I WAS at a recent Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders test day and put the Mitsubishi Shogun through its paces on and off-road.

By heck, the thing was unstoppable in the rough believe me. I took it through what they called a "black run", with almost unbelievable tracks, holes, slopes and deep water.

The tough old Shogun took the lot in its stride and felt as though it would happily do worse tomorrow.

That's the kind of faith these big off-roaders instil and they are as well-built as anything on the market, with excellent reliability.

Since 2007, the only engine available has sensibly been a 3.2-litre diesel turbo with decent performance on road through either automatic or manual gearbox, a marvellous ride and typically 4x4 roly-poly cornering.

It is available with either three or more family friendly five doors and, despite its imposing bulk, it is reasonably easy to manoeuvre thanks to good power steering.

The high driving position gives an excellent view all round and of course it's a top towcar.

Equipment includes height adjustable column and driver's seat, remote locking, six airbags, electric windows, stability and traction control and climate.

The inside is vast in the five door with a side opening tailgate for the huge boot and a folding third row of seats.

: Land Rover Discovery