WELCOME the arrival of the heavyweight soft-roader. The new Honda MDX equals the mass of some "legitimate" off-road vehicles, yet is neither capable of, nor intended to go any further astray than the odd excursion onto a beach or greasy paddock. But it will tow up a storm with a 191kW V6 and the ability to lug more than two tonnes of trailer or caravan - which means it hits pretty accurately most 4WD users’ needs or expectations. With the ability to seat up to seven passengers, the MDX is useful in urban applications too – particularly in that it handles more like a car than a regular off-road wagon. The fuel bills are probably worth taking into account though, particularly with the recommendation it’s run on high-octane unleaded.