Jeep Grand Cherokee   Women's view

Women on the school run seem to love their Jeeps, particularly the Grand Cherokee variety. June Neary finds out why

Youve seen them parked up outside the school gates. Row upon row of four-wheel drives: Toyotas, Land Rovers and especially Jeeps usually the Grand Cherokee variety featured here. This is a four-wheel drive I wouldn't hesitate to own, given the opportunity. It's chunky and good-looking and feels as solid as it looks. That's reflected in the handling, to some extent, which even with power steering I found a tad heavy to start with. However, that was more than compensated for by the comfort of the driving seat and the bird's eye view you have of the road.

I would not quibble about the space, either for passengers or luggage, in the Grand Cherokee, although I was surprised to find how little space there was in the back, given the huge size of this vehicle. Still, the squareness of the cabin gives it a roomy feel, and the luggage space is generous. This MK3 Grand Cherokee is very different from the original version we had in the UK. As well as the new look, there is a range of new engines, a smoother automatic transmission and what Jeep claimed to be a class-leading four-wheel drive system.

I tried the 3.0-litre V6 CRD diesel version and was soon wondering why anyone would bother. Buying a petrol variant that is. Its an engine borrowed from Mercedes and to be frank it shows.

Able to sprint to 60mph in a mere 9 seconds on the way to 124mph, its certainly quick enough for me. Its also very economical as far as a car of this kind ever can be. Unlike its petrol stablemate, there's three specifications on offer Predator, Limited and plush Overland trim. Alternatively, there is a 6.1-litre 420bhp SRT-8 V8 petrol option. The auto-only 3.

0 V6 CRD Limited model I tried was the variant many will choose.

Being a turbo diesel, my test car wasn't the quietest on the road, but I was impressed at the pulling power throughout the rev range. If you like your speed, however, don't drive it after trying the potent 420bhp 6.1 SRT-8 (5.0s and 152mph) which blasts past slower-moving traffic with all the assurance of a BMW 540i or an AMG Mercedes. There's a penalty to pay at the pumps, however, with a 12.8mpg urban return (or 17.2mpg on the EC combined test cycle). Getting comfortable behind the wheel was easy too and the seat adjustment system was neat - all I couldn't do was move it back a bit, but that was lack of patience. I wanted to be off! Handling was fine once I got used to the weight and size of the Grand Cherokee, and turning in a restricted space was no problem either. The air conditioning system has been improved and gives a decent blast of hot or cold air in no time at all. I'd love to test the Grand Cherokee again on really rugged terrain. When the going gets rough, you simply tug the transfer box lever into the four-wheel drive position - there's no need to slow down, even.

This car has been carefully priced to undercut top Discoveries, Shoguns, Mercedes M-classes and BMW X5s its intended rivals and its way cheaper than Toyotas Land Cruiser Amazon and the Range Rover. And the visual improvements to the MK3 Grand Cherokee? Well, at first glance, it doesnt look a great deal different to the Mk2 Grand, but park the two cars back to back and the changes are obvious. The waistline of the latest car is a good deal higher, giving the car a wedgier, tauter look. The headlamps are more rounded to conform with Jeeps family look.

With 90mm extra in the wheelbase, this car also caters for its passengers a good deal better than its surprisingly bijou predecessor. A stiffer chassis, better aerodynamics and a proportionally longer bonnet also point to the latest Grand Cherokees modernity. Equipment? Everything youd expect is in place: a 6-speaker CD Hi-Fi, front foglamps, electric everything, power folding and heated mirrors, an independently opening rear tailgate glass and a reversible cargo tray in the estate compartment for those muddy boot moments. Jeep have also got around to putting fingertip controls for the excellent stereo on the steering wheel or, more accurately, behind it. It's the final touch to a smartly styled display. News of the three-year, 60,000-mile warranty should also convince many wavering buyers that the importers are serious about the long-term quality of these tough-looking off-roaders.

Need you ask? I would really enjoy the day to day practicalities of the Grand Cherokee for family needs though Id definitely stick with the CRD diesel version every time. In plush Limited form, it's more than luxurious enough for business needs too.