The tried and tested Legend

In addition, you get a bash plate and another protection plate below the gearbox assembly as well as heavy-duty rock sliders with a place to put your high-lift jack should you find yourself stuck.

A tow bar rounds it off for hooking up your off-road trailer or caravan.

You also get proper all-terrain tyres, which is a great change from many manufacturers who punt their 4x4 ability and then give you highway rubber.

It’s powered by the trusty 3.2litre DI-D turbo-diesel engine, delivering 140kW and 441Nm of torque coupled to a 5-speed automatic gearbox.

It’s a little long in the tooth and sounds a bit agricultural on start-up but it is not too bad when cruising, thanks to some serious sound-proofing.

Off-road, though, it’s more than enough to get you in and out of trouble.

As with all vehicles in its class, it’s not a boy racer or made to dive into corners but, considering its weight and size, handling isn’t bad at all, even when fully loaded.

Inside, the Pajero is classy and well put together.

It has heated leather seats electrically adjustable for driver and passenger, a comfortable multifunction woodand- leather steering wheel, a much-improved touch-screen infotainment system with Bluetooth and USB port, a reverse-camera with rear-parking sensors and a double-volume glass sunroof.

The Legend II comes with heavy-duty floor mats and a top-end Garmin GPS, with video.

In addition, it has Tracks4Africa with routes for southern Africa, ideal for crossing and navigating beyond our borders.

I’ve read one or two reports say- ing GPS looks like an afterthought, with a wire running over the dashboard to power it, but for someone who buys the vehicle to use it for what it was designed, I doubt this would be a problem.

As you would expect, it has six airbags, ABS brakes with brake assist and stability control.

The Pajero remains a firm favourite in South African off-road circles, thanks to its reliability and off-the-beaten track abilities.

It’s not cheap for what is old technology, but which does have its advantages should something go wrong and you’re a long way from home.