JEEP is upping the ante in the 4x4 world with the launch of its fifth generation Grand Cherokee - and the model will feature an electrified powertrain in its line up.

For the first time the large SUV will be available as a plug-in hybrid said to be capable of up to 25 miles of zero emission motoring and a combined overall fuel economy in the region of 68 miles per gallon.

The Grand Cherokee 4xe will also be marketed in heavy duty off-road Trailhawk specification in a model that has conquered the Rubicon Trail in America purely on electric power.

The car will be available in the UK in the middle of next year and Jeep says it will be announcing prices and more details closer to the launch date.

"The Jeep Grand Cherokee is our global flagship and will be leading the Jeep brand into a new era of premium refinement, innovative technology, advanced 4x4 capability and electrification," said Christian Meunier, Jeep's chief executive officer.

"With a perfect balance of on-road dynamics, 4x4 capability and 4xe performance, the all-new 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee is the most technologically advanced, luxurious and 4x4-capable Grand Cherokee ever."

In its home market in the US the Grand Cherokee will also be offered with a 3.6-litre V6 petrol engine developing 293 horsepower and a 5.7-litre V8, rated at 357hp.

The new Grand Cherokee sits on a new platform designed to increase vehicle safety and all round performance and first appeared in America in long-wheelbase format earlier this year.

The shorter wheelbase version is 193.5 inches long which is more than 10 inches less and in 4xe guise has a 2.0-litre four cylinder engine and two electric motors which combined deliver 375hp giving it a maximum towing capacity of 2.72 tonnes.

It is fitted with three drive modes - hybrid, electric and eSave to conserve EV performance - and Jeep's Quadra Trac II 4x4 system.

In Trailhawk specification the Grand Cherokee 4xe has 10.9-inches of ground clearance and a wading depth of up to two feet.

It also comes with blue coloured tow hooks and accents in the wheels as well as on the body and a bonnet decal to designate its environmentally-friendly status,

Inside, the new Grand Cherokee is fitted with a 10.1-inch display screen using Jeep's latest Uconnect 5 infotainment system which allows for over-the-air updates as well as full smartphone connectivity.

The centre console layout has updated switches and more storage space in the front bin that can hold two wireless devices and a wireless charger.

All models come with LED lighting and driver assistance systems include adaptive cruise control, lane monitoring and an electrically operated parking brake as well as rear cross traffic alerts and a surround-view camera set up.