Looking back through previous issues, it seems the Land Rover Discovery 3 slipped through our test fingers. Whether it was a changeover of importer or editor nobody can remember. But we decided to remedy it and importers Motorcorp went out of their way to find us a vehicle. Our conclusion: It isn’t so much the way the Land Rover Discovery 3 performs in any one area that makes it special. It’s the way it performs so well in EVERY way. This is not a “hard yakka” truck – though it is extremely capable, just as generations of Discos before have proven to be, Instead it has been designed to make light work out of off-road driving, using a “dial-up” system that simply and easily explains every setting of suspension, gearbox, and speed. Even a novice can tackle deep sand, big rocks, slippery roads, mud or forest tracks, ford rivers - or use the car to transport hordes of kids to school in luxury. The car is more spacious than any Discovery before it without growing much externally. Its seating system is so easy that it flicks from comfortable seating for seven adults (and we know, ‘cos we tried it, even the back two seats which are comfortable for brown men) to a totally flat interior that will take huge objects and still leave room for the driver and front passenger. And, of course, any combination in between. It has an excellent range of engines that come from the Ford, Peugeot and Jaguar stables, tried and tested units that give more power than the old BMW derived motors in the previous model while offering better fuel economy and less complexity. On top of that all the automatic gearboxes (the only option) are ZF 6-speed units with genuine lock-up sequential manual facility. The body is lighter and stronger (and much more attractive) than that of the Series 2 Discovery, but still retains a separate chassis with a separate body bolted on. Suspension is for the first time independent all round, but there is huge wheel articulation together with cross-linked air suspension that allows the axles to act in the same way as solid axles in ensuring the bodywork clears rocks. On top of all that Discovery 3 has lots of electronic aids in a dual system that the company guarantees will always get you home. All electronic bits are now out of harm’s way so they won’t be damaged by water ingress, and the car is sealed so it can ford water up to 700 mm deep without the carpets getting flooded. It has three suspension settings to ensure you don’t easily end up on your belly in the sand, and it has a full-size spare wheel for those moments we all dread. Yes, sand. With water teeming from the heavens every day in the week we had the Disco – and for weeks before that – all our usual test spots were totally bogged, making testing in those conditions not only foolhardy, but in some of the places we frequent, downright dangerous. So instead we went to the beach. I’d already driven the Discovery extensively on rocky ground, so the only thing we couldn’t test in the time allotted was snow and ice - but we had lots of slippery gravel. But first up we had to get there, and on the road we discovered the cars are quick and quite nimble, albeit with a fair amount of body roll as to be expected from a high-standing vehicle. The suspension can be raised to 310 mm for off-road conditions - and lowered 50 mm when getting in and out - while there’s an automatic “normal” setting for ordinary driving which comes in automatically when speed gets higher. Off-road, it’s simply a matter of defining what you’re doing, and following the instructions. If it’s an ordinary tar road, leave it in the normal setting and just drive (ground clearance is 185 mm in normal mode). There’s full-time 4WD and ASC anti-skid control, plus ABS brakes all round to keep you on the island. When the going gets tough, you simply select low range by putting the car in neutral while travelling at 40 km/h or less, pulling on one lever and holding it, then select the appropriate setting on the Terrain Response dial. By the way, you can shift up from Low to High at 60 km/h. Once you’ve selected low range five options face you, each with an easy-to-read drawing, plus settings are also shown on an LCD panel on the dashboard. The first is “General” - for ordinary driving. Then there’s “Grass/Gravel/Snow” for slippery surfaces. “Mud/Ruts” is obvious, as is “Sand”, while “Rock Crawl” is for slow and careful driving over rocks and boulders. There’s also Hill Descent Control which prevents you going too fast downhill. The amazing thing about all this is that gearbox and throttle settings, as well as vehicle height and suspension response, adjust to each dial setting. In the “Grass/Gravel/Snow” mode the wheels are set not to spin. But they are allowed to spin a bit in the “Mud/Ruts” setting. In “Sand” the throttle is much more responsive and the wheels can spin, while in “Rock Crawl” the accelerator settings are slow to respond so you can ease over boulders. In “Rock Crawl” the