The new Land Rover LR4, which replaces the outgoing LR3, is a formidable car. It’s not particularly fast in a straight line, nor does it threaten to outrun a Lotus Elise on a challenging mountain road, but nonetheless it is a very impressive piece of machinery.

On-road the LR4 takes the Discovery to an all-new level of refinement. Where you forgave the previous model for being a bit rough around the edges due to its off-road ability, there’s no need to make excuses when it comes to the LR4. It exudes a level of quality that wouldn’t have been out of place in a Range Rover a few years ago. The interior has been transformed with high quality materials everywhere you look and touch, while the ride is refined and instils a feeling that you are wafting down the road.

The LR4 is packed with technology inside, but particularly of note are the tiny cameras mounted on the car, that provide a 360 view of the car’s surroundings.

Power now comes from the excellent naturally-aspirated 5-litre V8 that’s used across the Jaguar/Land Rover product range. While 370bhp doesn’t exactly fling the LR4 down the road, it isn’t painfully slow, either. On tight, twisty roads the Landy begins to feel a bit clumsy, but then again it’s not meant to be a sporty car. Off-road, the LR4 is ridiculously capable - something I can attest to, after spending several hours in the Scottish countryside crossing river rapids, climbing over boulders and navigating treacherous muddy forest trails.

The LR4’s versatility is nothing short of astonishing. It has turned into a genuinely premium SUV, with impeccable road manners. It just happens to be able to take you to the Arctic Circle and back.