Car Reviews > Land Rover > Discovery > Land Rover Discovery 4 Car Review

Facts At A Glance
Prices: £51,195
Engine: 3.0-litre V6 twin-turbo diesel
Gearbox: 8-speed auto, 4-wheel drive Power: 252 bhp 0-60 mph: 8.8 seconds
Top Speed: 112 miles per hour
Economy: 32.1 miles per gallon
Emissions: 230g per kilometre
Equipment: Air suspension, Hill Start Assist, 8-speaker Harmon Kardon stereo, DAB radio, Bluetooth
On Sale: Now

The British company updates the Land Rover Discovery in time for its 2012 model year

One manufacturer that knows how to design off-road vehicles is definitely Land Rover. That said, the Land Rover Discovery 4 is also one of the very best family vehicles available to buy. The good news is that the British firm is not being content to rest on its laurels however, but will be releasing an even more refined Discovery next year.

One problem with the Disco package was its CO2 emission figures, which were indisputably on the high side. Acknowledging this, Land Rover has, for 2012, introduced two power outputs for the V6 3.0-litre twin turbo diesel. The higher-powered version may have increased its bhp rating from 242 to 252 but at the same time, it has also actually managed to slash its CO2 emissions from 244g per kilometre to 230g per kilometre, which means that the Discovery is now on a par with the most efficient off-road vehicles currently available on the market. Even better news is that the entry-level diesel version, which has a bhp rating of 208, has emissions of just 224g per kilometre, which means that the Discovery has actually dropped no less than two road tax bands.

That brand new engine is by no means the whole story with the new model however, with all vehicles also receiving a new 8-speed ZF gearbox that is considerably more efficient than the old 7-speed unit from the previous model. This is operated with a dial selector similar to the one found in the Jaguar XF, a neat touch of which is that it actually rises from the centre console.

Elsewhere in the interior of the vehicle, the touchscreen GPS system has had a bit of a makeover, now coming with bolder graphics, and there is also polished silver trim on the doors and the centre console, plus the fact that all of the range’s models now come with a Harmon Kardon sound system.

Nor has the talent of the Discovery for carrying passengers changed at all either, with the cabin being airy, comfortable, and large. There is plenty of room for as many as three adults in the rear, and another pair of seats can also be found in the boot, a touch that only further adds to the versatility of the vehicle.

When on the road, the Discovery proves to be a comfortable cruiser, able to easily cover long distances. There is a commanding view of the road in front of you, while there is also a lot of punch provided by the new high-power diesel, enabling it to make light work of the weight of the Disco. Indeed, about the only time that you even become aware of the size of the car is during heavy braking.

The brand new 8-shift auto is able to shift very smoothly, making the wheel-mounted paddle shifters admittedly somewhat redundant in the process, and is able to quickly kick down when extra power is required, even if it does seem to be do that quite often on the move.

The thing that really makes the Discovery stand apart from other family vehicles is of course the ability to handle any and all terrains, and with a switch of the Terrain Response System, this car can go just about anywhere.

by Autoweb