FOR more than five decades, the mighty Range Rover has been ‘the' model to beat when it comes to combining tough off-road ability with luxurious refinement.

And now, Land Rover has introduced its all-new fifth generation model that raises the bar even higher.

A first glance in its direction and you would be hard pushed to instantly name the physical differences compared to the outgoing model. But that is a skill the Range Rover designers have perfected over the years. It is a winning formula so there's no need for drastic design upgrades when more subtle improvements will do just fine.

New Range Rover is on sale with mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid5 powertrains, with the highly anticipated arrival of a fully electrified version in 2024. Customers can choose between trims called SE, HSE and Autobiography with a First Edition model also on sale during the first year of production.

And the vehicle can be specified in four, five or seven seat guise with Standard or Long wheelbase designs.

We opted for the First Edition model powered by an efficient Ingenium 3.0-litre, six-cylinder turbocharged diesel mild hybrid engine with all-wheel drive.

Costing £127,000, increased to £138,500 with options, it delivered 350hp and 700Nm of torque and that translates into impressive performance figures.

The Range Rover can sprint from 0-62mph in 6.1 seconds and tops out at 145mph. That's not too shabby for a vehicle that weighs in at 2.5 tonnes. It can deliver combined fuel economy of up to 35.2mpg with carbon emissions of 211g/km.

Design cues include a bold upright appearance with flush door handles, sweeping light clusters, privacy glass, a black contrast roof, 23-inch alloy wheels and black brake calipers. The car was a Sunset Gold shade that looked gorgeous and seemed to change colour when viewed in different lighting.

Moving inside, the interior is pure quality throughout with the finest upholsteryand 24-way powered seats that are crafted from perforated semi-aniline leather. They can be heated, cooled and offer a multitude of massage functions.

The 13.1-inch infotainment system and interactive driver display are both easy to operate on the fly and creature comforts are plentiful, with the likes of a head-up display, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wi-fi with a data plan, Bluetooth streaming and lots more besides.

Back seat passengers also receive particular attention when it comes to comfort and elegance. The individually power-adjustable seats have memory settings and there is a separate air con set-up, along with automatic window blinds for added privacy. They also have a button to open or close the sunroof and numerous speakers mean they benefit from all the qualities of the high-end Meridian sound system.

There are two 11.4-inch HD touchscreens fitted to the rear of the front seatbacks and they can be operated independently. They are compatible with most devices that have an HDMI port, and making full use of the Wi-Fi hotspot capability allows rear passengers to watch smart TV entertainment too.

The central armrest is power operated andhas its own eight-inchtouchscreen to automatically control the climate, lighting, seats, blindsand infotainment screens. Press an icon resembling a cup and the armrest extends to offer a couple of cup holders.

This attention to detail is because many owners will be chauffeur-driven and need all the luxuries Land Rover can offer.

When it comes to performance, the Range Rover is a pure delight to drive with bags of power on tap. It effortlessly eats up the motorway miles and the auto transmission is perfectly timed with steering wheel paddles for added driver fun.

Drive modes alter the reactions of the car and there are all the settings you would expect to find inside this king of the off-road to cope with any terrain imaginable.

The Range Rover is a big old unit stretching more than five metres in length and two metres across so it does feel huge when driving down narrow country lanes, but the elevated seating does result in excellent visibility across the hedgerows.

Storage options are excellent with a powered two-part tailgate - the lower section folds out to make a nice picnic bench. In addition, there is a chilled central cubby box, a double glovebox, covered trays, door bins with bottle holders and seat back pockets to store bits and pieces.

And, of course, the vehicle is packed with safety tech and driver assistance aids to protect occupants and other road users alike.