HYUNDAI has muscled in on the UK off-road screen with the rugged Terracan 4X4 which aims to take on the likes of Nissan's Terrano and Mitsubishi's Shogun.
And it has plenty in its armoury to make its impact in an aggressive market.
Not least is its competitive £18,495 price tag and its five-year unlimited mileage warranty which comes as standard - the only full off-roader available with such a deal.
It is Hyundai's second four-wheel drive, following in the footsteps of its curvier and - in my opinion - more attractive Santa Fe sports utility vehicle.
But unlike the Santa Fe, the no-nonsense Terracan has a body-on-frame construction and is geared for full off-road use.
Hyundai has dubbed it the new 'King of the Land.' The 'can' part of the name Terracan is derived from 'khan' meaning king, while the 'terra' means 'of the land.'
It is certainly a big boy in terms of size. Longer, taller and wider than the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Mitsubishi Shogun Sport and Nissan Terrano, it also costs less and has higher standard equipment levels.
It also features the biggest ever diesel to have been offered by Hyundai - a 2.9 common rail turbo diesel.
I found it somewhat noisy, and occasionally, when you turn off, it shakes the vehicle, like a wet dog shakes its coat.
But there's no disputing the power. It is capable of 148bhp at 3800rpm and has 333Nm/ 246lbs ft of torque at 2000rpm.
The 0-62mph sprint feature may not be something of major importance to this kind of vehicle, but for the record, it does it in just under 14 seconds and has a top speed of just under 104mph.
Fuel economy is impressive. Official figures claim 37.7mpg on the extra urban run and 26.9 in urban situations.
But while the Terracan is fairly light to drive, in Birmingham you can expect to use a fair bit of that urban fuel edging carefully in and out of tight parking spaces.
It features part time four-wheel drive with a useful 'shift on the move' facility which allows the driver to switch between high ratio four-wheel drive and two-wheel drive at speeds of up to 50mph.
You get the solid on-road performance you would expect and the interior is practical and comfortable.
All the major controls are at your fingertips and the steering wheel is adjustable for height, while the driver's seat is also adjustable.
To the left of the steering wheel is a central console containing a detachable radio/CD unit and climate control panel.
In the safety stakes, Hyundai hopes to maintain the high standard set by the Santa Fe which achieved four stars in the Euro NCAP crash test survey.
Safety related equipment which comes as standard are side impact bars, childproof rear door locks, heated door mirrors and front and rear foglamps.
The Terracan has been styled and engineered in-house at Hyundai's Namyang Research and Development Centre and the company has invested $240 million in its development.
Hyundai expects to sell 350 Terracans in the UK in 2003, rising to 500 next year.
They will be on sale at specially selected dealers in its network which have been chosen for their geographic suitability to key Terracan markets.
FAST FACTS
Hyundai Terracan 2.9 CRTD
Price: £18,495
Mechanical: 148bhp, 2,902cc 4 cyl diesel engine driving all four wheels via 5-spd manual transmission
Max speed: 103.8mph
0-62mph: 13.7 secs
Combined mpg: 32.8
Insurance group: 12
CO2 emissions: 227g/km
BiK rating: 30%
Warranty: 5yrs/ unlimited miles; 6yrs anti-rust