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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  Its the best - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Schaybear - January 15 - 2:00 am

  Ive owned 6 Jeep products in my life. Nothing compares to it. Its handling is excellent, its reliablitlty cant be compared. You know when you go to your car, its going to start right up and be ready for whatever task is at hand. Ive driven Cadillac, Lincoln, and Lexus SUVs, but they still dont compare. Granted, the others have a little bit more in the way of "fancy things," but I still always go back to Jeep.

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  nice family SUV - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Jess&Ross - January 15 - 2:00 am

  We love our new Jeep and are very pleased overall. It feels great to drive! We have two small childrena and getting them in and ut of this vehicle is SO easy.

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  i love it - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By chris deyoung - January 15 - 2:00 am

  its perfect evrything i ever was looking for in a suv easy to drive rides like a dream has plenty of power

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  Heap of Jeep! - 1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By DPB - January 14 - 10:00 am

  Our 96 Grand - aint so! Differential (went out!), A/C (went out), computer under hood (fried!), transmission fluid (leaking as we speak), wheel shimmy (makes an exciting ride!) all THIS within a year and 1/2 of owning this Heap of Jeep! Its the proverbial MONEY PIT! Looks GREAT - but, I dont even trust it to run to the grocery store!! If it werent for a husband thats mechanically inclined AND an extended warranty - it would be GONE... Whats worse?? still paying on the loan! Run - Run as fast as you can - STEP AWAY FROM A JEEP!!!!!!

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  Better Than Most - 1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Maxine - January 14 - 10:00 am

  Mine had the 5.2 V-8 which is very nice with double platinum spark plus,Copper/Brass Cap/Rotor.I was getting 23mpg.

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  I sure miss it! - 1993 Jeep Wrangler
  By I M Wonderful - January 14 - 10:00 am

  A little over a year ago, I bought my 1993 Jeep Wrangler S from my parents; who bought it from my brother. What a fun vehicle! In Texas, you can almost live year round with the top off - and what a better feeling that riding around town with the wind blowing in your hair. Unfortunatly, it was wrecked just a few weeks ago - Im going to miss it. It wasnt the "family" type vehicle Ive always wanted, but it was in wonderful shape - was garaged since day one, never seen an ounce of dirt or mud, and wonderfully maintained. I couldnt have asked for a nicer Jeep. I will definately miss it.

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  Not a bad SUV - 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By David S - January 14 - 10:00 am

  I bought this Jeep used a year ago, It had 23000 miles on it and now has 40000. I have had no major problems, some minor ones, but none of the brake problems that you hear of. I have the original tires on that need to be replaced. Gas milage is ok for a SUV 20 on the hwy and 14 in the city. I would buy another one

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  MY ANYTHING VEHICLE - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By Tripol - January 14 - 10:00 am

  WOW! I never realized I could have a car seat in the back and still feel like I can go off roading! Seriously, the Liberty has been a lot of fun to drive so far. I took it off road once for some very casual riding and could tell I was not stretching its legs at all. I am confident that this will be a great all terain vehicle when needed. The only drawback against this vehicle could be gas mileage, but on my highway driving I have been getting almost 25 mpg. That beats the sticker disclosure by 5 mpg! I have gotten a ton of comments on its sharp looks. Everyone is stopping and looking! I love it!

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  Do. Not. Buy. A. Jeep. - 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Anonymous - January 13 - 4:13 pm

  We bought a 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee after doing A LOT of research, and the in-line 6 was supposed to be darn-near bulletproof. We had such bad luck with my wifes last car, we researched which SUV to get, and this one came up time and time again. We bought it. Long story short, the reviews were so good on Jeep Grand Cherokees because people were writing reviews on the 1st gen. GCs (the 1992-1999 versions). These were awesome! However, somewhere around 1998 or so, Jeep STOPPED building the motors and production was turned over to Chrysler. We spent about $18k on this SUV, and we ended up putting about $4k - $5k worth of motors in this car. This car buried us in debt because as soon as we paid it off, we needed another motor. Wed have to get a lien against the car to buy a motor. Once that motor was paid off, it would blow again. I was religious about oil changes and maintenance, but it didnt matter. I was so happy to get rid of this car last year for $500. I will NEVER buy a Jeep/Chrysler again, and I advice that you do not either.

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  The Beast - 2005 Jeep Wrangler
  By eknotot - January 12 - 11:46 pm

  I been all over the world (literally) through all different types of weather in my Jeep. Hawaii -> California -> Germany -> France -> and now back in Cali. From the humidity in Hawaii to the freezing temperatures and snow in Germany, it always runs like a Beast. The extra cargo room in the back is a big plus. You can easily throw in 2 12s if you want. It always runs solid no matter what kind of terrain you are in. As long as you take care of your Jeep, your Jeep will take care of you. ITS A JEEP THANG! Mods: Rubicon Express Super Flex 2 1/2" lift ProComp wheels Nitto Terra Grappler A/T tires K&N CAI Spintech exhaust Die Hard Gold battery (highly recommended)