BOLD and beautiful certainly describes the latest Land Rover Freelander.
With its distinctive Land Rover styling, head-turning good looks and all the power and performance anyone could possibly wish for, this seems like the perfect vehicle.
And to be perfectly honest, apart from the slightly hefty price tag, it is pretty difficult to find fault with the Freelander.
Okay, it's never going to be cheap to run or insure and parts and servicing costs won't leave much change, but forget the expense for a minute and you are left with the ideal all-rounder, ready to take on any challenge whatever the weather.
It has all the versatility anyone could wish for with seats moving every which way to fit in any unusually shaped luggage.
For those drivers unlikely to venture off road, the Freelander is packed with top notch specifications such as leather seats, a wood-effect fascia, colour-schemed carpets, seats that are heated and can be adjusted six ways to find the perfect comfort levels, a brilliant sound system and MP3 audio socket to name just a few.
But for the more adventurous (or just those everyday drivers trying to cope with the latest cold snap), the Freelander's ability in snow and ice conditions is first class.
In fairness, the Land Rover name is synonymous with great build and awesome off-roading capabilities, so you wouldn't really expect anything less of the Freelander - and it lives up to all expectations.
It boasts Land Rover's unique Terrain Response System which maximises traction across a range of surfaces through the vehicle's electronic management system and traction aids.
This basically means that you select the setting to suit the driving conditions and Land Rover does the rest for you, so minimising effort and maximising performance and safety, be it on snow, ice, sand, gravel or steep inclines.
Other safety features include anti-lock brakes, with emergency brake assist, electronic traction control, roll stability control, cornering brake control and much much more.
All in all, the Freelander is not the cheapest 4x4 on the market, but it is genuinely packed with class-leading qualities and sometimes you really do get what you pay for.
FAST FACTS
Land Rover Freelander 2 2.2 TD4 HSE 5dr
Price: £31,662
Mechanical: 160ps, 2,179cc, 4cyl diesel engine driving four wheels via 6spd manual gearbox
Max speed:112mph
0-62mph: 11.7 secs
Combined mpg: 37.7
Insurance group: 13
CO2 emissions: 194g/km
BiK rating: 27%
Warranty: 3yrs/ unlimited mileage