JEEP Grand Cherokee: sophisticated and tough off-roader

The new-look Jeep for those that want to head for the hills, says expert car reviewer Andrew Frankel

Jeep Grand Cherokee 3.0CRD V6 Summit

This model from £49,495

Transformed for the better by a total design overhaul last year, the Jeep Grand Cherokee is not for families who want to go a bit further off the beaten track than most, but rather over the hills and far away. Combining Jeep’s legendary rugged construction with a state-of-the-art Mercedes engine, the top-of-the-range Summit model features not only all the electronic gadgets one could wish for, but also height-adjustable air suspension for wading through rivers and clambering over rocks. In addition, there is hill descent control, a low ratio transfer box and a terrain selector, where you simply tell the car what kind of surface lies under its wheels and it optimises all its systems to suit.

The result is a car that combines the off-road ability upon which the Jeep brand built its reputation with luxury and sophistication of a kind the brand has never seen before.