The 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee is a lot more than first appearances might suggest: a true luxury vehicle, a capable off-roader, and a fuel-efficient diesel highway hauler—potentially all in the same build.

The 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee is a great family vehicle—just one that's also potentially ready to go off-road, tow a trailer or, on occasion, do things that are more workhorse-like than you'd attempt in most other typical family crossovers.

The Grand Cherokee has evolved nicely over the years, keeping that sturdiness but growing more lavish inside.

Although just like just about any off-road-ready vehicle of its kind, most owners will find comfort in knowing what it can do—even though they're not likely to actually leave pavement for long.

That said, you pay few penalties for the Grand Cherokee's superior abilities. It rides comfortably, handles reasonably well, and has a stunning, luxury-caliber interior.

And with the powertrain lineup ranging from a fuel-efficient turbodiesel V-6 to gasoline V-6 and V-8 engines and a ridiculously quick Grand Cherokee SRT, there's something for everyone well, everyone who doesn't want a hybrid, that is.

The Grand Cherokee is a five-passenger, two-row model (go to its cousin, the Dodge Durango, if you'd rather have three rows), but interior space is quite good. Multiple color schemes and interesting trim options, like open-pore wood, push the Grand Cherokee ever higher into luxury-vehicle terrain, though it doesn't have the third-row seating or funky-flexible interior of some bigger crossovers.