THE Jeep Grand Cherokee isn’t just a big car, it’s a monster.

It’s a fabulous one, mind. A huge, powerful 3.0-litre V6 beast that pretty much rules the road.

That said, it was just too big for me and my lifestyle. As the pictures show, this is a vehicle most at home on the open road, in the countryside or off road. That’s also where you’ll have the most fun with it. All models come with a low-ratio gearbox and a 'Selec-Terrain' system that allows you to optimise the car’s electronics for different types of terrain.

There are two engines to choose from, three power outputs, and five trim levels - Laredo, Limited, Limited Plus, Overland and the top of the range Summit trim.

The revised model comes with a new eight-speed automatic transmission, which reduces consumption and emissions while improving acceleration and delivering smoother, faster gear changes.

The improved fuel economy is partly thanks to its new Eco Mode. This optimises the Grand Cherokee’s transmission shift schedule as well as throttle sensitivity to minimise fuel consumption. It also activates the Quadra-Lift air suspension system to lower the body.

Eco Mode is automatically engaged when the vehicle starts up, although you can disengage it for a livelier performance.

The Jeep’s seven-slot grille, slimmer headlights and more pronounced fog lights add to its bold appearance. At the rear there are new larger tail lamps with LED lighting, a larger, more aerodynamic rear spoiler, new bumpers and a tailgate that’s been re-sculpted to offer improved visibility.

Inside, there is a tonne of leg and headroom (as you would expect) and the boot is big as well - 782 litres - although there is no option of a third row of seats.

Dual-zone automatic climate control is standard across the range while heated seats front and back and a heated steering wheel are standard on all models apart from the Laredo.

There is a comprehensive array of safety equipment, including new Adaptive Cruise Control, Forward Collision Warning with Crash Mitigation and new Selec-Speed Control which supplement the rich array of more than 60 standard-fit active and passive safety systems.

Towing capability is up to 3500kg for all models apart from the Summit which can pull up to 2949kg.

Factfile
Car: Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit
On the road: £49,495
Top speed: 126mph
0-62mph: 8.2 seconds
Fuel: 37.7mpg (combined)
CO2 emissions: 198g/km