do real jeeps have round headlights?

Answer 1

Jeep CJ's have had both round and square headlights. The shape of their headlights don't determine whether they are authentic Jeeps or not... The very first Kaiser and Willy's Jeeps had round headlights, however in an attempt to modernize the look of the Wrangler line, they opted to use large square lights in the eighties. Some people actually prefer the square lights over the round ones as it matches a lot of the Jeep's square profile.

In any case, Jeep returned to the round lights when the retro craze started (with the release of the PT Cruiser, VW Beetle, Mini Cooper, etc...). It all boils down to personal preference and in fact, an owner can convert a square headlamp Jeep to a round one with a few parts from a junkyard. With modern headlight technology, the shape & size of a headlight is a moot issue. My daughter has a Mazda 6 with a round headlight that's only about 2" in diameter yet is brighter and more effective than any car I've ever owned.

Round or square, the important thing is that they both work and the Jeep is still perhaps the most capable off-road vehicle today, especially for rock crawling and narrow trails.

Answer 2

This question is a really controversial one....and it need not be. Any simpleton can distinguish a JEEP (CJ, YJ, TJ....and older or newer) simply by the traditional body style. The basic and beloved bodystyle has not changed for 60+ years. Aside from the VW Bug, I am not really aware of any other vehicle that is so readily identified by so many generations. Show pictures of any (traditional) Jeep (40's - present) to a 4-year old and ask them what it is. Then try that with pics of vehicles that no longer resemble their namesake: Nova, Camaro, Firebird, Charger.......even the Camry. They will only pick the JEEP as the vehicle they recognize as a ...........JEEP!


The fact that the YJ had rectangular headlights was just a simple evolution in light manufacturing. The design offered more surface area for the reflectors to illuminate the road or trail. If anyone out there reading this has any knowledge of the SQUARE Kicker Solo-Baric subs-----this makes perfect sense.......more surface area than a circular subwoofer. Those that oppose a rectangular headlight should take a survey of 1980-present vehicles and send me the results.

Round headlights were the norm for decades.......as technology mandated. Get over it.....things change, and the lights on a vehicle do not change the functionality off-road.

If the opposition to the YJ still have a beef about "square" headlights..........I invite you to explain to me WHY you think a Jeep that is basically an UN-aerodynamic, essentially SQUARED off vehicle (recall the FLAT fenders and body panels that define the breed) should have round lights.

I personally think that the only thing that should be ROUND about a (traditional) Jeep are the tires and the steering wheel.......and maybe the gas cap. I love the "square" headlights on my 92 YJ and think that they fit into the Jeep bodystyle MUCH better than "bug eyes".

Please note that I have a 40's Willys and a 2000 TJ, AND a 2000 Cherokee, aside from the 92 YJ.........I am not biased due to a headlight shape....I just have preferences based on LOGIC and ASTHETICS---------not necessarily TRADITION.

Answer 3

The reason they say that real Jeeps have round headlights is because the origional Jeep was the Jeep CJ which was in production from 1940 to 1986. Then in 1987 they replaced the Jeep CJ with the very similar but less capable Jeep Wrangler. This origional Jeep Wrangler, which ran from 1987-1996, had square headlights and many people associated the square headlights with the "wimpy" new Jeep. Jeep changed the Wrangler's headlights back to round again because people didn't like the square headlights. Why change a vehicle that's gone unchanged for such a long time?

Answer 4

I'm with Jeff on this one. A real jeep is made to be used and worked on (probably on the trail). That's why "real" jeeps are simple. By today's standards yjs (accepted definition of square headlight jeep)are pretty simple, but when they first came out they were considered radically different and much more complicated than the cj (accepted definition of round headlight jeep). Only now are we starting to realize the many changes that Chrysler can make to our beloved vehicle and still call it a jeep. Yjs are (in my book) on par with cjs.

Answer 5

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Jeeps hold their value pretty well, so its really hard to find a really cheap one. If I were you and couldn't afford a newer 2003 or newer wrangler, I would look into older CJ7s for the base of a project. The 80s and 90s wranglers were just crappy. And also remember real jeeps have round headlights.

Answer 6

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do real jeeps have round headlights?

Answer 7

Yes. Real Jeeps have round headlights...some fake "jeeps" have round headlihgts, too. Look at the new "jeep" compass. Does that thing really pass as a Jeep? I think not. But it has round headlights.

A Jeep is the thing that looks like a Jeep. A Jeep is not a stationwagon, not an SUV, not a land-cruiser, not a suzuki, not a "soft roader."

There was one series of Jeep that had square headlights. It still looked like a Jeep, except the front. People didn't like it, so they changed the headlights back to the round ones.

3 people didn't like my answer...
Think about what I said. It's not a Jeep unless it looks like a Jeep and says Jeep on the nameplate. These car based SUV's being put out with the Jeep name are just unibody station wagons with a bit more ground clearance. The Compass is the same as a Dodge Caliber under the body. A real Jeep isn't available with front wheel drive! Even the Cherokee and Wagoneer weren't the same as a real Jeep. Longer wheelbases, 4 wheel drive as an option...not a "real Jeep."

Jeeps fought in WWII, Korea, Vietnam...

Answer 8

Jeep CJ's only came with Round Headlights. YJ's or "Yuppie Jeeps" did not. TJ's are a joke as well.
Now the Jeep SJ's are true Jeeps. Even in 1979 when they went with square headlights. But, thank goodness they can be changed back.

Answer 9

Yj Headlights

Answer 10

up to 86 it was round headlights
from 87 to 96 square headlights
97 to now round headlights