Why Buying a Used Jeep SUV Is a Smart Choice

If you’ve caught the SUV bug, but your budget hasn’t quite caught up to new SUV prices, check out the inventory here at Zimmer CDJR, your local pre-owned Jeep dealer, and you will discover a surprising array of affordable options. When you park a Jeep in your driveway, prepare to make bad weather commuting concerns a thing of the past. Jeeps are go-anywhere-do-anything vehicles designed for adventure.

Even if your lifestyle doesn’t include scaling mountains, owning a Jeep might be the best decision you’ll ever make. From the compact Renegade to the mighty iconic Wrangler, the Jeep lineup offers buyers a diverse selection of vehicles with plenty of in-cabin tech and comfort features to make the commute a little more enjoyable.

Jeep owners are part of a community of drivers who not only love what they drive but participate in rituals, like throwing a friendly wave to other Jeep owners as they pass on the road. Known as the Jeep Wave, it’s a way of acknowledging the instant camaraderie and fun-loving lifestyles most Jeep owners collectively enjoy.

Is a used Jeep perfect for you? Check out our complete guide to the models and generations that make up the last 10 years of Jeeps manufactured. You’re sure to find one that ticks all boxes.

The Cute and Compact Compass and Renegade

If you’re seeking a value-oriented Jeep with diminutive dimensions that are perfect for economical commuting or urban driving, check out the Compass and the Renegade. These 5-seaters are Jeep’s smallest SUVs, but what they lack in physical size, they gain in economy and efficiency, and – depending on the trim – plenty of off-roading capability.

The Compass debuted in the 2007 model year as Jeep’s very first crossover SUV. Designed to attract commuters and daily drivers (vs the usual off-roading aficionados), the affordably-priced Compass gave budget SUV buyers a way to join the Jeep family without breaking the bank. In 2011, Jeep added a trail-ready trim to the lineup and redesigned the Compass to look more like its bigger sibling, the Grand Cherokee.

The subcompact Renegade is the newcomer to Jeep’s lineup, first hitting dealerships in 2015. Available in a variety of trims, the Renegade targeted a wide range of buyers, from families to weekend road trippers. The expansive trim lineup features an affordable base model, as well as the factory-lifted Renegade Trailhawk that includes Jeep’s Selec-Terrain traction management system for better off-roading capability.

Both the Compass and the Renegade were priced in the low $20,000 range when new, which means scoring a high quality used or certified pre-owned model in the $15,000 range is possible. Pricing will likely swing across a broader spectrum due to both models coming in multiple trims. In short, the Compass and Renegade are great options for budget shoppers.

The Family-Friendly Cherokee and Grand Cherokee

Most of us have heard of the Jeep Cherokee. Both the Cherokee and Grand Cherokee are fixtures in suburban driveways everywhere, thanks to their timeless design and overall quality. Originally launched as a trim of the wildly popular Jeep Wagoneer way back in 1974, the current Cherokee/Grand Cherokee lineup is now the foundation of Jeep’s SUV lineup.

The Cherokee started its life as a two-door body style trim of the then-luxury Wagoneer SUV, but in 1984 Jeep transformed it into an early version of its current style. That is when the Cherokee established itself as one of the pioneers of the SUV category, a segment that has exploded over the past 20 years. It’s been a fixture ever since and a go-to for buyers that want superior four-wheel drive capability without sacrificing creature comforts.

The current fifth generation Cherokee was launched in 2014 and has remained a smaller version of the Grand Cherokee ever since, sharing similarities in both body style and available options and trims. Where they differ primarily is in size, with the Cherokee slated as a compact SUV and the Grand Cherokee occupying a top spot in the ultra-competitive midsize segment.

The Grand Cherokee made its debut in 1993 to answer Ford’s category dominance with the Explorer. Currently in its fifth generation, the Grand Cherokee proved worthy of the challenge, dominating sales and impressing buyers with powerful engine lineups, high-end luxury finishes, and capable off-roading utility. The Grand Cherokee has earned the distinction of most awarded SUV ever, making it an easy choice for shoppers in the midsize category.

The fourth generation (2011 – 2020) encapsulates a nine-model-year span, an eternity in automotive years. This long production run is a testament to the Grand Cherokee’s timeless design. If you’re looking for a larger family-friendly SUV, you’ll have several trim and powertrain configurations to choose from within this fifth generation time frame, including special edition supercharged SRT versions with massive 6.2-liter V8 engines.

King of the Mountain: The Wrangler

There’s not much we can say about the Wrangler that hasn’t already been said, and chances are, if you’re in the market for one, you know exactly why. The Wrangler sits atop a small but category-specific list of off-roading vehicles designed to go places most other vehicles won’t. It’s most at home deep in the mud or fording rivers, but these days it’s not uncommon to see them at soccer fields and in carpool lines.

The Wrangler has evolved from a two-door military troop mover to a bonafide four-door family SUV without losing any of its core capabilities. It’s the Wrangler’s rugged curb profile that draws SUV buyers in droves, offering a little more grit and spartan utility than the typical family-oriented option. Jeep continues to refine the Wrangler’s trim range to maintain aficionado excitement while also broadening its appeal.

It’s easy to forget that the addition of the four-door Wrangler is relatively recent: the body style joined Jeep’s Wrangler lineup in 2006. Prior to that, it was only offered as a two-door, drawing mostly off-roading enthusiasts as a result. That history is what makes the four-door version so appealing to everyday drivers because Jeep has been steadfast about maintaining every bit of its Trail Rated utility.

The third generation (2007 – 2017) offers an array of choices for used Wrangler buyers. This generation marked a complete exterior redesign and a greater focus on the four-door model. Jeep added plenty of convenience features to up its mass appeal, including power door locks and navigation. Jeep’s focus on the four-door model paid off – by 2017, the longer wheelbase model represented nearly 75 percent of overall Wrangler sales.

You Can Have All the Style and Capability You Want With a Pre-Owned Jeep

When you think of Jeep, it’s hard not to conjure words like adventure and off-roading, but there’s so much more to the current Jeep lineup crawling up mountains. Today’s Jeep models are just as at home pulling up to the valet or taking the kids to gymnastics practice. You’ll find Jeeps in the driveways of recent college grads, retirees, and just about everyone in-between.

Jeep has always been a lifestyle brand, but as a used vehicle option, it offers solid quality and durability in a recognizable exterior package symbolized by its signature 7-slot grille, a feature found on every Jeep. Models like the Compass and Renegade take the best Jeep attributes and package them in smaller compact versions, opening up the Jeep lifestyle to buyers looking for an economical choice.

On the flip side, the Grand Cherokee embodies high-end luxury with trims like the Limited and High Altitude. These vehicles offer supple leather seating, advanced infotainment features, and plenty of performance. It’s a premium SUV that rivals much higher priced European imports while maintaining its core capability: off-roading. That calling card is present across the entire Jeep lineup, and it’s unique. You simply won’t find a better balance between impeccable road manners and mud-soaked trail riding grit.