My first encounter with a Jeep, in this case the M-38A1, was during the Korean war. It was being used to ferry wounded soldiers from a helicopter to a field hospital, M*A*S*H 4077. That was in the mid 70s.

To many people the M-38A1 was, and remains, the best Jeep ever made and their last, true, military vehicle. It’s the Jeep we all think of, rightly or wrongly, when we recall conflicts in south east Asia.

Long before I was introduced to them via my TV however, Willys-Overland delivered the prototype Quad to the US Army. It was 1940 and the Quad, unsurprisingly named after the four-wheel drive system it was using, laid down the template for the vehicle that would become affectionately known worldwide as the Jeep.

The first “Jeep” sold commercially was the CJ-2A which was based on the much-revered Willys MB – so revered, in fact, that one Willys MB was awarded a Purple Heart and sent home – and targeted at farmers. It was heavily revised to offer greater comfort, improved performance and an automatic windscreen wiper on the driver’s side.

My Jeep Grand Cherokee arrived with a pair of automatic windscreen wipers but the luxury didn’t stop there and, in fact, it is a surprisingly well-kitted out car. The interior is burnished in leather, the seats, front and rear, and steering wheel are all heated, there’s an 8.4in touchscreen with voice control, powered tailgate, brake assist and cruise control, and that’s just some of the highlights on what is a fairly lengthy list of standard equipment.

The interior is decently bolted together too. The switchgear is nicely finished and most of the exposed surfaces are pleasing to the eye and touch. The LCD screen is crisp, clear and easy to use straight of the box.

There’s plenty of head and legroom, front and rear, and the boot is a decent size and shape. The seats are comfortable and supportive and I was able to find a decent driving position. All-round visibility is excellent and, coupled with the rear-view camera, parking sensors and light steering, ensured that parking was never anything less than a doddle.

The engine starter button is, annoyingly, concealed by the steering wheel rim but, once you’ve found it and fired up the V6 diesel you’ll find it settles down to an almost silent tickover. In fact, refinement is generally excellent and it’s only if you accelerate hard that the oil burner really makes its presence known and even then, although a little gruff, it’s not unpleasant. Certainly at no point does normal conversation become impossible.

The ride is a little on the soft side, and the car can be prone to a little waft, but in general the dampers don’t do a bad job of keeping the two-plus tonnes in check. For a big SUV it corners reasonably flat, although the slow steering is enough to dissuade you from carrying too much speed into bends.

There’s a little travel in both the accelerator and brake pedals before things kick into life but I didn’t find it an issue once acclimatised. Performance from the V6 diesel, which produces 247bhp and 420lbft of torque is brisk. There’s a genuine shove in the back under acceleration with 62mph arriving in a none too shabby 8.2 seconds.

The eight-speed gearbox is slick enough although, at times, I did find it struggling to find its way during kickdown. It won’t come as a surprise then to learn that, despite an abundance of low down grunt, this is a car best suited to cruising rather than realising any sporting ambitions.

There probably won’t be too many buyers who will concern themselves with this car’s off-road prowess, its four-wheel drive system merely providing them with greater security and traction in slippery conditions on the black stuff, as well as increased towing ability. Should you want to venture off-road Jeep does offer a terrain selector switch, similar in operation to Land Rover’s, which allows you to tailor the four-wheel drive system to whatever surface lies underfoot.

The Grand Cherokee is, with perhaps the Wrangler a close second, the best looking model in the Jeep portfolio. Like its nearest competitor, the Discovery, it’s a capable off-roader but, also like its Land Rover rival, it’s likely to spend most of its life on the road. Fortunately it’s a life that it’s well-equipped to deal with – comfortable, competent and spacious – and offers reasonably good value for money thanks to its high level of equipment.

Jeep Grand Cherokee 3.0 CRD V6 Overland

£48,195Price:

£51,265As tested:

3.0-litre V6 dieselEngine:

247bhpPower:

420lbft @18,000rpmTorque:

126mphMaximum speed:

8.2secAcceleration (0-62mph):

30.4mpgUrban:

43.5mpgExtra urban:

37.7mpgCombined:

198g/kmEmissions (CO2):

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