WORKHORSE, tow car, status symbol, people carrier or mud-plugger – few cars can claim to fulfil any of these duties with real conviction.
Yet for the last 20 years, one car has consistently met all those challenges and more, earning itself iconic status as the ultimate all-purpose vehicle. That car is the Land Rover Discovery.
Designed originally to plug the gap between the utilitarian Defender and the luxury Range Rover, the Disco soon became the perfect niche vehicle for the growing demands of the family 4x4 market.
Since its last makeover a few months ago, the Discovery looks much more like the Range Rover.
Not that the Discovery 4 is cheap. In top-of-the-range HSE spec, as in the test car, it costs over £47,000 and that's without 'extras' like an active rear locking differential, full size spare wheel, tyre pressure monitors, centre console box, heated steering wheel, bi-xenon lighting, all-round camera system and privacy glass which together added over £3,000.
The cabin is all new and gets a lot nearer the feel and look of the more expensive Range Rover, with plenty of aluminium detailing and a more integrated central console which flows into the dashboard.
Gone is the distinctive but dull front dismissed as too workmanlike by too many customers. I liked the old front. I don't dislike the new one but it's maybe a bit too 'blingy', accentuated by the side vents and the rear lamps.
Discovery's new engine is the 3.0-litre diesel V6, based on the acclaimed motor from the Jaguar XF. With the standard six-speed automatic gearbox, it produces 241bhp and a massive 442 lb/ft of pulling torque, of which a whopping 368 lb/ft is available almost at once.
It gives a 0-60mph of 9.1 seconds with, on paper, an average of 30.4 miles per gallon and 244g/km of carbon dioxide. In real life, it averaged nearer 25mpg with a consequent increase in C02.
The car's designers have made minor improvements to the Disco's already superb off-road ability.
New tweaks include a 'road crawl' mode for very low-speed work, and 'sand launch' for a more effective escape from the clutches of the desert. Very useful if you've been on the beach.
Not all Discoverys spend all their life in the high street. Drivers and passengers may get some help from the optional fish-eye camera that shows the position of the car on the road in a 360 degree sweep. It's useful to judge clearance on serious off-road terrain or, more likely, avoiding kerbs in town.
Despite becoming glossier and sparklier (the S-shaped bright daylight running lights, for instance), a large percentage of drivers do use their car as a working vehicle, particularly for towing.
Brakes and suspension is beefier to handle the car's potential greater speeds. The power steering is now variable ratio assisted to give more positive response at any speed. The engine is waterproofed and tested for tilt and pitch up to 45 degrees.
Off-road, most things you ask it to do will be a walk in the park. The air suspension, variable ride height and traction options cover all manner of terrain and selection is virtually foolproof with a rotary knob and a few toggle switches.
On the road, it drives perfectly well. Roll and pitch are subdued and the engine is smooth and impressively quiet.
