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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  Follow up to previous review - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By tricky - January 27 - 10:00 am

  Since I posted the last time Water pump had to be replaced,brakes had to be replaced,transmission jerks under partial acceleration. I would walk before I lease another JEEP. I know the service writer by first name. Hope chrysler isnt making tanks for the troops,or will be in deep do do

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  New jk sold to me with known Problems - 2010 Jeep Wrangler
  By wtbuck - January 20 - 2:37 am

  I purchased this JK on May 5,2011 and noticed battery light was on. Then it was alt, then battery cable, then oil change etc... Just the start of the delivery from Hell. Cant possibly get all the lies and bs on here. To make long story short todays date is June 14, 2011. I still have no air and according to corporate no date when they can get parts to fix problem. All I ever get is I cant tell you that Im not authorized. I thought I bought a new vehicle. I feel like they used this Jeep for a parts vehicle of course they say no. But they can!

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  Life Time Warranty does not mean Life Time Warrenty - 2007 Jeep Liberty
  By 2007liberty - January 17 - 3:13 am

  Back in 2007 our family purchased 2 Jeep Liberties. Our Limited has about 51,000 miles. The trans went on it. Now, we have a Life Time Warranty on it so we thought we were covered. Nope! It needed to be inspected for our warranty to count? No where on the contract does it state this. Do not trust your contracts. This company will find ways around for filling them. Were never buying a Jeep again. They just lost over 20 people in our family who have bought Jeeps in the past but will never buy them again in the future.

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  Go with the automatic :() - 2011 Jeep Compass
  By motown_guy - January 16 - 2:51 am

  I went with the manual tranny which I regret. The low torgue requires you to bump up the rpms quite a bit to get this thing going. Once going its fairly responsive as long as you keep the tach above 1800 or so. If you shift at or above around 3200 or so, you feel a LOT of vibration coming back thru the clutch pedal and the reverse gear seems to have been delivered with some rough teeth - sounds like you are grinding hamburger if you go very far in reverse. Handling on the other hand is very good. Its fun to corner with this rig and it stays very flat. Its quite on decent roads and rides comfortably. The center armrest is too short and cumbersome (it moves fore and aft).

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  Where to go - 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Transmission Problem - January 7 - 11:10 am

  I bought my forth JGC last Fall. A disappointment for sure. The first two JGC I bought were sturdy, spirited and were mostly maintenance free. I bought a 2005 JGC vehicle (used w/20K miles), the transmission failed within two weeks. I was able to get it refurbished under a recall notice. This car continued to be a problem with leaking transmission and delayed/sluggish acceleration. I traded this one in for a new 2007 JGC believing that my former problems were because that vehicle was used. Not true. My new JGC sporadically has had strange transmission problems. On two occasions the transmissions cutout during a rain storm, the dealer has not been helpful.

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  Shake, Rattle & Roll - 2007 Jeep Wrangler
  By Rick Williams - December 29 - 12:36 pm

  The Brake Pads were shot @ 2000 Miles. I had to pay for a new set out of my own pocket. The cheapest brake pads I have ever seen. At 40 mph the front end will shake you out of the drivers seat. This folks is a brand new jeep. I cant seem to get any dealer to fix the shimmy. So I am selling it never to buy another jeep.

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  safety concerns - 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By osterholzer - December 26 - 12:20 pm

  I bought this car new in 2007. Two relatively minor problems were repaired by the dealer, one a rattle in the roof due to a loose wire bundle, and a leaking transmission. The serious problem with this car is an inexplicable engine stall during driving and the dealer has been unable to diagnose the problem. This car has stalled suddenly at all speeds to 60 mph, and is clearly dangerous to drive. I have contacted Chrysler, and so far no resolution. If there are others with the same problem, please notify Chrysler immediately.

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  Hit the Road Jeep and Dont You Come Back - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By MRumple - December 17 - 1:50 pm

  This is the third Jeep my family has owned and it still lives up to expectations ... a piece of junk. Good year tires make the car vibrate at high speeds (why did I buy a HEMI?). Interior is no good for hauling large items including average sized people. Glove box is small as is the cargo area. DVD is not driver friendly at all. In order to reset the DVD for my daughter, I have to stop and get in the back seat. Oh, and gas mileage. I knew it would be "not so great." But come on 15-16 mpg highway? Tires have leaked multiple times, Seat belt light errors and now air bag errors to fix. Good things are few but include heat seaters (theyre great), exterior styling, HEMI engine minus the mpg.

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  Youre on your own; its a hobby car. - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By turblediesel - December 16 - 5:00 pm

  1500 miles, leaked out power steering fluid. ABS light has come on twice. ETC (Electronic Throttle Control) light has come on several times causing it to run lousy. Dealer service useless. "A light came on but its out now." Took a week to get it looked at and three days to tell me what I told them. Had to drive my $25,000.00 thumb to the dealer to pick it up. Dealer says the diesels dont have service intervals. Fun to drive when it works. Quirky.

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  A Jeep Thing I Dont Understand - 1995 Jeep Wrangler
  By Graham - December 14 - 9:13 pm

  It must be a "Jeep thing" that I just dont understand - this little thing is so overrated. I would suggest it to someone who goes off-roading every weekend, but for a daily driver, its atrocious. 4 cylinder = horrid performance and gas mileage as well. The highway ride is unbearable with the soft top, but its another $1600 to get another one with hard upper doors. The reliability hasnt been great - I took it to the shop three times in two months. Minor stuff, but it adds up. If you want something to play with for the weekends or summer, sure, this can be fun, but I highly recommend something else. Im buying a Toyota.