the freeway with a blown radiator and fan switch! I probably should have returned it, but unfortunatly I loved the plush black leather, chrome exhasut and roaring speed! A year later I am $4000 deep in repairs, and my sunroof is unrepariable unless I want to by a new one for $1600... ouch! I shouldnt have cancelled the extended warranty..

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  Bad brakes - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By mas - October 28 - 10:00 am

  Expect that every 12,000 miles you will have to replace the rotors. And our dealer even told us that Chrysler was of no help. Now, at 36 K , shocks need to be replaced. 99.99 % suburban driving !! Never again.

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  Jeep liberty - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By theman - October 28 - 10:00 am

  Fun to drive. handles much nicer than the cherokee. elegant but sporty.

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  Gas Guzzler - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By Kim - October 28 - 3:40 am

  Great fun driving vehicle. The Hemi has an abundance of power but hesitates around sharp curved hills. I live at the gas pumps, on the average $125 weekly and I work only 15 miles from home. The back up assist is very helpful; a lot of blind spots. water and snow build up at the top of doors, so every time you open the door after rain/show the seats gets soaked and if your not careful so do you. It is like an avalanche of weather on your heated seat or on you. Small bugs but overall I love the vehicle. Very sporty and turns alot of heads while driving.

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  Worst Thing thats ever Happened To Me! - 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By omarus - October 27 - 3:38 pm

  I bought the Laredo X 4x4 about 6 month ago, You would think built for resistance.... WRONG.... First 2 Months The passenger door didnt close, about 2 weeks in the shop, second 2 months, the keyless entry stopped being keyless... as a matter of fact it didnt even Start... about to weeks more in the shop, third 2 months, the alternator stopped working... it has been two weeks and its still in the shop... the most fun part of this junk its the international warranty policy: NONE!!!!!!!! but hey, this aint america wright? i hope this post help somebody to make the right choice and NOT buy this crappy metal ensemble. Im going back to Japan... At least you know what you are paying for...

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  I Love my Liberty! - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By Christie Vance - October 27 - 2:43 pm

  My Liberty is great. I have sunroof and satellite radio. I love the window controls in the middle now my kids will not bother the windows. I just look for excuses to leave the house so I can drive it. The gas mileage isnt all that good but I honestly dont care. IÂ’m for sure keeping my Liberty; no more trading in me if I do IÂ’m getting another Liberty.

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  Jeep is making a comeback! - 2014 Jeep Cherokee
  By swade20 - October 27 - 11:39 am

  I have 1400 miles on my Cherokee Latitude 4X4 4 cylinder and so far Im loving this vehicle. In comparison, my wife has a 2011 Honda CRV EX AWD, and it has also been a great car for our family. The Jeep feels more refined however. The 4 Cylinder is quite adequate if not more so. The transmission seems to be getting smoother as the vehicle breaks in. After a bit of lake effect snow in Michigan, it does awesome in bad weather-up to 15 inches of snow tested so far. Minor quirk is that the heating cooling always resets to hottest or coldest setting upon restart, and cargo area is smaller than our CRV. Otherwise I am very impressed with this vehicle. If it lasts it will be a great buy.

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  excellent value for the money - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By joe predoti - October 27 - 7:13 am

  Great mid-sized suv. After nearly two years and twenty thousand miles my wife & I dont have anything but praise for this vehicle.

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  Totally awesome Overland - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By jw - October 26 - 5:50 pm

  I absolutely love driving my Overland. I have always had Jeeps and it doesnt get much better than this. My Overland has the high output engine so you definitely get around fast! It has everything you can get for it and I would not trade it for the world, except for a newer one (2004) Its worth the price if you find one used. I wouldnt spend the $45k for a new one, but to get one used is well worth.