I am, officially, a model driver. Now, this came as no surprise to me, but the same can’t be said of my wife, whose scepticism remains untamed despite the existence of hard evidence.

Admittedly, that evidence was collected during one 50-mile journey, most of which was on a motorway but, as far as I’m concerned, that’s all the proof I need.

What did surprise me, however, was that I achieved this model of efficiency in a Range Rover. The 3.0l HSE SDV6 to be precise. And in doing so squeezed in excess of 50mpg out of the fuel tank. Impressive for a car that weighs a smidgen over two tonnes. It’s worth pointing out that the manufacturer’s figure for extra urban driving is a rather conservative 41.5mpg. Now you know why I feel special!

Let’s be frank, though, this car is not going to be bought by people concerned with how efficiently they can drive, or how many miles they can squeeze out of the 85-litre fuel tank. And, despite the marque’s legendary off-road prowess, the closest the majority of buyers will get to the rough stuff is when they hit a pothole.

The first thing that strikes you, unsurprisingly, is its size. Make no mistake, this is a huge vehicle. Including the mirrors, this car is more than seven feet two inches wide. It’s a handsome vehicle, however, and while the styling does little to conceal its dimensions, it’s well-proportioned and manages to combine sleek and sporty with big and boxy with aplomb. What I think it does better than its rivals from Mercedes, BMW, Porsche and Audi is to look good while still managing to present a convincing case as a serious off-roader.

Climb inside and the impression of size remains. The (heated) seats are large, comfortable and supportive. They are also adjustable in more ways than I imagined possible. The driving position is naturally more upright and, despite its dimensions, the vast expanse of flat bonnet actually makes manoeuvring the Range Rover in tight spaces easier, going forwards at least.

To make life even easier there are two forward-facing cameras, one at the rear and downward facing cameras on the left and right sides, all of which feed information to the touchscreen display. If that’s not enough, there are also parking sensors which give an audible alert that increase in urgency as you near an object.

If you're still struggling to master parallel parking, fear not because this car comes with a feature called parking assist, which does exactly what it says on the tin. Simply activate, drive slowly past a row of parked cars and the system will identify a space that is large enough and then take control of the steering (you're still in charge of throttle and brake) to guide you effortlessly into your parking space. It really is child’s play.

Of course, before all those fun and games you have to start the engine and, thanks to the keyless ignition, it’s simply a case of putting your foot on the clutch and pressing the Start/Stop button. The 3.0l diesel is barely audible, even under duress, and the ivory leather-clad interior remains a tranquil, but lavish, environment. The (dual view) touchscreen multimedia system works well and I found that the handsfree connected seamlessly to my phone every time I clambered aboard. Speaking of clambering aboard, the suspension can be lowered by an inch or so to make getting in and out just a little easier.

The Meridian system fitted to my car was excellent, providing a rich and accomplished sound right across the range. It also featured full surround sound which was great for watching a DVD (while stationary, of course). In fact, the screen in the front switches off if you attempt to watch a DVD while driving because, let’s face it, someone would try if it didn’t.

My test vehicle came equipped with a panoramic (tilt and slide) roof which floods the interior with natural light. It's certainly near the top of my options list. Rear seat passengers are equally well catered for, with eight inch displays mounted in the front seat headrests. They can be operated independently of each other using the (supplied) remote control, so you don’t even need to get out of your seat to change the channel!

Legroom in the second row of (heated) seats is adequate, but six-footers might prefer riding shotgun. There is a third row of seats that rises magically out of the boot at the press of a button, but these really are for occasional use and certainly not suited to grown-ups.

Performance from the 3.0l V6 diesel is brisk, when required, with 60mph coming up in under seven seconds but, more importantly, the auto box can shift the car from 50-70mph in just 4.5 seconds, making overtaking a doddle. The auto box is responsive and easy-shifting but, should you wish to take more control, you can use the gear selector or the steering wheel mounted paddles.

The ride is impressive, the air suspension working hard to isolate the occupants from all surface imperfections and potholes. All this comfort does little to compromise the handling, however, which is remarkably crisp and direct for such a large car. It’s not quite on a par with either the Porsche Cayenne or members of BMW’s X family, but their off-road capabilities are severely limited. What the Sport does so much better than any of its rivals is deliver a compelling drive while retaining that all-terrain ability that Land Rover is famous for. It’s an achievement that shouldn’t be underrated.

Luggage space is a very respectable 784 litres with the rear seats in place, far better than the BMW X5. However, with the seats folded flat its German opposition can, perhaps surprisingly, swallow an extra 109 litres (1,761 to 1,652). The floor of the boot is perfectly flat and there’s no lip to lift your luggage over and the tailgate opens - and closes - with the press of a button, so it’s easy to make use of the available space.

The Range Rover Sport HSE SDV6, apart from being a mouthful, is also expensive and almost certainly beyond the reach of most people, but that doesn’t make it irrelevant. There are, as well, many of its rivals that excel in certain areas, but are left trailing in others, while the Range Rover does all of them superbly. What Land Rover have managed to do with the Range Rover Sport is create a car that never disappoints. You won't find yourself wishing that it was faster, more frugal, handled better or was more luxurious... and that, in itself, is quite an achievement.

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Range Rover Sport HSE SDV6

From £61,250

Engine: 3-litre SDV6 diesel engine

Transmission: ZF 8HP70 8-speed automatic with stop/start technology

Maximum speed: 130 mph

0.60mph: 6.8 seconds

Fuel consumption: Urban 32.5 mpg

Extra urban: 41.5 mpg

Combined: 37.7 mpg

CO² Emissions: 199 g/km