Media post: The 2017 Jeep Wrangler – The Origin of SUV

Way back when the phrase SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle) wasn’t even thought of yet, there was, nevertheless, a real SUV on the road. Well, it was on the road in Europe and on islands in the Pacific Ocean. That was in the early 1940s and the SUV that we’re talking about was the original Jeep. That’s right, that olive green open air, open seating little utility vehicle that could climb hills and traverse the roughest terrain as it dodged bullets and grenades to get to safety.

It was World War Two and Americans had the coolest and arguably the best reconnaissance vehicle of any army in the world. It Was the Jeep. Right before the war started for us in 1940, a notice went out to auto manufacturers to come up with a design for a light vehicle that could multitask as a scout car and an overall durable vehicle that could climb rocks, hills, fallen trees and generally just do everything it could do to help win the war. (General Eisenhower later said that the Jeep was one of the things that helped win the war).

Several designs were submitted and prototypes were built and the army combined a few of the elements to ultimately come up with that famous green vehicle that is in so many thousands of WW2 photographs. The Jeep became so popular during the war that former military personnel bought up most of the surplus Jeeps that the government put up for sale when the war ended. When the Jeep manufacturers saw how fast they were selling, they decide to create the Civilian Jeep and designated it as the CJ. Those vehicles were incredibly successful. They were built until 1986 when the Jeep Wrangler replaced the CJ model and of course, we see how terrific the Wrangler is today. It is just carrying on a family tradition of four-wheeling and being able and very willing to go into rough territory where few other SUVs dare to venture.

The Jeep Wrangler, although a bit different in looks than its original ancestor, it still has the guts, the talent, the four-wheel capability and the love for the outdoors to be worthy of the name Jeep. You can see these great vehicles at Cuero Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram.