The burning issue when it comes to Jeep's Cherokee Pioneer is not where it slots into the marketplace or even how van operators will view it but why the American firm saw fit to make a van out of their up-market SUV in the first place. Did they have a surPlus of Cherokees clogging up the factory and saw the opportunity to move them on quickly by chopping out the rear seats and panelling over the windows? Was British business clamouring for a Jeep with room for a cement mixer in the back? It's a tricky one.

The chances are that Jeep have simply spotted a way that they can sell more Cherokees in a new market with only a minimum of effort and expense on their part. A few simple modifications and hey presto, the big offroader becomes a handy commercial vehicle that businesses can reclaim the VAT on. MG Rover have done it with the Rover Commerce and the MG Express, Citroen did it with the Xsara Enterprise and now Jeep are in on the act. One possible drawback is that Jeep enjoy a more illustrious reputation than other manufactures who've pulled the old 'car becomes van' trick. With the Cherokee positioned at the higher end of the family 4x4 market, will the existence of a broadly similar van version impact adversely on the prestige of the passenger car? If it does, that will be Jeep's loss but the existence of the Cherokee Pioneer is definitely the UK van buying community's gain.

The Cherokee Pioneer joins a select band of 4x4 vans that are available in this country. Anyone needing this kind of vehicle would previously have looked to the Mitsubishi 4Work Range with its Shogun-derived models, to the Nissan Terrano van or to a Land Rover commercial. The only other alternative would be buying a pick-up truck and paying a premium for a cover over the load bay. This type of van appeals to farmers, builders and other trades which may need to transport loads efficiently offroad. There may an additional market for the Jeep, however. You can imagine trendy town-based businesses preferring the cachet of a Jeep badge and that famous grille over an anonymous car-derived van. The price is considerably higher but the jeep is a delivery vehicle that would get you noticed.

The base vehicle for the Cherokee Pioneer van is the Cherokee Sport passenger car. Jeep have produced a flat cargo area in the back of the Pioneer by removing the rear seats and installing a galvanised metal floor lined by a tough anti-slip carpet. The side windows behind the front seats have been replaced with body-coloured aluminium panelling. The Cherokee Pioneer comes with the same 2.8-litre CRD diesel engine found in the Cherokee Sport and costs £20,785. This makes the stripped-out Pioneer look a tad costly at over £500 more than its stablemate. The good news is that these are on the road prices. Discount the VAT which businesses will be able to reclaim and the £17,720 result seems much more reasonable. Scrape together another £200 and you can have a removable mesh bulkhead installed to separate you from your Pioneer's cargo. This will prove to be money well spent if said cargo is a large disgruntled badger or similar.

"It's definitely in areas of image and style where the Jeep can trounce its workmanlike competitors."

These modifications endow the Cherokee Pioneer with a maximum payload of 359kg and a maximum load volume of 1,954 litres. The capacity is class competitive but a lack of any modifications to the suspension mean that the payload is some way below what you can get in a Shogun or a Terrano. In fact, even the diminutive Mitsubishi Shogun Pinin manages to haul more. What is impressive is the Cherokee's capacity to tow a braked trailer weighing up to 2,688kg, that's up there with the best in class. Having said all that, comparing weights and measures when it comes to the Jeep Cherokee Pioneer is probably missing the point somewhat. For a number of reasons, this is a vehicle with a unique appeal in the UK market.

The Pioneer is driven by a 2.8-litre 161bhp diesel engine mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox. It's a combination that endows the van with a respectable amount of oomph for a chunky 4x4. 0-60mph takes 12.8s and the top speed of well over 100mph will be plenty to let you keep up with traffic on motorway journeys. The maximum torque of 295lb/ft arrives at the wheels by means of the Command-Trac 4x4 system between 2,000 and 2,400rpm. This is usefully low and ideal for getting the Pioneer out of sticky situations. Fuel economy of 27.4mpg on the combined cycle wont break the bank either. Overall, the engine and the drive train are as good as you'll find in any other 4x4 commercial. Expect a gruff engine note and a slightly choppy ride but nothing too off-putting and certainly nothing more than you'd experience in equivalent models.

Externally, the Cherokee Pioneer is something of a looker. The Jeep family grille and circular headlamps are instantly recognisable, roof bars traverse the top and the wheel arches flare aggressively around big tyres on big wheels. It's definitely in areas of image and style where the Jeep can trounce its workmanlike competitors. Inside, things are similarly up market. Commercial vehicles that include multi-stage front airbags, ABS brakes, headlamp levelling, electric windows, air-conditioning and a CD stereo as standard are very thin on the ground. The trim looks hard wearing enough and the facia is neatly designed, though there is a distinctly American flavour to the décor - some will love it, others won't.

When looked at on a purely functional level, the Jeep Cherokee Pioneer is no better than the other 4x4 vans that are available to UK operators and in a few areas it looks a little under strength. There is, however, no accounting for the average van buyer's desire to turn up for work in at good-looking, well-appointed vehicle with a Jeep badge on the front. The Pioneer's aspirational qualities are unique in this particular marketplace and they should help Jeep to carve out a nice little niche for themselves. For companies wishing to cultivate unconventional image and make an impact out on the road, the Jeep Cherokee Pioneer could be the way to go.