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The G-Class is actually the longest serving passenger model in the Mercedes-Benz range and after a ten year absence from the UK it's now back. Not that you could miss it. The functional boxy design has remained pretty unchanged since the G-Class first came along in 1979 although the current version is anything but basic - it's now a luxurious, highly-specificied and technological advanced 4x4.

And that's what sets the G-Class apart from most modern SUVs. This is a vehicle that first and foremost is designed for off-roading. The G stands for Geländewagen - or cross-country vehicle - and it's pretty much unstoppable on nearly every terrain. It feels bomb-proof with the kind of build quality that made Mercedes-Benz the brand it is today. And when it comes to road presence, nothing else can touch it - this is a car people certainly give way to.

It feels a very special vehicle from behind the wheel. Much of this is down to the hand-built nature of the G-Class’ construction. To ensure it can withstand even the harshest driving conditions its chassis is injected with 50 litres of corrosion-repelling wax while the bodywork is welded at over 6000 points to be incredibly robust. Each G-Class model takes just over 40 hours to produce, with daily production limited to just 15 models per day.

There are two models in the G-Class line-up. The most obvious is the G350 CDI diesel which has 210PS and averages a claimed 25.7mpg but if you really want to go all out there's the utterly bonkers G55 AMG Kompressor with 500PS and a 0-62mph time of 5.5 seconds - and remember this is a vehicle that weighs in at 2.2 tonnes. There is also a commercial version - the G300 CDI Professional and like the standard versions it's a five-door long-wheelbase format.

On the road the G-Class feels as big as it looks. It's pretty cumbersome and not at its best in bends while the steering requires plenty of turns in tight corners. But when the going gets tricky, the G-Class excels and still feels very much the luxury and refined 4x4, even when you're tackling huge rocks or deep ruts. It's happy on the motorway too with surprisingly little wind noise.