The incredible popularity of Jeep is one thing that Renault could really use

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Jeep is unquestionably one of the strongest and most recognized automotive brands in the world. The fact that Jeep has survived four different companies since its birth on the battlefields of the Second World War is proof of that. At the same time, Jeep vehicles remain largely affordable. This is a rare combination. Generally, if you want a vehicle with a strong brand identity, you pay a lot. You look at a Ferrari, a Rolls-Royce or, at least, a Land Rover.

"It's so strong, the brand itself, that the desire of consumers has surpassed, in many cases, its reputation for quality," said Jeff Schuster, industry analyst at LMC Automotive.

In the latest Consumer Reports vehicle reliability survey, Jeep vehicles were well below average, a place the brand regularly occupies. That would be terrible for most vehicle brands, but Jeep's global market share has almost tripled since 2010, according to data from LMC Automotive. Fiat Chrysler (FCAU), who would not comment on this story otherwise, said that she responds to all the quality problems encountered and that she values ​​the contribution of evaluators such as Consumer Reports.

At dealerships, Jeep products are also close to suggested retail prices. and customers spend a lot on accessories, "said Kelsey Mays, Consumer Affairs Editor at Cars.com. So, while cars and SUVs of other brands often have to be sold with discounts and benefits, Jeep vehicles require a lot less help.

"If you look [the Jeep] Wrangler, he is still selling near the sticker, "he said.

All of these commercial successes come from a number of factors, including expanding the range of models, introducing the brand into more markets around the world and, in particular, the general evolution of the market. to the SUVs. But this is also due to a keen desire for Jeep name and style in many parts of the world.

The Jeep Compass does not look like a Wrangler, but it exists in Trail Rated off-road version.

"Europe and Asia, in particular, are interested in the idea of ​​America and are delighted with it," said Brian Moody, Editor-in-Chief at Autotrader. "I do not think it has diminished as much as some media might want you to think and I think Jeep is the perfect embodiment of that."

The Jeep's identity comes directly from the machines that General George C. Marshall has called "America's greatest contribution to modern warfare". It was MB Willys-Overland and Ford's GPWs, box-shaped four-wheel drive cars designed to go where other cars could not.

The Jeep Wrangler of today is a direct descendant of these vehicles.

Every Jeep is not a Wrangler – the most popular product of the brand as well as the most iconic – but from the small Compass crossover to the Grand Cherokee, everyone is a "declaration" vehicle. Yes, at the end of the day, most Jeeps are practical SUVs that make family transportation the same as the Toyota RAV4 or Honda CR-V. From elsewhere, sometimes not even as well. But a jeep says something about its owner. "I am different from you, pilot of the Honda CR-V because I could go somewhere besides my kids' school and supermarket."

Even in its most modern form, the Jeep Wrangler retains obvious links with its 1940s predecessor.

Fiat Chrysler is assured that all Jeep models are available in a Trail Rated version. Trail Rated Round Trail Jeeps are equipped with special tires, AWD systems and extra protection to withstand the dangers of rock-strewn trails. But the main thing that they protect is the primordial authenticity of Jeep.

"All the identity of a brand rests on" I will transform myself by buying this jacket, by buying this handbag, driving this car, "said Pamela Danziger, brand strategy consultant in the luxury sector. "So by giving them that extra dream capacity, it's incredibly appealing."

Wrangler, Jeep's flagship product, pushes this "dream ability" to the extreme. In the new version, introduced in 2017, engineers have made every effort to maintain the ability to fold down the windshield, a challenge for a modern car. It is unlikely that most Wrangler buyers will even understand why they would want to do it. Even less would do it. But that can still be done because, in World War II, a Jeep driver could do it. (There are several reasons why this was done in wartime: it is easier to load a stretcher than to reduce the bright reflections that could give the Jeep the position of the enemy.)

Today, it is done for a reason: because it is a jeep.

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