SECTOR: Medium SUV   PRICE: €35,960–€41,440   FUEL: 5.6–6.1l/100km   CO2: 150–160g/km

Jeep appears to be enjoying something of a revival at the moment, spearheaded in Europe at least by the impressive Renegade, the first Jeep to be built outside the US. The car is built in Italy, sharing its underpinnings with the Fiat 500X and 500L, but about as different as its possible to be from those two products.

The next model up the scale is the Cherokee, although that will change during 2016 with the arrival of Jeep’s C-segment SUV, likely to appear at the Geneva Show in March. Diesel power for the European Cherokee has previously come from the FCA 2.0-litre engine, which can trace its development back to the joint project with GM back in the 2000s.

Last year that changed, with the addition of a new 2.2-litre diesel which Jeep is using to provide a flagship model with a choice of either 182hp or 197hp. Both engines develop 440Nm of torque at 2,500rpm. Emphasising the upmarket nature of the model, this Cherokee is only available with four-wheel drive and nine-speed automatic transmission, a variant of the ZF nine-speed auto also used in the Renegade and in a range of premium models from JLR, BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

Vital fleet figures for the 182hp engine are combined fuel consumption of 5.7l/100km and CO2 emissions of 150g/km. This performance is also shared with the 197hp engine equipped with the Active Drive 1 system fitted to the 182hp version too. 197hp Limited models with Active Drive II take a fuel and emissions hit with combined fuel consumption of 6.1l/100km and CO2 emissions of 160g/km. Active Drive II adds a two-speed transfer box for more serious off-road work.

In either case, the emissions will make it a restricted sell to fleets in emissions-taxed markets. Even so, fuel economy and emissions are lower than the outgoing 170hp diesel auto variant.

When the engine was introduced, Jeep took the opportunity to improve the specification across the Cherokee range, so every model now comes with an electric tailgate, rain-sensing wipers and light-sensing headlamps, a multi-adjustable driver seat with lumbar support and automatic dipping rear-view mirror, housing a built-in microphone.

Options include a ‘Technology Group’ pack which includes a range of driver assist systems include Advanced Brake Assist, Lane Departure Warning Plus, automatic headlamp dipping, full-speed collision warning plus, adaptive cruise control, engine Start/Stop, blind spot monitoring and parallel park assist.

Luckily, the new engine loses none of the refinement of the 2.0-litre diesel. It’s a large car, but handles well and the nine-speed automatic makes for effortless driving. As we discovered it is also a very capable off-roader, particularly with the Active Drive II system, giving the car wading and off-road capabilities that few fleet drivers are likely to call upon. We followed rivers and forded them as well as took on some rocky terrain to challenge off-road flexibility.

It’s that effortless driving on road that is likely to appeal to most fleet drivers, plus the space for five adults. Jeep knows that it faces some stiff competition from models such as the Land Rover Discovery Sport, BMW X3, Audi Q5 and Volvo XC60 and the design reflects that. This isn’t the square-jawed Jeep you might expect, with the lower frontal area of a crossover thanks to the raked windscreen and low front panel.

Verdict:

Cherokee has not caught buyers’ imaginations in Europe as it has in the US, possibly because Jeep’s heritage doesn’t have the same impact. The Cherokee is a good car, with more off-road potential than many rivals and the 2.2-litre engine gives it better performance and appeal. But rivals like the X3, XC60 and Discovery Sport offer lower emissions with similar power.