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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  New guy REALLY digs his Jeep - 2001 Jeep Cherokee
  By Knucklehedd - July 25 - 10:00 am

  I bought this thing while I was home on leave from a deployment. I was only able to drive it for a week and a half while I was home, but, man alive! I drove the ever livin crud out of it. Now all I can do is sit around and daydream when me and my lady are reunited. Externally very understated, internally its a whole other world. I knew this immediately as I slid over the leather seats and perused the controls. The torque is breathtaking and the overall build and handling of this hunk of metal is much better than I had expected. I would never seek to modify this gem - much, but Ive already been toying with hanging parts on another older model.

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  Fun vehicle with dirt poor reliability - 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By nikibleu - July 25 - 10:00 am

  This vehicle was purchased brand new in 2000 and was bought back in 2001 via lemon law. This suv was in the shop 2x/month every month. Problems with starter, fuel pump, tranny making lound noises, driving constantly to the right, mirrors, seat memory, cd changer, paint, and other problems

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  Try it..Youre gonna love it - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By bluesbear - July 25 - 10:00 am

  Ive owned a Bronco2 and a Blazer and both of them handled like a truck. My Liberty handles quite well on the street and suits my needs perfectly. Its fun to drive with a comfortable interior and plenty of power when its needed

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  2004 Jeep Liberty Limited Edition - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By Kori-j - July 25 - 10:00 am

  This is not my first SUV. This Jeep far surpasses any other SUV in comfort and style. I chose this Jeep because it ad all the luxuries of more expensive SUVs at a much lower price. The engine is sound and the ride is smooth. This is the quality vehicle Jeeps are known for.

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  Satisfied - 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By VT - July 25 - 5:10 am

  You see a lot of negative reviews for these cars but Ive been happy with mine. Its up to 145,000 miles and have had very few problems. Gas mileage blows, but duh, its a V8. Also, I live in VT so getting to the slopes in any conditions is a priority and this thing gets the job done in style!

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  BUYER BEWARE! - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Lisa - July 24 - 7:26 pm

  Please make sure the transmission is checked before you put your name on paper. They are having problems with water getting into the transmission. I had mine flushed several times and I kept telling them it is not driving right. Of course they say, the computer is not coming up with any codes. Well coming home from two nights ago my transmission went out on a major highway. This is the fourth time that it is in the service dept. I am glad I live in Florida where there is a lemon law.

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  Rocky Mountain Wrangler - 2009 Jeep Wrangler
  By JetMech - July 24 - 3:03 pm

  I recently purchased a orange 2009 Sahara 2dr hardtop. It is loaded with all the goodies that make driving fun and comfortable. It is very quiet even at highway speeds and free of rattles and squeaks. Handling is good and it has a very tight turning radius, the ride can be a little choppy at times. The auto trans/eng combo works well, smooth shifting and adequate power along with 20 mpg economy. The exterior.... Awesome! The interior... Is somewhat unrefined with a lot of hard plastic, the seats are very comfortable. The climate control works well as does the my gig system, all of the controls are easy to use and the instrument panel is easy to read. I really enjoy driving my wrangler, it rocks!

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  Excellent Choice - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Brett - July 24 - 8:40 am

  I lease these very 3 yrs or so - this is my 4th Jeep grand Cherokee and by far the best one yet. I got it with the Hemi 5.7L engine which while it is not great on gas, is a lot of fun to drive. It has amazing power and speed for an SUV.

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  way to go jeep - 2007 Jeep Patriot
  By sammy s 426 - July 23 - 4:40 pm

  In just the first two years Ive owned this wonderful Jeep Ive had to replace two wheel bearings, both front air sensors the radio and the gas tank started separating from the body of the truck. All I do is drive it to and from work approximately 15 road miles each way. To me I wouldnt recommend this vehicle to anyone but some one who likes to work on cars.

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  Love it - 2010 Jeep Liberty
  By millie - July 23 - 1:36 pm

  Had a 2007 Jeep Liberty hated it. Feel in love with the 2009 Jeep Liberty. Got one about 4 months ago am so happy with it. Had several people tell me how much they like it. So, all I have to say I love my 2009 Jeep Liberty. So much more room in it and bigger. Truly do love it.