AS sports utility crossovers go, the Mitsubishi ASX certainly looks the business with its large gaping grille that gives the impression it's going to swallow up then spit out anything that gets in its way.

The Japanese company, most famous for their full-blown offroaders such as the Shogun SUV and rugged L200 pick-up truck, might have been a latecomer into the somewhat softer offroader marketplace, but the wait was certainly worth it, for the ASX proved to be a cracking-looking machine that offered mega value-for-money.

And if you thought the styligh exterior design took some beating, then the same could be said for the interior. Comfortable and roomy, solidly put together and modern in design, it could be argued that it was one of the best-looking SUVs on the market at the time of its launch.

The ASX also undercut many of its rivals, while resale values are holding up well and are pretty much towards the top end of the scale.

No fewer than 14 models made up the range with prices starting out at just a shade over the £15,000 mark. It came in three trim levels and had a choice of powertrains from a 115hp 1.6-litre petrol to a 114bhp 1.8-litre and 145bhp 2.2-litre diesel pairing with either manual or automatic transmission.

Inside, there was plenty of room for five adults while the boot was good for 416 litres. Fold the rear seats and the luggage space increased to a highly useful 1,193 litres.

New for 2014 was the ASX 2.2-litre diesel all-wheel-drive in trim level 4 complete with automatic gearbox. It offered great value for money while delivering more than 48mpg on the combined cycle.

Standard safety features included traction control, brake assist, anti-whiplash head restraints, seven airbags, stability control and emergency-stop signal system, all helping the machine to a five-star NCAP listing.

As for on-board equipment, all models in the range were fitted with alloy wheels and had air-conditioning and electric windows fitted as standard. Top of the range cars came with leather upholstery, sat-nav, bluetooth and even a reversing camera.

Performance wise the ASX was smooth and quiet on the hoof although it did take its time to get going. But one you hit cruising speed there was very little to complain about.

The steering was precise for a car of this ilk, although it did lean a bit when pushed into tighter corners at speed.

Getting comfortable proved no problem, thanks to its high driving position which gave great all-round visibility.

With low insurance ratings, decent fuel economy in and out of town and 9,000-mile service intervals, the big ASX diesel is now a great choice for those looking for a reasonably-priced used top-notch off-roader that should easily stand the test of time.

A 2014 14-plate ASX 2.2-litre diesel in level 4 trim, should cost between £12,140 and £14,855, while a similar-spec 1.8-litre petrol model should set you back somewhere between £11,165 and £13,670.

However, if you don't have a need for all-wheel-drive and are not too fussy about having all the bells and whistles normally associated with range-topping models, then the 1.6-litre petrol version in level 2 ClearTec trim is something of a bargain, coming in at around £7,060 to £8,680.