IT was an invitation that was difficult to turn down. A trip down to he French Alps for three days skiing then spend a couple of days at the Geneva Motor Show before jumping a flight back home.

The catch? Well, the first leg from Luton to the winter sports village of Morzine in the shadow of Mont Blanc was to be behind the wheel of a SsangYong pick-up truck.

Oh, well! I suppose the prospect of a sore back and some battered and bruised joints was a small price to pay for a few days enjoying some mid-winter Alpine sunshine.

But how wrong could I be? For there was nothing uncomfortable or agricultural about the South Korean manufacturer's Korando Sports, my steed for the 680-odd mile run south.

Under the bonnet sits SsangYong's own two-litre 153bhp turbo diesel engine mated to either a six-speed manual or an optional six-speed automatic gearbox and it has to be one of the quietest oilburners I've ever driven.

And on the silky-flat surfaces that make up the French Autoroute system, the chunky pick-up offered a relaxed and ultra-smooth ride as it cruised along, gobbling up the miles with ease, leaving me as fresh as a daisy with no aches and pains to overcome even after such a long drive.

SsangYong have done a pretty good job to make sure that the cabin interior is neither rough and ready or cheap looking. The quality of fixtures and fittings, while not premier class, are substantial and more than up for the undoubted battering these types of vehicles tend to be subjected to.

It was also easy to find a comfortable driving position, especially with the leather-clad electric seats which came as standard in the SX specification model I was driving.

The load capacity, too, is more than adequate. The rear cargo deck offers an area of more than two square metres, not the largest on offer, but enough to accommodate a standard-size pallet to meet the demands of most small traders and tradesmen who will make up the majority of buyers.

The drive mode is set by turning a dial on the dashboard and offers three settings - two-wheel-drive for normal use; four-wheel-drive for slippy conditions, and low-ratio four-wheel-drive for when things get really rough.

The Korando Sports EX comes with a load canopy as standard. Unfortunately, it does have somewhat of a small back window, so the rear view is quite restricted. However, as a working vehicle, all-round visibility is still better than that offered by most vans.

For a pick-up, the Korando comes pretty well kitted out, with air-conditioning, heated front seats, foglights, tinted glass and 18-inch alloys complete with full-sized spare wheel, while safety features include front airbags, anti-lock brakes, hill start assist, ESP, door impact beams and active rollover protection.

Also fitted as standard is a Kenwood CD/MP3/radio sound system, complete with Bluetooth, USB connection and aux port.

While the Korando has a lot going for it, including 45mpg fuel economy and five-year warranty, probably the best thing about it is its price.

Starting at just £18,349 in entry-level SX trim and working up to £22,800 for the all-singing, all-dancing, fully-loaded EX automatic, these prices include VAT, which may be reclaimed by VAT-registered businesses.