Model tested: Land Rover Discovery 4 3.0 TDV6 HSE
Price: £47,695
Date tested: August 2009
Road tester: Andy Goodwin

The Discovery 3 is one of our favourite off-roaders, thanks to no-nonsense styling, seven-seat practicality and go-anywhere ability. This year it's being replaced by the heavily facelifted Discovery 4, with changes to the way it looks, and also to the way it drives.

The first thing you notice about the Discovery 4 is its exterior looks, which have taken a step up in class. The bold shapes of the Discovery 3 remain - the slab-like bonnet and chiselled sides - but the detailing has been improved.

Its new honeycomb grille, side vents and re-mastered headlights are mobile pieces of sculpture. We're not sure about the LED daytime running lights though, which wrap down and around the main light pod in a tadpole-like shape.

Sit in the commanding driver's seat and you'll notice the completely reworked interior. Now, instead of a dashboard which was more 'functional' than 'beautiful', there's a softly finished sloping dash that flows into the centre console and gear selector.

Interior quality really is impressive, with use of wood and polished metal trim which wouldn't look out of place in a luxury saloon or sports car.

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All-new engine ups the pace
On the road a new engine is the biggest improvement yet, giving the Discovery extra pace and efficiency. The 3-litre, sequentially turbocharged V6 diesel is borrowed from the latest Jaguar XF, tuned for use in a big mud-plugger.

It produces 242bhp and 443lb/ft of torque, and can accelerate the Discovery from 0-60mph in 9.1 seconds. Land Rover also claims 30.4mpg on the combined cycle, an improvement of almost ten per cent in fuel efficiency.

More composed handling
The other big news is a raft of suspension improvements, which result in the new model cornering more flatly and steering more precisely than before.

Head off the tarmac and there are some new gadgets to help get the most from the Discovery, with Terrain Response now allowing you to choose even more intuitive settings.

Watch your every move
Five cameras dotted around the car can be displayed on the central screen, making manouevring much easier. They're positioned at the front left and right of the bumper, under both door mirrors and in the rear bumper. Pictures from them can be viewed regardless of vehicle speed or direction.

We rated the Discovery 3 highly, and this model subtly improves on it in all the key areas. We love its updated looks and improved handling, but the biggest thumbs up goes to the smooth and powerful new engine.