Richard Posluszny: As an off-roader, the Jeep Grand Cherokee is tough to beat, but when you consider its high price, poor fuel economy and small cargo hold, you may wonder what else is out there. Well, the competition may not be escapable off-road, they do earn points in other areas.

If off-roading isn't important and you generally stick for the pavement, there really isn't a need for off-roader like the Grand Cherokee. If that's the case, you should check out the Ford Edge. It will give a go anywhere capability, but the high-tech interior of the Edge makes up for it with the class leading infotainment system.

With SYNC and MyFord Touch, the cabin is as modern as they come. If you need cargo space, the Edge is lacking in that department, but if you want to save some cash, the Edge starts at about $3000 less than the Grand Cherokee does.

A great option that can take you anywhere is the Land Rover LR4. The 44.

5 cubic feet of space behind the second row, the LR4 can hold up to 90 cubic feet total depending on the seating configuration, plus the viewers say that the LR4 performs much better on road than the Grand Cherokee does.

However, more space and better performance comes at a premium. The Land Rover costs over $17,50,000 more than the Jeep, but when you equip a Grand Cherokee to match the LR4's standard features, the gap closes to about $3500. So if you are planning to trick out your Grand Cherokee the other Ford might be worth it.

But if you still want to send your kids to college, the Toyota 4Runner is still the most affordable offered SUV that can handle family duty. While the 4Runner is still offered capable, it's also better on pavement and it also gets better fuel economy than the Jeep.

Cargo capacity is another strong point. The 4Runner has 46 cubic feet of space behind the second row and 89 cubic feet with the seats folded. This is the case where more is less. The base 4Runner can save you over $650 compared to the base Grand Cherokee.

As you can see there are plenty of options if you are shopping for an off-road SUV, while the Grand Cherokee's competition has a leg-up in some respects, it's still the only game in town if you are looking for that winning combination of value, off-road capability, and a luxurious cabin.