Lexus’s reaction to the raft of high-priced, luxury off-roaders which have appeared in the last five years, RX300’s slightly ungainly looks conceal an incredibly competent performer both on and off road.

Engine choices really are a 3.0 litre straight six or perhaps a 4.0 litre V8, each of which offer smooth performance and sufficient horsepower to fulfill most tastes. Upcoming for later 2004 is a hybrid variant, the very first time than a petrol-electric power unit – offering considerable gains in economy and improved emissions with yet smoother performance – has been manufactured available in this sector.

It will likely be interesting to determine if buyers of those substantially-sized machines could be persuaded to get some green credentials.