When one thinks of the Jeep, it’s not the Willys or the Cherokee that come to mind; rather, it's the Wrangler and the Gladiator because that’s what the brand has come to mean over the years. Jeep is a symbol for off-road fantasy that's hard to resist, one of owning a rugged vehicle and putting it through its paces.

And there are plenty of amazing Jeep cars – SUVs and pickups mostly, that have gone into making Jeep the brand it is today. Never mind the fact that it changed hands quite a bit before finally finding home with Chrysler and now, Stellantis.

Like with every automaker and marque, Jeep has had both hits and misses over the years. And there have been cars that made Jeep great, of course, but some that nearly ruined all that the brand stood for. Here go five of each. Some of these cars added a bit to the allure and glamor of the Jeep while others tarnished it.

10 Made Jeep: 1941-45 Willys MB

1941-1945 Willys Jeep MB Classic SUV
Via: Facebook

This is perhaps one of the most important vehicles of WWII. The Willys Jeep was such a marked wonder, even Ford was arm-twisted to make it, as the Ford GPW. This was the Jeep that got the soldiers in and out because it was the very first mass-produced four-wheel-drive.

1941-1945 Willys Jeep MB Classic SUV
Via: Flickr

The 60-horsepower engine was just perfect at the time, and while it went on in updated generations, there’s nothing as nostalgic as a good old “GP. ”And the idea of an “off-road” perhaps was born then and there.

Related: International Scout 2 And 9 More Classic SUVs We'd Buy Right Now

9 Almost Ruined Jeep: 1972-73 Jeep Commando

1973 Jeep Commando Classic SUV
Via: Mecum

AMC took Jeep off Kaiser, and in a bid to twist the brand to become more AMC-like, they ended up making a blunder. Instead of continuing a good thing, they took the Jeepster Commando and made it the Jeep Commando.

1973 Jeep Commando Classic SUV
Via: Mecum

Then they added inches to the front and changed the grille, changing the personality of the Jeep Commando into something no one wanted. From fun and rather a quirky car, the Jeepster turned into an embarrassment most refused to buy.

Related: 10 Coolest Classic SUVs You Probably Forgot About

8 Made Jeep: 1963-91 Jeep Wagoneer

1968 Jeep Wagoneer Classic SUV
Via: Flickr

The Jeep Wagoneer has been a long-standing nameplate, lasting 28 years, and that too on the same platform. With a rugged four-wheel drive and tons of innovation, the Wagoneer moved from being a bohemian gypsy into a refined off-roader with plenty of comforts.

1991 Jeep Grand Wagoneer SUV
Bring a Trailer

It also introduced many important firsts like an automatic transmission, an independent front suspension, and even a full-time 4WD. Later, the Grand Wagoneer added in some much-needed plush and raised the Jeep's legacy with its emergence as well.

7 Almost Ruined Jeep: 1986-95 Jeep Wrangler

1992 Jeep Wrangler SUV
Via: BringaTrailer

When it comes to a Wrangler, as long as it had headlights, does it matter? It does. A lot. Especially when a new owner comes along and decided to move geometry around, just for the fun of it. The YJ was replacing the hitherto bestseller, the CJ and square became the new circle for the headlamps.

1992 Jeep Wrangler 5-Speed SUV
Via: BringaTrailer

But to replace the car, AMC went a bit OTT and brought in a Wrangler generation that looked and felt way different from its predecessors. Needless to say, consumers were not impressed. This is exactly why they say, if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.

6 Made Jeep: 1976-86 Jeep CJ-7 & The Scrambler

1983 Jeep CJ-7 Classic SUV
Via: Mecum

The Jeep CJ-7 made for the perfect replacement for the CJ-5 for more reasons than one. It was Jeep’s first CJ to come with an automatic transmission and also carried the optional Quadra-Trac AWD system.

1983 Jeep CJ-7 Classic SUV
Via: Mecum

And in 1981, Jeep also brought out the CJ-8 Scrambler, a compact pickup truck that looked weird but rode so well, even the naysayers were a fan. Sadly, it was the Jeep Comanche that ate into the Scrambler’s sales and put an end to its spirited run.

5 Almost Ruined Jeep: 2002-12 Jeep Liberty

2006 Jeep Liberty SUV
Via: BringaTrailer

The Jeep has always stood for rugged and tough vehicles, the kind that can take on the worst of asphalt less-paths and come out the winner. So why did they bring out a near spineless version that is even worse than the already-reviled Patriot?

2006 Jeep Liberty SUV
Via: BringaTrailer

The Liberty supposedly replace the Cherokee but came with cheap plastic interiors, a shabby design, and no off-roading capabilities. They redid the Liberty in 2008 but by then, no one wanted another off-roader from Jeep. So Liberty went down as one of Jeep’s fails because no one wants a curvy Jeep.

4 Made Jeep: 1984-2001 Jeep Cherokee & The Comanche

1990 Jeep Comanche Pickup Classic Pickup Truck
Mecum Auctions

This is the great model that the Liberty was supposed to replace, a vehicle that was called the best SUV shape, even before the SUV term was bandied about. It was well-balanced and drove just right, initially coming with a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder and a 2.8-liter V6 engine.

1990 Jeep Comanche Pickup Truck
Via: Mecum

By 1987, there was the new 4.0-liter inline-6 engine with some welcome power, which in turn also gave rise to the Cherokee-based pickup, the Comanche. Both the SUV and truck did exceedingly well in the market.

Related: Jeep Cherokee XJ And 9 More Incredible Family Hauler Bargains We'd Buy

3 Almost Ruined Jeep: 2006-10 Jeep Commander

2007 Jeep Commander SUV
Via: NetCarShow

Thankfully, the Commander did not last long and Jeep was quick to pull it off assembly lines once the disastrous reception was clear. But even so, blowing up a Jeep Cherokee to simply add in a third-row of absolutely useless seats does not a three-row SUV make.

2007 Jeep Commander SUV
Via: Jeep

And so the Commander was doomed to fail from the start, especially since it was barely two inches long and about 400 pounds heavier. The V8 engines could not pull it with thrilling power and so the Commander lucked out, on all fronts.

2 Made Jeep: 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee

1993-Jeep-Grand-Cherokee-SUV
Via: BringaTrailer

A great design that managed to marry perfect off-road capability with a ton of gumption made the Jeep Grand Cherokee a great hit in the ‘90s. Of course, the nameplate has tarried on, and off, in various forms but it was the ’93 debut that made it immensely popular.

1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV
Via: BringaTrailer

A big safety addition was that the Jeep Grand Cherokee was the first SUV with a driver's side airbag. Add to that plenty of four-wheel-drive options and this was a formula made to succeed. So it did.

Related: These Are The Toughest SUVs From The '90s You Can Buy For Peanuts

1 Almost Ruined Jeep: 2007-17 Jeep Patriot

2014 Jeep Patriot SUV driving through the forest
Via Jeep

Unlike the Jeep Compass that looks nothing like a true Jeep and is a different breed of crossover, the Patriot pretended to be more Jeep-like. In looks alone. It shares most powertrain and drivetrain components with the Compass but just wraps it up prettier and more rugged.

2011 Jeep Patriot SUV
Via: NetCarShow

But with bad fuel economy and generic poor rides, the Compass and the Patriot have all but stolen Jeep’s thunder. Not what you’d expect from a brand that makes the Wrangler and now, the Gladiator.

Sources: TheFastLaneCar, CNet