As the years go by, Range Rover only adds to its image as the most luxurious and best-in-class performing car on the road. This is certainly true of Land Rover’s Range Rover Autobiography TDV8: no other car in this price range, let alone the 4×4 class, offers such personality and comfort.

Although there is a petrol version available, Range Rover has done such a great job in refining its diesel engines that most will probably opt for the TDV8 diesel. The Autobiography effortlessly reaches a top speed of 124mph and will pin you to your seat by leaping from 0-60mph in 8.5 seconds. Speed should not be your priority, however, as what this car does so dexterously is cruise. Passengers travel in five-star comfort, surrounded by technology that allows them to watch TV or continue working – all while the kids sit in content silence, watching DVDs with their headphones on.

At the heart of this seamless cruising is the Autobiography’s automatic six-speed gear box. (This model also has gear paddles behind the steering wheel to deliver a manual Formula 1-style experience, but is quite a staccato experience after the smooth cruise using automatic.) And with each new model and version that the team at Range Rover produce, they enhance the driving experience by reducing noise and vibration, giving those in the cabin little idea of the 3.0-litre diesel engine roaring just a few feet away.

The car is full of technology that does a lot of observing for you: the wing mirrors flash an orange light as cars enter your blind spot to stop you from pulling out, and when the traffic stops or slows dramatically up ahead a series of beeps warn you to slow down. The touch-screen navigation system is one of the easier to use, and much of it can be controlled from the steering wheel too.

It is difficult to translate just how comfortable this car is; every surface is encased in the finest calf leather, and the seats offer the sort of armchair comfort one would expect from a stately home. Furthermore, the Range Rover Autobiography is considerably bigger – especially in the rear passenger area – than its more popular cousin, the Range Rover Sport, making it the obvious choice for those being driven by a chauffeur. The boot has enough luggage space for even the largest of families. This is serious luxury, comfort and convenience in the cruising cabin of superior motoring.

Although most cars are unlikely to be tested outside the smooth tarmac of Belgrave Square by anything more strenuous than some crunchy gravel, prospective buyers can rest assured that the Range Rover Autobiography delivers in its promise as being the best luxury 4×4 on the market.