But, like most things in life, the 4x4 (I'll stick with that classification) debate is far from black and white. For, with many different types of vehicle now included in the genre, there are several shades of grey. These more subtle hues include a petrol-electric 4x4, a couple that have two-wheel drive only (!) and one referred to as an urban 4x4.
That last comment probably sums up the life of most 4x4s after leaving the showroom, especially those expensive models which are really more executive express than off-roader.
But there are still 4x4s which are willing to roll up their sleeves and get their hands (should that be wheels?) dirty. One such is the Mitsubishi Shogun. I tested the latest of the current model - there will be an all new-one along soon - dubbed the Shogun Field and kitted out in swish fashion with full leather seating, wood-and-leather steering wheel and part wood-veneer dash.
On the outside, the car is a single colour, forsaking the oft-seen two-tone style, and giving a rather distinguished air to this big, big motor. Don't get the wrong idea, though - plush fittings are fine - but the Shogun is still the real deal as far as 4x4s go. You can put it in the same company as the Toyota Land Cruiser and Nissan Patrol... cars that have paid their dues in the world's toughest conditions.
This heritage gives Mitsubishi's big fella a certain street cred (although it should be field cred) and it's nice to know that, if needed, the Shogun can strut its stuff where some 4x4s might fear to tread. There's a feeling of honest solidity about the car - well mannered on the road but able to pack a punch off it, and a feeling of good "breeding".
The car's credentials as a fixture of the countryside were reinforced by the notepaper in the glove compartment of my test car - bearing the logo of the Mitsubishi-sponsored Badminton Horse Trials, no less. The car had no doubt been used at the event to ferry guests, officials, competitors and assorted grandees.
So the Shogun can lay claim to country-set cachet. And these green-welly clad sorts know a good thing when they see it, for this five-door, long wheelbase motor can still be regarded as something of a benchmark for serious 4x4s, while not skimping on the creature comforts.
My test car sported air conditioning, CD player, satellite navigation and electrically-folding door mirrors, plus the practicality of a third row of seats, which easily folds away below the floor of the luggage compartment.
The driving experience is one that takes a little getting used to. High, wide and handsome the Shogun may be, but stepping up from a family hatchback requires a slightly different mindset - especially when reversing. Still, I found that by using my door mirrors more than I would usually, parking wasn't the chore I had imagined.
The elevated seating position is a boon, allowing a clearer field of vision, and with well-weighted power steering, automatic gearbox and a king-sized armrest on the central storage locker, the motoring sensation is wholly relaxed. For a vehicle of this size and weight (2.7 tons), handling is sweet, although you can't expect to throw it around like a sports car, and the 3.2-litre turbo-charged diesel engine has real muscle.
Some of the switchgear is beginning to look a little dated, along with the side-hinged rear door which bears the spare wheel, but the exterior lines are in classic form-follows-function shape, so seem to escape the aging process.
The Shogun's a purposeful vehicle - and it's hard not to like it for that quality alone.
