It smacks of Gloucestershire almost as much as Zara Phillips and can still raise hackles when parking at Sainsbury’s.

The new Land Rover Discovery arrived at my house smelling of fresh leather and recently treated plastics - the unmistakable (and all too soon lost) scent of new car, a compound aroma deemed so appealing in some quarters that many people would happily bottle it in liquid form and use it as room spray, or possibly even as an intimate little eau de cologne. (“Mmm, what’s that you’re wearing?” “It’s Vauxhall Insignia.” “Delicious!”)

The real deal: a proper off-roader that doesn’t stint on luxury…

You pays yer money and you takes yer choice. The price range of the Land Rover Freelander 2 covers a wide spectrum of wealth: from £20,877 for the 2.2 TD4 S manual, which we tested back in January 2008, right up to £34,652 for the 3.2-litre petrol model. And that’s before you start adding in any optional extras.

Just before Christmas, we spent a week with the luxuriously equipped HSE-spec 2.2 TD4, specced-up to include a ‘CommandShift’ six-speed auto gearbox, adding another £1370 to the £32,345 tag. So we’re talking quite a lot of dosh for a soft-roader. Is it worth it?

Land Rover Freelander Commercial

Engine 2.2-litre 158hp engine is a civilised, responsive unit that is actually a bit quieter than the Discovery. Not much vibration other than at tickover.

Gearbox No low-range gearbox (and towing capacity a relatively modest 2t), so towing ability not as good as the others. But six-speed unit is nice to use and in many ways this latest version of the Freelander is the most civilised of the three ranges.

Noise You won’t notice a lot of it. In fact this is definitely the most car-like of the three Land Rover Commercials, with little of the constant jiggling found in most 4×4s.

On the road price: £23,324 - £34,652
For : Desirability, upmarket cabin, refinement, ability on and off road
Against : High prices, poor fuel economy, high loading sill

Styling/Image
Taking its cues from the bigger Range Rover Sport, the Freelander is a traditionally upright and chunky SUV. It looks a little dated alongside the Audi Q5 and Volvo XC60, but the British car still has plenty of on-road presence. There’s also a comprehensive line-up of trims to choose from – S, GS, XS, SE, HSE and HST. All models get alloy wheels, and air-conditioning, while the range-topping HST is kitted-out with leather trim, heated seats and privacy glass.