8 Jeep Cherokee station wagon

The appeal of exploring untamed terrains was neatly packaged by Chrysler in 1993 and officially imported to Britain by way of its Jeep Cherokee. The timing was perfect, as UK buyers bought into the perceived image of cars that could plug the mud, carry the family and, most importantly, look mildly exotic while doing so. The Cherokee ticked all of those boxes, and was compact enough to not prove an embarrassment on our roads. With unitary construction and a relatively low centre of gravity it handled surprisingly well, too, while still giving a good account of itself over hostile terrain.

If you wanted the full ‘I’ve just traversed the Yukon Trail’ image, you needed the profligate but smooth 4-litre ‘six,’ rather than the tractor-like 2.5-litre diesel or weedy petrol of the same capacity. UK sales were strong at first, but by the time the Cherokee was facelifted in ’97 more competent European rivals had crashed its party, and its unique appeal began to wane. Anorak fact The Cherokee’s 4-litre ‘six’ was the final engine developed by AMC (American Motors Corporation) before it was bought out by Chrysler