Not that there is a shortage of go-anywhere SUVs in the market, but if you soldier through autumn and winter you will be able to buy something rather special. The new Mitsubishi Shogun Sport is set to go on sale in the UK in the spring of 2018, after the Eclipse Cross, with refreshingly different styling and features. It is also one of the manliest SUVs out there,

While most other cars in this class are becoming pansies – that is to say, going for electronic gizmos to help them up a slope and getting small turbo petrol engines – the 2018 2018 Mitsubishi Shogun Sport comes with a fairly agricultural 2.4-litre diesel engine which is as reliable and as capable as a farm animal, and it gets Super Select II all-wheel drive system. Granted, it still relies on a bunch of electronics to complement the function of the mechanical bits, but still. And yes, the 180 hp output of the engine is nothing to write home about, but hey, you get 430 Nm of torque.

Look, the point is,though kind of old-fashioned, the 2018 Mitsubishi Shogun Sport is a trusty old chap that will never let you down no matter where you point its nose at. Should the mechanical gears get overwhelmed, you can count on Hill Descent Control, Trailer Start Assist (TSA), Hill Start Assist (HSA) to get you out of trouble. And should the sheer size and sturdy build fail to protect you, there is Forward Collision Mitigation (FCM), which uses radars in the front grille to judge whether there is risk of a collision with the vehicle in front, Blind Spot Warning (BSW) and Multi-around Monitor System (MMS) that employs cameras at the front, rear and in the door mirrors for a bird’s eye view.

Practicality is another highlight of the Shogun Sport. With up to 1,488 litres of available with the rear seat folded you can haul, I don’t know, three or four dead bodies at once. Equipment-wise, you are treated to, depending on the trim, heated seats, leather upholstery, keyless entry with push-button start, LED daytime running lights and the Mitsubishi Smartphone Link Display Audio (SDA). Pricing ofthis lovable brute will be announced closer to market launch.