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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  Only in a Jeep! - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By Canadian JeepChick - December 30 - 3:50 am

  Love my Liberty Sport. We gets tons of snow here. This little powerhouse just plowed through it like a hot knife through butter. You could feel the 4WD dig in as the ice developed on the roads. This is my 1st experience with a Jeep - Im a believer now! Can hardly wait to take it to the mountains of British Columbia this summer and do some climbing.

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  Great milage - 2008 Jeep Liberty
  By Dan Jurewicz - December 29 - 9:06 am

  I get approx 15 mph in Chicago, But I get 23 to 24 (best I got was 24.6) on highway

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  almost a home run - 2007 Jeep Wrangler
  By tangoromeo - December 28 - 10:01 pm

  With only minor improvements (2 1/2" lift kit, 33" tires, and a 10,000 lb winch), I have used and abused this Jeep for everything I could imagine doing in a vehicle. Its pulled tree stumps, dragged an F350 out of the mud, driven through flooded areas and snow, and it never quits on me.

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  Horrible Experience - 2002 Jeep Liberty
  By joshandjenn916 - December 28 - 7:36 pm

  Was great til 3 yrs later, even though we keep up on all maintenance on it. It started as problems with the engine light on, then started running hard and blowing blue smoke out the exhaust. The smog place gave us a report back with over 10 codes that was causing it to fail! We brought it to several mechanics and all agreed the engine was bad. Luckily I got in inheritance and we were able to pay 8,000 to put a rebuilt engine and some other minor parts in otherwise wed have had to let it sit while we paid it off then junked it, and now the oil light still comes one even thought its not loosing oil pressure. Turns out its an electrical problem. My opinion, dont get a liberty. MPG also stinks.

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  Great but needs a bigger engine - 2004 Jeep Liberty
  By Ricky - December 27 - 6:30 am

  I really like my Jeep Renegade; its light bar, special roof top carrier, fender flares, and large wheels make it stand out from other SUVs. Its an excellent off-road vehicle and had been able to handle mud, snow, rain, high winds, and scorching heat with no complaints. The paint has not chippied or faded, the body is still tight with no rattles, fit and finish are really good and the interior has no visible signs of wear.

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  Great Vehicle - 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By PB - December 27 - 3:40 am

  I researched vehicles for about a year. I was really excited about the new Ford Explorer, as we are a Ford family, but we needed a new vehicle sooner than "Winter 2011" as the Ford site shows. I have always loved the Jeep Cherokees looks, but never considered purchasing based on the sparse utilitarian interior and rough ride. The new design puts all of that behind it. Beautiful interior, stylish exterior, smooth (Mercedes ML) ride, and respectable price ($36,675 for the Laredo X 4x2), make for a great formula. I do believe that the days of Japanese and European vehicles being superior to American products are over. Nice going, Jeep.

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  Fun and dependable - 2000 Jeep Cherokee
  By Pavil - December 27 - 2:00 am

  I love this vehicle. It is fun to drive and gets decent gas mileage for an SUV (19 mpg avg). It needed new brakes and rotors at about 60,000 miles but has been very dependable otherwise. It doesnt have all of the bells and whistles of the other SUVs, but its price reflects that. And when all is said and done, a dependable vehicle able to meet any driving situation is what Jeep owners are looking for.

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  Solid, reliable and basic vehicle - 1995 Jeep Cherokee
  By spinoza - December 27 - 2:00 am

  We bought this Cherokee new in 1995 and have used it for basic transportation (our only car) since then. We live an active lifestyle, and its been great for camping, mtn. biking, carrying canoes and kayaks, etc. We have 2 German Shepherds, and they ride in the back with the seats folded down. The car has run like a Swiss watch, and weve had no mechanical problems at all. The 180 hp, low torque motor is a great hauler and handles like a work horse in adverse conditions (snow, off-road, etc.).

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  Jeep Liberty-awesome!! - 2003 Jeep Liberty
  By IowaJeep - December 27 - 2:00 am

  The 2003 Jeep Liberty Sport is definitely fun to drive and has great acceleration. While it exterior appears smaller than the Jeep Cherokee Sport, the Jeep Libertys interior is definitely more spacious (head/leg/shoulder room). Weve test drove a number of vehicles in this class, but the Jeep Liberty was hands down the best. Virtually everyday, we - receive compliments about the exterior design and how sharp the interior looks.

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  Excellent!! - 2003 Jeep Liberty
  By Ev-Dawg - December 27 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle is just all around awesome. I have the most fun driving my Liberty than any vehicle i have ever driven.