The Grand Cherokee has grown up!

I remember driving early versions of this Tonka Toy and being impressed by its power and look-at-me style, but slightly turned off by its brashness. Where Range Rover was stately and refined, the Jeep was vulgar yet very able.

Now new Grand Cherokee has matured into a very likeable car, indeed. Still huge, still powerful, yet it has some of the refinements that used to be lacking.

Tested here is a 3.0 litre turbodiesel version which costs the best part of £50,000, it’s obviously designed very much with its home market in mind, yet it travels so well that ‘sophisticated’ Brits can enjoy it, too.

It’s a proper off-roader, packed to the hilt with hi-tech features to keep you on the move.

I’m impressed with the Quadra-Drive II four-wheel-drive system and even more so by the ‘Selec-Terrain’ system which allows you to ‘choose’ mud, snow, water or whatever, and the car sets itself to cope admirably with those conditions.

This car certainly puts those pretend off-roaders, the so-called soft-roaders, to shame.

It also has electronic stability control, traction control and a radar-style blind-spot monitor and no end of airbags.

A tough go-anywhere redneck kind of vehicle? Well, it might be if it wasn’t for the heated steering wheel, Nappa leather cabin, 6,700-song entertainment system, powered tailgate and panoramic sunroof, That’s not to mention the ‘ParkSense’ parking system or the hill start assist.

A limousine? Well, it’s certainly well-equipped.

On the road, the Grand Cherokee Overland feels nimble and neat to such an extent that you can’t believe it’s 4.8 metres long, slightly less than a Range Rover.

It has power to burn, yet it’s equally happy around town or burning up the motorway miles. And with just under 40mpg on a run and more than 27mpg around town, it’s a far more sensible option than you might imagine.

For all this power, the Grand Cherokee rides much better than might be expected.

It’s been made much torsionally stiffer than its predecessor and really feels it. It’s more controlled all the time and feels much more cohesive.

Heavily-assisted steering means the front end, complete with that superlatively weighty engine, feels deceptively light on turn-in, but there’s a wealth of mid-corner poise that lets you hustle the big Jeep around corners like nobody’s business.

At £45,000 this isn’t a cheap car, but then no truly niche and desirable car ever is.

But it’s very well equipped, and to specify one of its European rivals with their large diesel engines up to a similar standard the budget would need to rise well above this.

Meanwhile, Jeep has plans to continue the success with details of a formidable new Grand Cherokee ‘Sports Line’ version, the S-Limited.

Designed to sit competitively in the ‘sports-styled’ premium SUV segment of the contested 4WD market, the new Grand Cherokee S-Limited will offer all the presence of Jeep’s muscular sports styling, but without the large capacity petrol engines seen in outright performance versions such as the 6.4-litre V8-powered Grand Cherokee SRT.

The new Jeep Grand Cherokee S-Limited comes with a sports appearance.

The interior of the new S-Limited features a leather-wrapped heated steering wheel and ventilated sports-styled Nappa leather seats. Bright, racing style pedal pads add to the sporty, performance-oriented look inside the cabin.

Grand Cherokee S-Limited will cost £44,595 on the road.

 

Jeep Grand Cherokee 3.0 CRD V6 Overland

 

PRICE: £45,495. Test version is £47,895 with extra-cost options of Brilliant Black paint (£670) and rear DVD with single sunroof (£1,700)
ENGINE: A 3.0 litre V6 cylinder unit generating 237bhp via five-speed automatic gearbox
PERFORMANCE: Top speed 126mph and 0 to 60mph in 8.2 seconds
COSTS: town 27.4mpg; country 39.2mpg; combined 34mpg
EMISSIONS: 218g/km
INSURANCE: Group 39
WARRANTY: Three years, 60,000 miles
EQUIPMENT INCLUDES: Leather upholstery, powered tailgate, 20in alloy wheels, park assist feature, stability and traction control, air suspension and forward collision warning