A HOST of carmakers are stuffing their large four-wheel-drives with luxury inclusions - perhaps a sign of the flattening of the rush on "Toorak Tractors" with high fuel prices starting to hurt the hip pockets of the owners.

Mitsubishi recently released the Platinum Pajero, jamming in a host of appointments to make the popular GLS automatic an even more attractive proposition.

With a choice of diesel or petrol, the Platinum adds 17 powder coated alloy wheels, colour-keyed roof rails, chrome exterior door mirrors, rear roof spoiler, fog lamps, privacy glass, side-step illumination, unique Platinum Edition tailgate badging, black leather and grey alcantara suede seat trim, power drivers seat and matching interior carpets with Platinum Edition embroidery.

Oh, almost forgot, and a rear seat entertainment system (DVD compatible with full colour screen and wireless headphones). It`s a wonder I forgot. We`ve had "Shriek for Shrek" week at our place because of it.

Every family outing begins with "Shrek Daddy, Shrek. Donkey, Daddy, Donkey." All because I thought it would be fun to show our sub-three-year-old that this novel beast had a TV in it.

From then on it was a stiff refusal to get in the car seat unless Shrek was on. At least it was better than the Wiggles tapes and CDs that are usually demanded.

And although my first instinct was for me to wear the headphones that come with it so I could block out the shrieking, giving them to her meant we could actually listen to adult music for once.

Standard equipment on all Pajeros is power windows and exterior mirrors, air conditioning, cruise control and MATT (Mitsubishis All Terrain Technology that incorporates Super Select II 4WD system, Active Stability Control that incorporates Active Traction Control and Engine Brake Assist Control, and ABS with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution).

This tough four-wheel-drive wagon is big, bold, and for adventurous families, beautiful.

Whether you are navigating around a bustling shopping centre carpark, purring along a highway, or ploughing through deep sandtracks or muddy creeks, the Pajero is a relaxed, intelligent and thoroughly competent conveyance.

Our Platinum Pajero with the 3.2-litre turbocharged diesel engine test vehicle returned an average fuel economy figure of 10.6-litres for every 100km covered - outstanding for such a large wagon.

With a 90-litre tank, this means you hardly ever need to visit a service station.

The turbo DiD, or direct injection diesel, is a work of art. It displaces 3.2-litres but has bottom end push that puts much bigger petrol engines to shame.

The torque festival low in the rev range - 373Nm at 2000rpm - means that despite its hefty 2220kg, the Pajero has a lively feel. It also has a massive towing capacity of 2500kg.

For a bulky-looking wagon, it zips around town nicely and has the ability to catch other motorists by surprise with its zest off the mark or overtaking.

It moves from rest to 100km/h in a respectable 12 seconds, which is 5 seconds faster than the previous engine.

The 5-speed adaptive automatic transmission is a delight and performs its duties smoothly and efficiently.

Pajero`s on-the-fly 4WD system is simple to operate and you can shift from 2WD to 4WD on the move at speeds of up to 100km/h.

Ground clearance is good - 225mm - and the plush Pajero is equally at home on bitumen or in the bush.

Its reassuring grip, impressive ride, and easy handling inspire confidence in the driver. In fact, the burly off-roader feels more like a large sedan.

I`ve also discovered a very clever ploy to make the little one appreciate better music than the Wiggles. Put in music DVDs from the likes of Pearl Jam, Green Day and the like and they start to sing along to them instead! Doesn`t seem to have the same effect on her mother though.

So the extra features in the Platinum are worth about $5000 in monetary terms, but what price to you put on your sanity?