BIG and bold it may be, beautiful it certainly is not. But in many ways, that's missing the point - the SsangYong Turismo ELX is unique, a car without rival.

There simply is no other car that can carry so many passengers and luggage, in relative comfort for such a low price.

And it also comes with four-wheel drive.

For those points alone, it is noteworthy.

At more than five metres long and with a three-metre wheelbase, the Turismo is larger than a standard sized MPV people carrier - and most UK car parking spaces. But this means seven adults can travel with their luggage - 875 litres of it - loaded into the back.

There are three rows of seats but removing the third row completely increases the load space to an enormous 3,146 litres of space.

You can also slide the rear two rows backwards and forwards to suit your needs and there's convenient ‘walk through' access to the rear via the second row of ‘captain's seats' which can be individually folded.

And it is a true seven-seater. The rear seats are not just for kids and there's plenty of head and legroom throughout.

Specification is generous despite the modest price. The ELX comes with heated front seats, an electrically adjustable driver's seat, aircon, heated lower front windscreen, privacy glass and 17-inch alloy wheels.

There's also remote keyless entry, electric windows, electrically operated and heated door mirrors, rear parking sensors, roof rails and a decent six-speaker stereo with MP3 and Bluetooth capability.

The giant is powered by a newly-developed 2.2-litre e-XDi220 diesel engine which produces 176bhp and ample 400Nm of torque, which is smoothly and usefully delivered from just 1,400rpm. It can be matched to a six-speed manual transmission or, better still, a new Mercedes seven-speed automatic.

While SE and EX versions have rear-wheel drive, the top-of-the-range ELX features selectable 4x4 with low ratio as standard. Handy when towing a caravan or perhaps a horsebox across a slippery field.

Fuel consumption for the ELX is officially 36.2mpg, which isn't great but probably par for a 4x4 of this weight and size. But, on the ELX auto, CO2 emissions remain stubbornly high at 205g/km.

Its mammoth proportions mean the Turismo is not exactly thrilling to drive though its suspension set up means the ride is fairly comfortable, especially so on the motorway.

However, drive it quickly through corners and the Turismo's high centre of gravity means it wallows and rolls noticeably.

A clincher could be the warranty. All SsangYong's are covered by a best-in-class five-year limitless mileage warranty. Even if that doesn't set the average driver on fire, it could tip the scales for cab drivers, airport transfer firms or other professional drivers.