If I asked either of you to name a luxury SUV I’m willing to bet cold hard cash, my own cold hard cash, that the name Range Rover crops up at least once.

So it should, because the big Brit’s push upmarket has been relentless. So much so that, while it retains its otherworldly off-road abilities, it’s becoming more of a rival for the S-Classes and 7-series of this world than the Shoguns and Patrols.

I’ve already tested the Range Rover Sport with a V6 diesel under the bonnet and, as the two of you may recall, I achieved a not-to-be-sniffed at 50mpg on one motorway drive. In fact, the engine is a rather delightful unit with strong, consistent and impressive power delivery that imbues the Range Rover with a surprising turn of pace and a not-too-shabby zero-62 time of 7.4 seconds.

For a car that costs north of £80,000 – and that’s before you’ve started adding essential extras like the surround camera system with towing assist, blind spot monitor with closing vehicle sensing and reverse traffic detection and the sliding panoramic roof including power blind – you’d have every right to expect superb refinement and excellent build quality and that is exactly what you get.

While the list of optional extras is long, standard equipment levels are generous with plenty of leather, a heated steering wheel, cooler compartment, gesture tailgate, keyless entry as well as the hugely impressive array of off-road driving aids including All-Terrain Progress Control and the Terrain Response 2 system.

It also comes equipped with the new InControl Touch Plus with Meridian sound system which includes DAB radio and MP3 compatibility (file and disc) as well as a CD slot for those of us who still carry them around. The SE that I tested is fitted with 17 speakers and a subwoofer outputting 825W.

It produces wonderfully immersive, detailed audio.

The updated infotainment system is a world away from the antiquated touchscreen it replaces. Crisp, responsive and easy to use it comes with Premium HDD satellite navigation as standard and the excellent dual view screen that allows it to display individual images to the driver and passenger.

What all this means is that you finally get a Range Rover that, from front to back and top to bottom, really starts to justify its hefty price tag. The improved infotainment system means that the cabin’s one glaring weakness has been eliminated and levels the playing field in its fight against rivals from Audi, BMW and Mercedes.

There is plenty of room for occupants to relax in the first-class interior. There are long wheelbase versions available but, given the generous amount of space available in the standard version, there appears to be little reason to invest the extra cash unless your intention is to spend a lot of time in the back being driven around.

Wherever you choose to sit you’ll find the sumptuous interior a great place to be. The seats are wonderfully accommodating and provide a commanding view of the road. In fact, all-round visibility is excellent but it’s still worth spending the extra money on the surround camera system (£700).

Refinement is superb. The only thing that floods the cabin is natural light thanks to the panoramic roof while wind and tyre noise is kept to an absolute minimum. The engine is little more than a muted, distant hum and even under heavy acceleration never becomes anything more than a rousing, throaty accompaniment to the pleasantly rapid increase in velocity.

The extensive use of aluminium means that the current Range Rover weighs an impressive 420kg less than the previous model. This doesn’t just have a welcome impact on fuel consumption and emissions, it also reduces the unsprung mass ensuring that, despite the fact that it remains a heavy car, it handles impressively while retaining the smooth, unruffled ride that you’d expect from a luxury limousine.

The slick eight-speed automatic gearbox ensures that progress is unflustered. It’s intelligent, smooth and decisive.

To their credit, the one thing that Range Rover’s designers have managed to achieve is to retain the core design cues – clamshell bonnet, horizontal waistline, floating roof and split tailgate – while still managing to make the styling fresh and modern.

It is a good-looking car that, despite its size, still appears sleek and svelte. It’s a coherent design from the swept back headlights (inspired by the Evoque) along the broad, uncluttered sides to the wraparound tail lights. The styling does a good job of disguising the car’s bulk but there’s no escaping the fact that this is a big car.

What the Range Rover does better than any of its rivals – and the model range has grown to the extent that it offers a stern challenge to cars as diverse as the Mercedes S-Class to the BMX X5 to the Bentley Bentayga – is offer off-road ability to match its on-road poise.

It’s true that few of them will ever tackle anything more treacherous than Kensington High Street in a sudden downpour but whether or not you choose to take advantage of its go-anywhere tenacity the fact the remains that those abilities leave its peers wallowing in the mud.

There remains room for improvement, of course, because despite shedding almost half a tonne in weight, its German rivals are still lighter and faster but it’s that irresistible combination of competences that sets it apart. That ability to, literally, carry you anywhere that makes the Range Rover one of the very best cars in the world.

Range Rover Vogue SE

Price: £81,850

As tested: £92,856

Engine: 3.0-litre TDV6

Transmission: 8-speed automatic

Maximum power: 256bhp

Maximum torque: 442lbft @2,000rpm

Maximum speed: 130mph

Acceleration (0-62mph): 7.4sec

Urban: 33.2mpg

Extra urban: 40.4mpg

Combined: 37.7mpg

Emissions (CO2): 196g/km

For more information about Range Rover cars visit www.landrover.co.uk