Mitsubishi Shogun

The 2003 Shogun has rectified the situation, with an Evo VII-style nose, simpler side trims and a generally more-composed look. It's now a far more attractive model - arguably the car it always should have been - yet is mechanically the same as the old model. Proof that there was never any issue with how it drove. For a large 4x4, the Shogun's pretty able, with a decent ride quality and reasonable stability, if quite a bit of body roll. It's no saloon car, but quite accomplished for the breed, and comes with two superb engines. The 3.5-litre V6 is a real firecracker but it needs plenty revs to perform, making the slightly noisy 3.2-litre DI-D diesel the best bet. It's exceedingly punchy and, at 29mpg, not too inefficient, and is mated to a very slick manual gearbox and clutch. Shame the throttle's jerky, though. There's also not much space in the back of the three-door, making the LWB seven-seat five-door a far more practical bet, particularly as all Shoguns come with alloys, ABS, side airbags and air conditioning as standard. Certainly worth a look if Land Rover Discovery prices are off-putting.