Land Rover Discovery 4 3.0 SDV6 GS 5dr Car Review - February 2012

The engine produces 255bhp and 442 lb-ft of torque. This makes for fairly rapid acceleration with the Disco hitting 62 mph in just 9.6 seconds. Alongside this a more than adequate top speed of 112 mph is achieved, which is pretty good for a car of this class.

Steering is good but it fails to match the standard set by the BMW X5 or Audi Q7 - two of the model's main rivals. However the steering does have more feel than its predecessors and its off-road capabilities are far superior, making it more practical both on and off the road. High quality suspension makes the drive comfortable and smooth whilst noise is limited within the cabin, making it a pleasant place to be for all occupants.

Whilst the engine is refined and smooth, the accelerator is not sensitive enough and needs to be pressed hard for smooth progress. Despite this slight disadvantage, the Discovery is capable of towing up to 3.5 tonnes - demonstrating its strong power credentials.

The appearance of the Discovery 4 3.0 SDV6 GS is striking, with a bold and authoritative look. The interior both looks and feels great and is of a high quality. Controls and instruments are well laid out and feel firm to the touch.

This model comes with a basic selection of standard in-car tech and some drivers may feel disappointed by the lack of luxuries. Standard features include power steering, central locking, stability control, alloy wheels, climate control, electric door mirrors, electric front windows, rear parking sensors, Bluetooth connectivity and a CD player.

Metallic paint finish is available for an additional cost of £600, with cruise control costing £365 and leather seats priced at £1,575. A built-in sat nav and MP3 connectivity for the stereo are not options on this model, which is disappointing considering the price.

As a seven seater option, you can choose a variety of seating layouts and this means there is plenty of practicality offered with this model. All of the rear seats have the ability to fold flat making it easy to load luggage. When all of the seats are folded down the total boot capacity reaches 2,558 litres. 280 litres are on offer when all the seats are in place.

The Disco feels and looks well built but Land Rover's poor reputation for reliability means there are concerns over this. Suspension and electrical faults were fairly common on the old Disco but the new car may well prove to be more reliable. A three year warranty for unlimited miles is included to help allay customers' fears.

In terms of general safety, the car comes with driver, passenger and front side airbags fitted as standard whilst an immobiliser and alarm to deter thieves are also standard fixtures.

The 3.0 litre engine in the Discovery 4 3.0 SDV6 GS uses less fuel and has lower emissions than earlier Discovery models but running costs will still be high. In fact, the Discovery has carbon emissions of 230g/km so large road tax bills will be incurred under tax bracket L.

The Discovery achieves 32.1 mpg on the combined cycle and this is pretty good for a car of this calibre. The cost of the Discovery is £37,995 and resale values are typically very strong, however the reliability issues associated with the brand may make some buyers concerned about making such a costly investment.