TOUGH on the outside soft on the inside.
That's Ford's all new Ranger Double Cab, a vehicle designed to be just as at home on the road as off road.
With the fourth generation Ranger model Ford has gone out of its way to ensure that it's tough enough to tackle the harshest of terrains while at the same time soft enough to cosset its occupants with features which include electrically adjustable heated seats, Bluetooth and a heated windscreen as standard on top-of-the-range Wildcat models.
Add to that the fact that this trendy pick-up is the only one in the world to be given the maximum Euro NCAP 5 star rating for safety and it's easy to see why the new model will have a broader appeal than its predecessor.
For while the previous model did the job it was looked on more as a workhorse than a vehicle which would appeal to private buyers looking for a lifestyle vehicle.
In fact only five per cent of Rangers were previously sold to people who wanted a leisure vehicle - but with the new model all that is about to change.
Designed and developed by a global team in Australia and built for the European market in South Africa, the Ranger is the first commercial vehicle to be built under the company's "One Ford" global strategy.
Which, in simple terms, means a vehicle good enough to cater for the needs of all markets.
The Ranger is available in both single and double cab version with both four and two-wheel-drive and a choice of four trim levels.
There's a 2.2-litre TDCi engine - with either 125bhp or 150bhp - or a beefy 200bhp 3.2-litre TDCi engine. Prices range from £15,515 for the entry-level model to £25,040 for the six-speed automatic version of the Wildcat.
Expect mid-30s to the gallon in the lower capacity diesels and mid to high 20s from the bigger engine and - for the record - emissions are beyond the 200g/km mark.
But whichever model you opt for you get a lot for your money.
The stylish all-new Ranger Double Cab is a big, muscular vehicle that's as tough as it looks, with a towing capacity of up to 3,340kg and able to carry a payload of up to 1,340kg.
On the road it offers a comfortable car-like ride, precise handling and plenty of power no matter which engine you drive, with the five-cylinder 3.2-litre being particularly refined.
Sampling the 2.2-litre version off-road soon showed just how capable this vehicle is in the toughest of conditions.
Engage four-wheel-drive, low ratio and the Ranger tackles the deepest mud and steep inclines without any hint of loosing its footing.
And by engaging the pick-up's hill descent system I was able to let it gently "walk" down the steepest of ice-covered banks without a hint of drama.
To ensure it won't let you down this vehicle has been tested in the harshest conditions of the Australian Outback, as well being driven for mile after mile at high speeds on the German autobahns.
In fact vehicles clocked up more than a million kilometres in testing conditions on and off-road.
Even with a full load on board the Ranger can wade through water up to 800 millimetres deep.And to ensure stability even when towing there are features which include trailer sway control, adaptive load control and roll-over mitigation, all of which do exactly what they say.
Unlike some double cabs this one offers rear seat passengers plenty of leg and knee room and Ford boasts that two six footers can comfortably sit one behind the other.
In the current economic climate it's hard for a lot of households to be able to afford a car for business and a car for leisure.
But the new Ford Ranger is a vehicle a farmer or small businessman would be happy to use in their work during the day while in the evenings and at weekends their family could hardly complain about a super quiet cab packed with a host of up-market saloon car features.