Road test - Land Rover Discovery 4

Author: Ian Strachan

There’s something about Discoverys and Range Rovers which no other maker has managed to replicate. Maybe it’s the commanding driving position, or the high dashboard, or the armchair-comfortable front seats, or the powerful surge of noise and torque when you dip the throttle or a combination of all of those things. But no other 4x4s are quite like them.

Range Rover's competitors have spent shedloads of money trying to get ahead of the Land Rover stable but although this has resulted in some very fine luxury off-roaders, none have yet managed it.  Range Rovers and Discoverys are still top of the heap by a muddy country mile.

The latest iteration of the Discovery - the Discovery 4 - has moved unashamedly further upmarket, filling the gap left by the Range Rover, which itself is pushing into the luxury market. And it's a serious piece of kit: far more refined than earlier Discoverys, with none of the quality problems which bedevilled it for many years.

I road tested the excellent Discovery 4 HSE with the powerful new TDV6 twin turbo diesel engine. This 3.0 litre unit is whisper quiet, with petrol-like performance, and respectable fuel economy figures. 

The first thing you notice about the Discovery is just how big it is. Both inside and out, this 4x4 is a whopper.

It is also supremely comfortable. It has the ultimate in capability off road and is very well behaved on road. And it looks good, with chunky 19 inch alloys and lots of leather around the interior. It's also functional, with lots of storage space and two extra rear seats which stow away flat in the cargo area.

As well as being a superb motorway cruiser the Discovery 4 can go from tarmac to mud without the driver having to do anything other than choose the terrain setting on a simple rotary control. The vehicle's electronics work out the rest, including ride height, engine torque, traction and hill descent control. 

Even though my test vehicle wasn't fitted with mud plugging tyres, it never put a foot wrong during some fairly severe testing off road in Shropshire. On soft, muddy grass and deep rutted tracks it maintained grip throughout and never threatened to get stuck. 

The V6 245 horsepower turbo diesel engine has more than enough grunt, delivering power throughout the range without ever feeling reluctant to propel this big car. The six speed automatic gearbox is exceptionally flexible. And it's pretty frugal for its size - this is a big unit - delivering 30.4 mpg in mixed driving.

Handling is stable and predictable, with no suspension wallow, and flat cornering. On tarmac its manners are impeccable and it's a great motorway cruiser. Steering is light but precise.

Specification on the HSE is very good and includes adaptive headlights, cruise control, satellite navigation with TV, electric front seats with memory, park assist and five cameras, centre console box, custom iPod connection and 19 inch alloys. My test vehicle also had locking differential, tyre pressure monitoring system, privacy glass and a very welcome heated steering wheel. This may sound like a luxury too far but on chilly mornings it's a pleasure to warm your hands on the steering wheel. 

The Discovery 4 HSE doesn't come cheap, but you wouldn't expect it to. The model I tested will cost you £47,695 without the extras. But it's a Land Rover and whatever anyone tells you, there's nothing quite like it.