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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  Perfect all-rounder! - 2017 Jeep Renegade
  By V. Charles - October 20 - 3:04 pm

  This crossover serves us well on and off the road. High-quality materials inside and out, and a nice handling/driving feel!

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  Love 2005 Renegade! - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By snoq - October 19 - 6:36 am

  Its comfortable to drive on freeway and in the city. The drive is more like a big truck than a passenger car. Stiff and a little bouncy which makes it fun to drive! Its so fun to drive off road! Weve went for off road test drive a couple of times already in Cascades. It drove through sticky cray-like mud, cross the water paddle (about 1ft. deep), drove up the steep gravel/dirt hill EASILY without any problem...all with 4WD High. We havent go to use 4 LO yet...need to be more extreme condition or tarrain to use it. (Maybe after heavy snow in the mountain!)

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  I gotta a Hemi under there! - 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Oly - October 18 - 2:40 pm

  I love my new Jeep. Its loaded with everything I want in a car. And it still rides like a car. I also own a 99 JGC Laredo with almost 160,000 miles on it. It was hard to give it up and commit to the new Jeep, but after doing so, my kids are now enjoying an everyday Jeep themselves. I guess you could say I love my Jeeps.

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  Jeep Thing - 2003 Jeep Wrangler
  By chas0037 - October 15 - 10:00 am

  Each day I love my Jeep more than the previous. In a word...Incredible. There is NOTHING like a wrangler...NOTHING

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  best car ever! - 1999 Jeep Wrangler
  By debruins - October 14 - 4:03 pm

  I love my Jeep. First off though to improve performance and driveability I added lots of upgrades for the engine to get better performance, and better stability with much better shocks. I added lift and a winch and 33s as well as add a trunk, a Tuffy console, and a better sound system. It is now the perfect car. it does great on road for a JEEP and amazing off road. For those who dont get the Jeep thing it is too bad for you, buy a Land Rover.

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  New Jeep Commander - 2008 Jeep Commander
  By the rogers - October 14 - 2:16 am

  So far we love this vehicle. Its the limited 5.7l with the Hemi. This thing will move! Very luxurious inside and out.

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  Love my HEMI GC! - 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By HEMICHICK - October 13 - 8:16 am

  I absolutely love my 2008 Grand Cherokee Limited 4wd. It is so much more fun to drive than my IS300 and either of the Acura TLs I had before. It fits my needs perfectly and also is great to drive. Nothing else can really compare to it! My father has owned several Jeeps and I will definitely purchase another one. Next one will be a SRT8 though :)

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  Its a JEEP! - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By Ba50mF - October 12 - 4:46 pm

  Ive always wanted a Jeep and this has not disappointed. I bought used with 32,000 miles on it. Ive had the vehicle for 6 months now and it is excellent in the snow. Its comfortable and tall, but not too narrow of a wheelbase. The only drawback is gas mileage, but its a real suv not, a fwd wannabe. The 4wd is amazing. This is the 2nd 4wd vehicle I have owned and its excellent

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  You cant go wrong with a Wrangler - 1995 Jeep Wrangler
  By schmorgasboard - October 9 - 10:00 am

  There is only one thing that will disappoint your purchase of a Wrangler: all your passengers will continually question its practicality. Yea, the soft top is loud, but when you can put it down in 3 min, its worth all the noise. Yea, the ride is bumpy, but its the peace of mind that no water, snow, mountain, street, road construction, nor any obstruction can get between my Wrangler and my destination that makes it worth it. Yea, it can get abused and look less than perfect, but its biggest inker Toy youll ever see and once you realize the millions of accessories you can add to it to customize, youll love it even more.

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  Jeep Liberty, the reliable Jeep - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By richard barr - October 8 - 10:30 pm

  This is a great car that goes anywhere in comfort and gets you back safely. Its small and agile, but large enough to haul anything for a house or cabin. In a year of driving many miles the only thing its needed is oil changes.