Who Makes Jeep Cars?

by Leo Wilkinson

Jeep is an American carmaker famous for its 4x4, truck and SUV models. It has been producing vehicles since 1941 and is today part of the Stellantis group, a multi-national carmaker formed by the merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) and the PSA Group in 2021. The other brands under Stellantis ownership are Chrysler, Dodge and Ram Trucks in America, and Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Citroen, DS, Fiat, Lancia, Maserati, Peugeot, Opel and Vauxhall in Europe.

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Who Makes Jeep Cars?

The Jeep brand goes back a long way – back, in fact, to the Willys Jeep – a four-wheel drive vehicle developed for use by the Allied Forces in World War II that became a civilian model (the CJ, or Civilian Jeep) that was produced without major changes until 1986. It inspired not only the Land Rover, but every subsequent 4x4. Willys-Overland, the Ohio-based makers of that car, was bought out by Kaiser Motors in 1953, which was in turn acquired by the American Motors Corporation (AMC) in 1970. Chrysler bought AMC in 1987 and it has subsequently become part of the Stellantis group.

What Sort of Vehicles Does Jeep Make?

From the start, the Jeep lineup has consisted of rugged, (mostly) four-wheel drive vehicles that combine genuine off-road capability with varying degrees of luxury. All take some inspiration from the original Willys Jeep, with the current Wrangler model essentially a direct descendant of that first car.

Jeep currently offers eight distinct models for sale in the US. In order of starting price they are the Compass, Wrangler, Grand Cherokee, Gladiator, Grand Cherokee L, Wagoneer, Wagoneer S and Grand Wagoneer. Most have four-wheel drive as standard – those with rear-wheel drive have it as an option.

Plug-in versions of the Wrangler and Grand Cherokee have 4xe in their name; Jeep’s first pure-electric model is the Wagoneer S, a model that’s smaller and entirely separate from the Wagoneer. An all-new Jeep Compass model with gas, hybrid or electric power is due to go on sale in 2026.

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by Leo Wilkinson

Leo is a writer and editor specialising in the automotive sector. He has held senior roles at What Car?, MSN Cars, The Telegraph and Cazoo, and since gone on to write for brands including Auto Trader and CarGurus. Over the past twenty-plus years he has driven and reviewed hundreds of cars, from budget-priced runarounds to luxury SUVs.

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