The interior of the Grand Cherokee is quite lush, with that big media screen playing its part in lifting the ambience, though the digital instrument cluster – with speedometer, trip computer and driver information screen for the Jeep’s off-road modes and wheel angle/tyre pressure monitoring – is even more impressive.

In the back there’s more than enough space in the second row for three adults, and the boot is sizeable, at 782 litres, but as mentioned, the seat layout is strictly for five, not seven.

Safety is accounted for by way of a blind-spot monitoring system, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning with autonomous emergency braking, and seven airbags (dual front, front side, full-length curtain and driver’s knee). Further, you get a rear-view camera and front and rear parking sensors standard.

Overland models also get Jeep’s Quadra-Lift adjustable air suspension to raise and lower the vehicle as required, and as with all 4×4 variants in the range, there’s Jeep’s Selec-Terrain system to help you get where you’re going when you’re off the beaten track. The available modes are Rock, Sand, Snow, Mud and Auto.

Under the bonnet of the Overland we have a 3.0-litre turbo diesel V6 engine producing a beefy 184kW of power (at 4000rpm) and 570Nm of torque (at 2000rpm). It features a proper high- and low-range four-wheel-drive system, and channelling the grunt is an eight-speed automatic gearbox with paddleshifters.

Published: Thursday, May 5, 2016