Used buyer's guide: Jeep Grand Cherokee

There's plenty of equipment and the design is nice enough, but for such a large car, the rear seat space is disappointing, and there’s no third row of seats. The 978/1,909-litre boot is a decent size, and the separately opening tailgat

The bonnet and tailgate are supported by gas struts, which are now starting to fail on some cars. Replacements are available from just £20 each.

Diesel engines leak oil from their sump gaskets as well as the oil temperature sender; just look for drips on the ground under the front of the car.

Check that the dashboard illumination is all working as it should, because once a bulb has failed it isn’t just a question of fitting a new one.

The suspension has to work hard; shock absorbers can fail after less than 30,000 miles, while front anti-roll bar links and bushes can be weak.