IN America, it was once the Moose; in China, it is Shamowang, King of the Desert. Most Latin Americans label it El Macho, while in Brazil, a special edition was named Bandeirante, after the Portuguese pioneers who first explored the country.

In Britain, it is the Toyota Land Cruiser, but the interesting names culled from the PR pack only back up the more salient facts contained therein.

They are worth repeating here, if only to explain why it is one of the few off-roaders to enjoy such global popularity. Indeed, probably the only road the Land Cruiser has not travelled upon on this earth is the one Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary took to the top of Everest 50 years ago.

Toyota's giant appeared the year before that epic climbing feat, and was the Japanese firm's first-ever car export. It has conquered quite a few sales mountains since then, and is now built in nine different countries and exported to 127 nations worldwide.

Total sales over those 51 years stand at four million, testimony to the awesome image and durability of the long-serving Land Cruiser.

The very latest Land Cruiser joined the British market in January, the iconic 4x4 getting a chunky-funky makeover to enable it to go head to head with the cream of the Chrysler stable, the Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Toyota's toughie has had all the rough edges nicely rounded out, and it's certainly got all the electronic bells and whistles to go with the bucketful of built-in acronyms.

The latter virtually all refer to the many driving aids on the Land Cruiser, and you'll certainly impress friends down the pub by rattling off kit such as DAC (Downhill Assist Control), HAC (Hill-start Assist Control), TEMS (Toyota Electronic Modulated Suspension), A-TRC (Active-Traction Control), VSC (Vehicle Stability Control), and EBD (Electronic Brakeforce Distribution) and ABS-equipped braking.

That's if you haven't already drugged them with LSD - Limited Slip Differential.

In a nutshell, this all means it will boldly go where most Land Cruiser owners have never gone before: off-road. In-the-rough ability and composure is supreme, but if you prefer to mix mud with economy, then the four-cylinder 3.0 D-4D oil-burner is the power pack to opt for.

The 4.0 litre V6 petrol engine has certainly got a lot more surge, 245bhp as opposed to the diesel's 161bhp, but the latter is about 10mpg better on each of the three official fuel cycles. The D-4D, with manual gearbox, does, for example, 34.9mpg on country driving, as opposed to the 4.0 engine's figure of 25.9mpg.

For all the extra economy, the D-4D's torque curve doesn't lag too far behind the mighty 4.0 V6, translating into ample grunt for hill work or general heavy-duty towing.

An auto gearbox is £1,200 extra and worth having if you rarely shift soil. The diesel is refined and quiet, and tickover vibration is taken care of with a set of hydraulic engine mountings that are electrically activated at idling, or low, speeds to soak up the shudder.

The wide and spacious cabin is of a quality construction, it has a big centre storage box, excellent sound system and all necessary controls within easy reach.

It's a shade short on leg room up front for taller drivers, but rear passengers benefit, getting generous seating space for three.

You can specify the Land Cruiser in LC2, 3, 4 or 5 form, but even the base model is marvellously furnished with a full specification, and best buy is the five-door LC3 D-4D at £27,495.

It compares well with luxury competitors the BMW X5 and Volvo XC90, and will look just as good in the VIP car park at Royal Ascot.

Factfile:

Land Cruiser 3 D-4D 5-dr £27,495. Range from LC2 D-4D 3-dr (£23,995) to LC5 4.0 V6 5-dr (£36,795)

Bodyshell/drivetrain: 4.81m by 1.79m, 5-dr SUV; 2982cc, 161bhp four-cylinder engine, driving all four wheels through 5-speed manual gearbox

Company car tax liability: 250g per km CO2 emissions (35 per cent of cost of car when new, taxed)

Performance/economy: top speed 103mph, 0-62mph in 12.7 seconds

Official fuel figures: city 24.6mpg, country 34.9mpg, combined 30.1mpg

Fuel tank: 87 litres

Insurance group: 13

Warranty: three years/60,000 miles.

Updated: 11:29 Friday, July 25, 2003