Letting a four-year-old loose at the controls of a high powered, heavy duty truck is not normally advisable.

And as this video shows, in normal circumstances it would inevitably lead to a trail of destruction.

But that's exactly what car manufacturer Volvo was looking for, when the company invited little Sophie Brown to test drive the new FMX truck.

To demonstrate the toughness and durability of the new 18-tonne truck, engineers cleared a gravel pit in Serbia and set out a series of obstacles for the vehicle to overcome.

The driver's seat was rigged with elaborate controls allowing the vehicle to be driven remotely.

Then they handed those remote controls to Sophie.

The resulting video, Look Who's Driving, not only succeeds in showing the toughness of the Volvo FMX - it's also a lot of fun to watch.

Once the mischievous Sophie is given the green light, she instantly ploughs the truck straight into a crate swinging from a crane, which explodes on impact.

At one point the youngster is distracted by a drone flying overhead filming the action - causing the truck to drive off a slope.

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The vehicle flips upside down as it rolls down the hill and lands back on its wheels.

Another stunt sees Sophie cackle as she drives the truck straight through a portable cabin, before apparently finishing off the test drive with some impressive donuts.

Under the clip, posted on Volvo Trucks' official YouTube channel, the company wrote: "This live test was set up to demonstrate the sturdiness and mobility of the Volvo FMX.

"A unique cage construction, cast-iron front plus corners and skidplate of high-grade steel make this a very tough truck indeed.