Jeep models
DriveSize currently covers 3 Jeep vehicle versions across 1 model family, with model years ranging from 2018 to 2021.
About Jeep
Jeep: from a military brief to an enduring 4x4 brand
Jeep’s origin is more complicated—and more interesting—than a story about one inventor. In 1940 the US Army asked manufacturers for a light four-wheel-drive reconnaissance vehicle. American Bantam, Willys-Overland and Ford all produced prototypes; after testing, Willys became the primary manufacturer and Ford also built vehicles under licence. The resulting Willys MB and Ford GPW became inseparable from the Jeep name, although its exact linguistic origin is still disputed.
After the war, Willys trademarked Jeep and adapted the idea for civilian use. The CJ-2A arrived in 1945 with practical changes including a tailgate and side-mounted spare wheel. Wagons and pickups broadened the range, while the CJ line kept the short, upright open-body vehicle at the centre of the brand. The wartime contributions of Bantam, Willys and Ford all form part of that origin.
From CJ to Wrangler
By the 1980s, buyers still wanted the CJ’s utilitarian character but expected more of a road vehicle. Jeep discontinued the CJ series and introduced the Wrangler YJ for the 1987 model year. Later generations restored round headlamps and retained signatures such as the seven-slot grille, removable doors and an available open roof, while the wider Jeep range grew through the Cherokee, Grand Cherokee and other SUVs.
The Wrangler Unlimited name first appeared in 2004 on a longer-wheelbase version; a four-door Unlimited followed with the JK generation. This gave Jeep a way to extend the Wrangler family without abandoning the visual and mechanical ideas that made the shorter model recognisable.
An old formula meets electrification
The Wrangler 4xe brought a plug-in hybrid powertrain to that lineage in 2021. Jeep presented it as a milestone in the brand’s broader move towards electrification, while keeping it within the Wrangler family rather than creating a separate electric identity.
On DriveSize, the two-door 2018 Wrangler, 2018 Wrangler Unlimited and 2021 Wrangler 4xe trace three points in the modern Wrangler story. The individual pages keep each body style and powertrain distinct.