History of the Jeep.
Since the 1940s, the term “Jeep” has been synonymous with unmatched off-road and overland prowess. While today the name ubiquitously refers to the American truck and SUV manufacturer, “jeep” was first a slang term used by U.S. Army personnel for general purpose light 4x4 military duty vehicles during World War II.
The early jeeps were practical and purpose-oriented. Low on frills, high on reliability. They quickly earned a reputation among the rank and file as the personification of the American spirit and, as World War II was winding down and the boys were getting sent back home, Willys Motors produced a civilian-oriented variation: the CJ, or Civilian Jeep.
The Jeep itself made such an impression on the global automotive community that several imitators arrived as a result. For instance, when the Japanese captured one military jeep in the Philippines in 1941, it was shipped back to Japan where Toyota was tasked with creating 4x4, open-top replica that would eventually become the Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40.
Similarly, the original Land Rover was built on a Jeep chassis and axles. Jeep would eventually also license their designs to overseas manufacturers like Mitsubishi and Mahindra.
Now, there’s a long and complicated history of ownership of the “Jeep” brand moniker from 1944 to present, with names like Willys, Kaiser Jeep, AMC, Chrysler, and today, Stellantis, overseeing production. Throughout the decades, though, Jeep has brought to market a series of popular consumer-facing models that blend their signature off-road capability with comfort, personality, and personalization.
The Jeep CJ, originally designed for farming and industrial use, was a hit with over 1.5 million examples produced from 1944 to 1986, when it was replaced by the iconic Jeep Wrangler. The CJ was offered in a variety of wheelbases and trims throughout the decades, introducing names like the Tuxedo Park (Jeep’s first foray into a higher-end market), Renegade, Golden Eagle, and Laredo. The CJ-8, known as the Scrambler, was the longest Jeep CJ in the U.S. at 103.5 in. wheelbase and featured a small pick-up style box in the rear.
The truck style was reminiscent of the J-Series, produced from 1962 to 1988 entirely on the SJ platform – a noteworthy feat given the 26 years of production. Several trims were offered, like the Honcho, Comanche, and Gladiator. The Gladiator nameplate was later revived for Jeep’s reintroduction into the truck market in 2020 with the all-new Jeep Gladiator.
The SJ platform was shared with the Jeep Wagoneer, a family-oriented SUV that artfully blended rich styling, comfort, size, and prowess. The upmarket Jeep Super Wagoneer was produced from 1966 to 1969, and is commonly referred to as the all-original luxury SUV. Later in 1984, Jeep once again dipped into the now more competitive luxury SUV market with the Grand Wagoneer.
As a more approachable variation, the Jeep Cherokee XJ, produced from 1983 to 2001, is regarded as a highly-capable and one of the best designed vehicles of all time. It was powered by a series of engines, but perhaps none as well-regarded as AMC’s 4.0L inline 6 motor, a torquey and ultra-reliable unit that was also used in the Wrangler, Comanche, and Wagoneer.
Of course, Jeep provided joy by way of several other models throughout the years like the Jeepster Commando, Jeep Forward Control, Commander, Renegade, and more.