Overall rating:

We wanted to like this car - there's something about the Shogun and its continued place on our automotive landscape that makes it feel like a familiar friend. There's even a slightly perverse part of us that thinks the Black's distinctive styling is bang on trend. But emotions aside the Shogun's poor quality interior, dated dynamics and sluggish engine mean we really can't recommend it in the face of tough but talented competition.

Key Facts

Model tested: Mitsubishi Shogun Black
Pricing: £42,799
Engine: 3.2-litre turbocharged four-cylinder diesel
Transmission: five-speed automatic, four-wheel drive
Body style: five-door SUV
Rivals: Land Rover Discovery 4, Toyota Land Cruiser, Volvo XC90
CO₂ emissions: 216g/km
Combined economy: 34.4mpg
Top speed: 111mph
0-62mph: 11.1 seconds
Power: 195hp at 3,800rpm
Torque: 441Nm at 2,000rpm

Inside & Out:

Darth Vader in wellington boots is the phrase that springs to mind when seeing the Shogun Black for the first time. Everything you can see is finished in the shade, including the tinted windows, wheels and Shogun badging. To our eyes it actually looks pretty mean, even if it can't fully hide the rather dated lines of the Shogun itself.

Unsurprisingly there's plenty of monochrome used inside too, though there is also the odd flash of fake wood. It's less appealing than the distinctive exterior though, feeling every bit as old as it is with cheap and haphazardly positioned switchgear and poor ergonomics. One thing the Shogun does do well is space though - it's positively massive in there.

Ride & Handling:

This is a tall, heavy SUV, and though it uses a uni-body construction it is anything but the last word in driving dynamics. There's plenty of roll around the corners, pitch when accelerating and diving under braking - every action made by the driver is felt throughout the cabin.

It's made worse by the steering, which even by full-size SUV standards has a huge amount of turns lock-to-lock and very little in the way of feel or communication. Still, at least the wallowing suspension makes for a comfortable ride at motorway speeds, even if sharper road surface changes transmit through the flexible shell with a crash and a thump.

Engine & Transmission:

Willing. That's the best that can be said about this engine, which has plenty of torque (441Nm at only 2,000rpm), but little in the way of refinement or get-up and go. There's little reward for revving it hard, as the four-cylinder unit's noise and vibrations then make their way into the cabin with surprising ferocity.

It's best to forget chasing the 11.1-second 0-62mph time and adjust your driving style, taking it slow and steady all the way to your destination. The gearbox does little to help, with only five speeds and less than quick shifts - though at least the Shogun does offer proper locking differentials and low- or high-range ratios.

Equipment, Economy & Value for Money:

Best sit down for this one. The Mitsubishi Shogun black costs £42,799, which puts it squarely in the cross hairs of such talented opposition as the Audi Q7, BMW X5, Land Rover Discovery 4 and Volvo XC90. Next to such credible competition the rather behind-the-times Shogun looks expensive. However, the 216g/km CO₂ emissions figure means the annual road tax is only £270 and the 34.4mpg official fuel economy is competitive. Still, it will need to be serviced every 12,500 miles and depreciation is likely to be crippling.