Shoguns are a regular sight on UK roads and judging by my experience, driving the new version, they are set to be seen in even greater numbers writes Sharon Walters.

The styling has seen some subtle changes but unless you are a real aficionado they will not be immediately obvious.

However, this is no bad thing. The previous model received very positive comments for styling and the new one looks equally impressive.

Getting in to the Elegance you are presented with a plush interior that provides both comfort and practicality.

Remember, this is a 4×4. The rear seats have ample leg room and can be adjusted to create a huge load space, as good as I seen on any car in this class.

However, these are all items you expect from a Shogun and I don’t wish to brush them aside but Mitsubishi has been doing this so well for so many years that expecting anything else would be pointless.

No, my rush to get on with this article is to discuss the engine and drive train. In a word, superb.

Smooth

I have driven previous versions of the Shogun but none has impressed me as much as this. The refined common rail diesel 3.2 litre turbo diesel engine is an absolute gem.

Smooth and powerful and combined with the excellent auto gearbox it makes long journeys effortless. Power is up to 197 bhp but the engineers have worked hard to ensure that this extra power does not hurt your wallet.

I was getting an average of 33mpg which included both town and motorway driving. I know of much smaller cars that struggle to get anywhere near this.

The handling for a 4×4 is superb and really does show how far these vehicles have come. Body roll is minimal and spirited driving is entirely possible with road behaviour more akin to a large estate.

The steering provides positive and direct feel and allows you to position what is essentially a large vehicle with ease.

One other important feature that I think Mitsubishi should make more prominent is that the towing capacity on the five door model has increased to 3,500kg.

I have long questioned why on a vehicle like this you cannot tow at the legal maximum and I am sure that some buyers have walked away in the past when needing this requirement.

I fully expect to see more horseboxes and trailers towed by Shoguns because of this change.

I do need to mention the engine again as I cannot emphasise what an important component this is in the new Shogun.

It transforms the vehicle and I found myself wanting to take the Shogun out just for the pleasure of driving and there are not many cars that inspire this type of response in me.

If you are considering buying a 4×4 I would definitely put the Shogun on your list. I think a few of the Shogun’s more expensive rivals might be more than a little worried.

Three door SWB versions start at £26,499 and the five door LWB at £29,499.