Mitsubishi Shogun

Our verdict

Although feeling a tad long in the tooth these days the Mitsubishi Shogun is a proper, rugged off-roader favoured by hardcore farming types and deserves respect for that. Unfortunately the Discovery has it licked in every department these days.

Comfort

 Plenty of space there may be in the long wheel base version of the Shogun, but its rattly four-cylinder diesel engine and uncompromising off-road tyres mean refinement is negligible in a class where these days it needs to be top of the list.

Performance

Mitsubishi only offers one engine with the Shogun, a torquey but inherently agricultural 3.2-litre four-cylinder diesel. It'll haul the short-wheelbase version to 60mph in a whisker under 12 seconds, but you'll not have much fun getting there.

Cool

The Shogun is cool in the way that old Subaru estates are cool. If they're an inch deep in dried-on pig shit and full of Wellington boots and dog hair, then you've nothing to worry about.

Quality

This revised Shogun is up on quality, with everything seemingly very well stuck together and a general sense of sturdiness in the cabin. Plastics still look a bit cheap though, and there's less of the luxury you feel in a Discovery.

Handling

With serious off-road intent and the tyres to go with it, the Shogun doesn't handle particularly well. You're unlikely to be going so quickly as to notice though.

Practicality

Don't fart about with the three-door ‘Sport' mdoel with cramped rear seats and hampered access. Go the whole hog and you have a spacious five-seater with a useful occasional third row and a big boot.

Running costs

The Shogun is thirstier than Ollie Read in a prohibition era sauna. If you can imagine that. Wouldn't say residuals are bad, but the Titanic depreciated less quickly on its way down.