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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  My third Jeep - 2006 Jeep Commander
  By G.H.Lempio - January 26 - 4:30 pm

  Has a feeling of durability. Smooth comfortable driving. Quieter than expected. Driver door arm rest usage caused the right rear window to go down without intention. Second seat center seat is difficult to flatten and not obvious on how to do it. This car is leased and I may buy it at the end of the lease. Very satisfied.

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  Happy with the GC Overland - 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By saburk - January 26 - 12:30 pm

  This is my 4th Jeep product (2 Wranglers and a 1998 Grand Cherokee Limited V8). The Overland is very powerful and the 4WD is great in rain and snow. I love the chrome wheels. The stereo in the 98 Limited was better. Gas mileage is not that bad -- about 15.5 mpg with mixed highway and local travel. Closer to 19 mpg during extended highway driving. My only complaint is the front seats. The leather suede mix is nice, but the seats are not firm enough and too small. The vehicle has some body roll when cornering and the soft seats contribute to a feeling of poor handling.

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  Not sure yet - 2007 Jeep Commander
  By jordanggg - January 26 - 10:40 am

  Purchased a Jeep Commander 4x4 4 months ago and have put 8,000 miles on it. Bought with 19,000 miles on it. 2 days after purchase, Jeep spent 9 days in the shop with transmission problem. Dealer is/was awesome. Since then no issues, average 17.5 miles per gallon. Tight handling, solid build quality. The quality seems great. Can fit 7-8 people for a comfortable 2-3 hr trip. Roomy, and very capable in any driving condition. Very safe, and is great looking. We would recommend it.

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  4th Jeep and love the Patriot - 2007 Jeep Patriot
  By david - January 25 - 9:03 pm

  Love our Patriot. We owned 2 Cherokees and 1 Liberty, all 4wd. The Liberty was the best of the 3. The Patriot is great on mileage. We have 4wd sport trail rated model. Mileage so far is averaging 25+ mpg. Transmission is smooth and engine performance is good for us. Ive heard complaints about road noise but not a problem compared to our previous Jeep 4wds, like full size spare tire inside. Lots of nice new features compared to the 2002 Liberty. Almost bought another 2007 Liberty, glad we didnt. Gave up a little in off road capability but everything else considered good trade off.

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  1st Jeep - suv owner - 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By heartland28 - January 25 - 3:39 pm

  I have purchased this Jeep used with 1,12000 miles on it. I used Edmunds to research & price this SUV I got it for 6k with negotiations & cut the dealers charges - bogus cost add on using the how to buy a used car guide. So I got it for less then TMV I feel really good about it & now feel confident in my new learned skills. This Jeep is great my 1st SUV I wanted Reliability & A Safe ride. Gas mileage is good most vans like my past pile Dodge caravan with a 3.3v6 get about the same as this jeep. Tho both are Chrysler products this Jeep is the bread & butter. Fun to drive, very comfortable, & sticks to road with lots of power drives more like a truck rides better then most vans.

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  Fun to drive, nothing like it - 2012 Jeep Wrangler
  By raiders2 - January 25 - 1:28 pm

  Been driving since August 11 and this is not only the best wrangler yet, it is best in class. This Jeep is great for daily driving and of course keeps the best in class out of the box off road capability even with the sport version. The new Pentastar V6 improves performance and mpg. Hard to rate reliability after 3 weeks but since it is required, gave it a 5.

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  Rear windows and fabric seats. - 2006 Jeep Liberty
  By Serafina - January 25 - 11:30 am

  I bought my Jeep in 2006 brand new. I love it, I dont have any complaints, very reliable SUV. I have 47000 miles on mine and I never have any mechanical problems, but the rear windows are a pain when they stop working, the fabric seats stain even with water, and the handle of the passenger side got broke and guess how much the dealer wanted to replace it $525.00, I decided to fix it myself with a real long screw. Inside is like a toy car very low quality but other than that very reliable SUV.

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  A great car! - 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By tucsonguy2 - January 24 - 10:13 pm

  After considering a number of other SUVs, this our 6th new JGC, and it may be the best of the bunch. Quality is perfect so far, the fuel economy is better than the 2005 JGC that was traded-in, and the interior has been upgraded. This is one beautiful Jeep, inside and out, that gets lots of compliments from people we dont even know. It is solid, comfortable, safe, fun to drive, and we love it!

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  Very Pleased with Grand Cherokee - 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By augrpeters - January 24 - 8:36 pm

  My 2003 Grand Cherokee has been a wonderful vehicle for me. I have had none of the problems described by other 2003 Grand Cherokee owners. The only part Ive replaced was the Throttle Position Sensor which the dealer paid for. I find my 4.0 full of power and has no trouble keeping up with other vehicles. My A/C still blows ice cold as well as every other feature works like new. As of today my car has 111890 and shows no sign of stopping. I drive with a light foot and average 23.5 mpg on my commute to work. The city mileage is awful but every car other than a Prius is like that. I have yet to get stuck it seems to be unstoppable. Not sure if Ill buy another but it will be another jeep.

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  I am SHOCKED! - 2006 Jeep Liberty
  By Lowgas627 - January 24 - 5:56 pm

  After reading all of the horrible problems people have faced, I am SHOCKED! I have owned my Liberty since September 9th of 2006, and 34,700 miles later... have not had ONE problem! Maybe I am lucky, but I have adored this SUV. It is great in mud and snow, and I feel safe in bad weather. I have never had a window fail, though one did fall into the door, but the dealership replaced it with NO COST. I have gotten around 16 mpg (mostly city driving) through its lifetime. Its 3.7L is peppy and can pickup! The only thing that bugs me (Im a clean freak) is the cloth seats are RIDICULOUS to get any kind of stains out (USE HOT SOAP WATER!) It has been a GREAT vehicle, and I recommend it!