The 7 Most Groundbreaking Jeeps Ever
There’s arguably no nameplate in the world more iconic than Jeep. Over the past decade, the 75-year-old brand has consistently reigned as one of the most popular in the U.S.
Even by today’s social media standards, Jeep sits high above the rest, with more than five million Facebook likes, 1.1 million Instagram followers, and 780,000 Twitter followers. All of which certainly makes trying to narrow down the most groundbreaking Jeeps a difficult task. But we figured we’d take a stab at it.
That said, we suspect there’ll be some people who will take issue with some of our picks. But that’s to be expected when it comes to a nameplate that’s had as many memorable vehicles as Jeep has over the years.
1. Willys MA/MB – Being the first certainly has its perks. For that reason alone, it almost goes without saying that the Willys MA/MB would earn a spot on our list. After all, a lot of the core appeal of Jeep over the past 75 years has been rooted in the SUV’s deep military roots.
2. Jeep CJ-2A – The significance of the Jeep CJ-2A boils down to one thing: had it not been for its success, there’d probably be no Jeep. As the first civilian model, the CJ-2A is (in many regards) the backbone of the nameplate’s legacy. First produced in 1945, the CJ-2A also would establish many of the engineering elements for future models, years down the road.
3. Jeep CJ 7 – When it’s comes to the contemporary appeal of Jeep, no vehicle has had as much impact on the general appeal of the nameplate as the CJ 7. First introduced in 1976, the AMC Jeep CJ 7 represented the first major change to Jeep in 20 years. It’s still considered by many as one of the most iconic SUVs bearing the nameplate.
4. Jeep Pickup – C’mon, how could we not include the Jeep Pickup as one of the most groundbreaking Jeeps? Any American nameplate that has survived 75 years has had at least one memorable pickup in the lineup, which is probably why Jeep has plans to make a new model based on the forthcoming JL platform.
5. Wrangler Unlimited – When it comes to pushing the nameplate forward, no recent Jeep has had as much impact as the Wrangler Unlimited. Introduced in 2007, the four-door model offered consumers a more-practical take on the Jeep. Today, the Wrangler Unlimited accounts for more of the Wrangler’s total sales than the two-door Jeep.
6. Grand Cherokee SRT8 – I remember the first time I drove a Grand Cherokee SRT8 and thinking to myself: “Is this really a Jeep?!” Introduced in 2007, a four-door SUV with 420 horsepower and 420 lbs.-ft. of torque was unheard of, and essentially paved the way for an entirely new segment of vehicles.
Jeep Trailcat Concept – Typically, I wouldn’t include a concept on a Most Groundbreaking list. But I have to make an exception for the Jeep Trailcat concept, first showcased publicly at the 2016 Easter Moab Safari. The idea of a 707-horsepoower open-air Jeep is just too mindboggling in so many ways.