Jeep Cherokee

The Jeep Cherokee is fine and has an authentic badge. But in this sector you’re spoilt for choice, and it’s slipping further and further down the shortlist.

• Comfort

  Multi-link suspension on a solid monocoque mean that the Cherokee is always more than passably comfy. Soft-ish suspension helps iron out bumps and botox the smaller stuff into smoothness. There's plenty of space too. The only real comfort killer is the noisy diesel.

  

• Performance

  The 2.8-litre diesel is a noisy mother and it only gets 161bhp. Of more relevance is the 266lb ft of torque, but you're talking about a Jeep that weighs 2140kg (that's fat, fact fans), so there's no balls to back up all the shouty muster. The benchmark 0-62mph comes up in a leisurely 12.8 seconds and it only manages 108mph.

  

• Cool

  You won't win friends and you most certainly won't influence people.

  

• Quality

  The good things about Jeep remain - everything looks rugged, tough and able to withstand some cowboyish fumbling. The bad things are the same too - it's made of dull plastics and secretly wants to be a Tonka Toy.

  

• Handling

  It's only average in the sector. It won't fall over around a sharp bend but nor will it be able to generate the grip that something more road-biased can manage. Drive a Land Rover Freelander, or better yet a Nissan X-Trail. After which, case closed.

  

• Practicality

  Loads of lovely headroom in the box-shaped Cherokee, along with a generous dollop of legroom, though there's not quite enough width across the beam to seat three wide-thighed monstrosities in the back. A big boot with the seats up (821litres) jumps to a massive 1954litres with the seats folded and there's a side-opening split tailgate for ease of access.

  

• Running costs

  The Cherokee struggles to get 30mpg and isn't particularly clean (band G £300 at the time of going to press) and doesn't have the solid residuals you might expect given the rufty-tufty badge.