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:

• 

  great suv - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By rcvin - June 2 - 3:36 pm

  ride is smooth yet very quick, the 3.7 is very open and ready for any kind of touch. plenty of room is great for a family.5 adults will fit this suv easily.

• 

  12 months and no regrets - 2012 Jeep Liberty
  By krisiam - June 2 - 10:24 am

  First and foremost I love this car because of the value -- an unbelievable deal at the time I got it at the end of 11 taking advantage of mfg. incentives left me with a 4x4 with popular option group for 22K. Thats so low for a 6 cylinder 4x4 SUV its unreal. Front seats are supportive and would be comfortable except for the placement of the drivers side seat belt the metal part digs into my hip and becomes painful on long rides. Stereo has decent sound and the output to hook up the mp3 player is a nice. Have had some electrical issues which affect the horn and audio controls, have had it in 4x for the same problem(s). Holding out hope theyll resolve it, want to keep it forever.

• 

  American Classic - 2002 Jeep Wrangler
  By UncleMark - June 1 - 6:20 pm

  Im in Colorado. Guess what, the 3 speed auto on my 2002 Sahara does a better job than I can on our inclined "roads." Im very tall and though the comfort level is far better for me than I thought it would be, its no car. Gas mileage is actually good for hauling around that heavy transfer case all the time. Excellent seat comfort and support. Impressive fit, finish, build quality. Bad: lousy soft-top, but I run around in a safari or bikini and dont use it; hardtop when its on is DELUXE. Outstanding air/heat (no wonder Mercedes uses the same). There are years of off-road features and refinement in the design of this outstanding vehicle. You should buy one before the 4.0L is gone.

• 

  2004 Jeep Wrangler Sport - 2005 Jeep Wrangler
  By PrdAmrican - June 1 - 3:13 pm

  I have owned my Wrangler Sport since October of 2004. It is without exception the most fun vehicle I have ever owned. Probably the most modifiable vehicle in existence, it can be customized to meet the owners own personality. A go anywhere vehicle that looks good getting there.

• 

  2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee - 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By bebo33 - June 1 - 12:14 am

  I bought this used for my wife. She loves everything about it. Me? I hate sinking more money into a below average SUV. Ive replaced driver and rear power window motors. Ive replaced the radiator twice. Rear tail light circuit board went out. Air only blowed on defrost wouldnt blow on your face or feet, and its gets awful gas mileage for even an SUV. Bought it with 86K miles it now has 120K. Ive done everything mentioned above in just over two years. My first Jeep was a 95 Wrangler that was great, but when the wife is ready for something newer we are going to pass the Jeep dealerships and look for something with fewer problems.

• 

  The Best Vehicle Ill Ever Own - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By aodell - May 31 - 7:53 pm

  I had the 04 JGC 4.0 Spec. Ed. for 3 yrs and put 75K on it. Recently traded it in with 115,000K on it (b/c of nagging husband) for an 07 JGC and have been sick about it ever since. I have no negative comments about this car and will probably never love a vehicle as much as this one. It had all the bells and whistles, smokey gray in color with dark leather. Loved the overall appearance, design/features, and the way the 4.0 ran. (getting rid of the 4.0 was a big mistake Jeep!) I ran this thing hard and only repair was replace water pump at over 100K. Avg. 18 mpg and the 4WD rocked. Had a tick in engine, was told lifters going bad but never left me sitting along the road and i miss it everyday.

• 

  Stop All The Hating - 2007 Jeep Compass
  By AmercanEagleDude - May 31 - 4:53 pm

  There is so much negative remarks about this car, all from people that dont have one. I personally love my Compass. I had to wait 2 months for it. I have the limited Jeep Green w/ beige interior, UConnect, speaker upgrade, Sirius, and security. But it was well worth the wait. The car looks much better in person than in pictures. Im going to add Rallye lights to the grill to make it look more like a concept. For the price this car is great. I think the car should be called a rally car rather than a compact SUV. Cargo room is sufficient, my friends love it. And despite the 4 cylinders it still moves quick. Everyone complains about the plastic dash, but if its durable then who cares.

• 

  Wont die unless YOU kill it - 1998 Jeep Cherokee
  By heartwine - May 31 - 12:53 pm

  My Jeep has an engine and transmission that just wont quit. Despite years of being driven by a mechanically-deficient person, it always seems to start and get us down the road. As far as creature comforts go, forget about it! The a/c was the first to go, followed by the control panel (speedometer, gauges etc) which often requires fiddling with the trip reset button to get the gauges to work again. Then, alas the heater has started to fade. Couldnt ask for a better SUV for living in the snowy north, but the lack of amenities in this old mule is a definite relationship-ender.

• 

  Poor quality falling apart not a family vehicle - 2011 Jeep Liberty
  By rayb52 - May 31 - 12:02 am

  The side molding on the doors is falling off and is not covered under warranty. Have only had the vehicle for 45 days. I am told that the simple brushing on the side of the seal may make it come off. This vehicle has PLASTIC side runners on the doors measuring 3-4” wide, it is nearly impossible for an adult much less a child to step in & out of the vehicle without stepping on them. These too are coming off and are also not covered by the warranty. My son is 5 y/o 45 lb, I cant imagine if an adult will step on it, it will come right off!!!

• 

  Raining in my jeep - 2007 Jeep Commander
  By Swimmin in the car - May 30 - 9:03 pm

  My sister and I both have the 2007 commander. Mine has 38,000 miles and the sunroof and windshield are leaking. The water shorted out the radio. Windshield has been repaired 2 times. My sisters has leaked since day 1. I liked the jeep until it started flooding. Rides good. Dont like the second row stadium seating. Cannot see out the back window with 3rd row up. I am past the warranty, so I am riding in a flooded car with no stereo. The cost for repair is $900.