If you are wondering what on earth an obscure Hyundai off-roader is doing gracing this page, allow me to grab your attention. Hyundai’s new Terracan is roughly the same size as a Land Rover Discovery diesel but has more power, torque and rather better performance. It also uses less fuel. Were they to carry the same list price, I’d say the Hyundai was the better car.

But they are not the same price. In equipment terms, the Terracan’s closest rival is the Discovery S, which, when you add air-conditioning (standard in the Hyundai) brings its price to £25,745. The Terracan, by contrast, costs £18,495, or £7,250 less.

Of course there’s scarcely a new Discovery buyer on the planet who’d be seen dead in a Hyundai, but I’d venture that says more about them than their wheels. In fact, what I like most about the Terracan is its total lack of pretence.

Hyundai would doubtless love to tap into the monied market who buy vast SUVs with flash badges, but it knows that, in Europe at least, the brand won’t wear it. So what it has designed is an agricultural off-roader that’s more farmyard than Fulham, and all the better for it.

More than anything, this brings a pleasing honesty to the Terracan. With a low-ratio transfer box, limited-slip rear differential and good ground clearance, it should make short work of all normal off-road conditions, while a standard five-year unlimited mileage warranty — no other manufacturer offers as much — means peace of mind for half a decade.

Its on-road abilities are more limited but it is only its ride quality that qualifies as truly lousy. The big 2.9 litre four-cylinder 16-valve diesel engine is gruff but game, putting out a competitive 148bhp and, more usefully, 246 lb ft of torque, enough to drag the Terracan to 62mph in 13.7sec and on to 104mph.

In truth, it feels a little quicker than this and, critically, has enough performance to keep pace with outside-lane traffic with just enough in reserve to keep noise and fuel consumption levels in reasonable bounds.

Leave the motorway and it has all the top-heavy, clumsy feel of an old-style off-roader. But once you are used to the considerable body roll, it can be hustled along quite enjoyably; after all, how many cars can be driven on their door handles without coming close to breaking a speed limit? The interior would pass without mention were it not for the comically awful wood-effect dashboard. This is one cabin that will look much better after a few years’ occupation by mud-spattered farmers and slavering sheepdogs. There’s ample space for five but no Discovery-like option of a sixth and seventh seat in the boot. Instead, you get a boot that’ll carry a bale of hay with the best of them.

This no-nonsense approach means that there are few real rivals. Hyundai cites the Jeep Grand Cherokee but that’s much more expensive and sophisticated. A long-wheelbase Nissan Terrano is probably its closest rival but you might consider a Mitsubishi Shogun Sport or Vauxhall Frontera. I wouldn’t.

Its true competition is more likely to be a second-hand Discovery, and given that Terracan depreciation is unlikely to be pretty, this makes for a tougher choice than may at first seem obvious. Then again, given the Discovery’s reliability record, maybe a new Terracan is not such a bad shot.

But, of course, the best choice is a second-hand Terracan. A two-year-old will still have as much warranty left as a new Discovery but will likely be half the price. The only problem is that unless you go shopping in Europe, where the Terracan has been on sale for a couple of years, you’re going to have to wait a while as British sales have only just begun.

I enjoyed the Terracan more than its modest abilities and zero style had suggested I would. I’d stop some way short of saying I actually liked it but neither did it ruin my week. Those who drive Terracans in the future will discover an honestly conceived and well executed off-roader that, on these terms, is far from being without merit. I’m just glad I’m not going to be one of them.

VITAL STATISTICS

Model Hyundai Terracan 2.9 CRTD
Engine type Four cylinders, 2902cc
Power/Torque 148bhp @ 3800rpm/246 lb ft @ 2000rpm
Transmission Five-speed manual
Suspension (front) Double wishbones, torsion bars; (rear) rigid axle, five-link location, coil springs
Fuel/CO2 39.7mpg (combined)/227g/km
Acceleration 0 to 62mph: 13.7sec
Top speed 104mph
Price £18,495
Verdict An honest and effective off-roader that is great value but has a lousy ride