From Towcar Awards 2008

List price: £64,485 (when tested) Kerbweight: 2585kg85% Match: 2197kgMax towing weight: 3500kgTowball limit: 135kg

THE GL IS QUITE A CAR. There’s plenty of space for seven to travel in comfort, and no excuse for arriving late. The 4.0-litre diesel engine is mighty, delivering a hitch-snapping 516lb/ft of torque. The 30-60mph sprint took just 9.4 seconds.

Stability was up there with the very best big 4x4s. Even so, the ride was comfortable, with a softer feel than the Audi Q7 or BMW X5.

No difficulty

The foot-operated parking brake needed a firm push to be sure it held the outfit, but the 1-in-6 slope might as well have been a molehill for all the difficulty it posed.

On the other hand, there’s no excuse for mirrors shaped so as to make it all but impossible to fit our Milenco towing mirrors. And however good it is, there are cars that perform as well as the GL for considerably less money.

We say

Towing: 4/5 Solo: 4/5 Practicality: 4/5 Buying & owning: 4/5

Verdict: 4/5. Big on ability, but equally big on the price.

Braking 30-0mph: 12.71m