Mitsubishi Magna VR-X

But what it doesn't include is a nod to the bigger front-drive cars out there that will tow admirably provided you're not hauling the QEII.

Plenty of manufacturers are building big, family-sized front-drivers now, and with the latest advances in chassis technology, they're hardly the axle-tramping, wheel-spinning monsters they once were.

And when they happen to have a crackerjack engine-gearbox set-up like the one in the Mitsubishi Magna VR-X, then they start to emerge as tow-vehicles provided the boat is a manageable size and you can be picky about what ramps you use.

The latest incarnation of the Magna can be spotted by the beaky front treatment on the familiar bodyshell that has been around for a few years now. Interestingly, it still looks good with clean lines and only the new grille messing things up a little. Oh well.

But in its latest guise, the big Mitsubishi is also available in VR-X form which amounts to a tuned version of the 3.5lt V-six pumping out an admirable 163kW which is within a kilowatt of what you get in a base-model Falcon XR6, a vehicle well known for its squirt.

There's torque to match in the Magna, too, and it really does feel poky and potent on the road.

For a start, it's a five-speed unit - but it features Mitsubishi's version of fuzzy logic, which allows it to take a look at what's been going on for the last few gearchanges and tailor its shift pattern to suit.

For instance, if you've been charging up a mountain pass, the gearbox works out what's going on and holds each gear longer so it's not hunting up and down the ratios as you get on and off the throttle. Similarly, if you're just cruising along on a whiff of throttle, the gearbox will short-shift keeping it all smooth and stress-free. It's a great concept and it works, and it's made even better by the manual-shift mode which gives you full override just like a manual box for an extra safety margin when descending mountains with the tub hanging off the tow bar.

The auto box also gives a smoother start with less chance of wheelspin on a typical boat ramp. Speaking of which, good though it is by front-drive standards, the Magna will eventually run out of tyre grip.

Then again, even a rear-drive can have problems in places like that, and for a smaller half-cabin or a tinnie of any dimensions, the Mitsubishi's stomp will prove more than adequate for the job. And for the 90% of times when you're not towing the boat, the Magna VR-X is a sensational drive.

Into the bargain, you also get a proper five-seat body (although it's not the biggest back seat in the business) and a good level of standard equipment including alloy wheels, aircon, cruise control and a decent stereo system with a CD player.

The safety angle is covered with dual airbags in the front and ABS brakes, which is a great addition for towing.