suspension also stiffens so wheels can lift the body over rocks, while the shock absorbers can over-extend to ensure there’s grip. It’s all dead easy, and turns off-road duffers into safe and positive 4WD drivers. The Discover 3 comes out with a wide range of engines, but the most popular – and the subject of this test as it’s fitted to the HSE TDV6– is the 2.7-litre V6 turbo-diesel. The unit was designed by Peugeot and uses common rail technology and operates at even higher pressure than most common rail injection systems - about 25 percent more than average - benefiting performance, economy, refinement and emissions. Maximum power is 140 kW at 4 000 rpm and maximum torque 440 Nm, developed at only 1 900 rpm. It is a smooth and responsive unit, and even though it’s driving a big and heavy vehicle, proved remarkably frugal. Compared to the previous model, Discovery 3 was new from the ground up, although the Discovery DNA can be seen in the clamshell bonnet and the stepped roofline. It is smooth and angle-free, with almost-flat sides that don’t hook on trees and bushes, and there’s a longer wheelbase to give a smoother ride and better approach and departure angles as well as better access to the third row of seats. At the front there is much of the Range Rover in the simple three-slat grille and staggered lights. But at the back the tailgate is a two-piece design, as on the Range Rover, rather than a large outward-opening door as on previous Discovery models. There are major practical benefits to this asymmetric shape. First, when the upper part of the tailgate is raised, the asymmetrically shaped lower lid reduces load height into the boot. When both upper and lower halves are opened, the asymmetric shape reduces “reach in” distance. Unlike earlier Discoverys, the spare wheel is now mounted under the body, rather than on the rear door. The lights are set high up in the bodywork where they are easy to see and avoid parking damage. In every major dimension the Discovery’s interior is either class leading or among the very best. Compared with the outgoing Discovery model, the major improvements are in legroom, shoulder room, and third-row headroom. The Discovery 3 has an extremely spacious third row of seats and the wide doors are designed to ensure easy cabin and boot access. Second and third seat rows can fold right down into the floor. “Stadium seating” means that each row is higher than the one in front, improving the view for all passengers, helped by the deep glazing. The stepped roof ensures plenty of headroom throughout. All seats are large and comfortable, and higher level Discovery 3 models come with leather upholstery. Both outer seats in the second row are equipped with Isofix attachment points for European-standard and North American child seats. Front seats are available with power adjustment, covering fore and aft movement, height and squab recline, plus manual lumbar support adjustment. In addition, the driver’s seat offers electric cushion tilt adjustment. On manual front seats there is fore and aft adjustment and squab recline, plus lumbar support and height adjust on the driver’s seat. The second row of seats features three individual seats. Each folds separately and all retract into the footwell. The two outer seats can also jack-knife forward to provide easy access to the third-row seats. These also fold flat into the floor, and when all rear seats are down, the huge, flat cargo area is almost two metres long. Stowage space is extensive. In the fascia there are two glove boxes on the passenger side, and a tray at the base of the front console with a non-slip mat. There is also a coin tray and a clip for tickets and toll slips. The use of an Electronic Park Brake, rather than a conventional handbrake, liberates extra space in the centre console. A large cubby box, which can hold up to four drink cans, is fitted right behind the console, and this is available with a cooling system to keep the drinks chilled. The cubby box lid can be folded back to act as a useful tray for rear seat passengers. A mobile phone can be stowed within the cubby box lid, and can be integrated into a hands-free system via Bluetooth. Large cup holders for driver and front seat passenger are fitted in the centre console, and there is an additional folding cup holder for the passenger. Both front doors have capacious bins, including holders for large bottles of water or soft drink. The rear side doors also have large bins, again big enough for drink bottles. In all, 17.5 litres of drinks can be stowed in a Discovery 3. Large lower quarter panels in the rear compartment provide stowage space for those sitting in the third row, or secure stowage in the boot area. The top surface includes a cup holder and shallow tray, as well as in-car entertainment controls for the rear-seat passengers. Recesses, closed with nets, are also offered for extra stowage. The fascia has a simple, geometric look. There is large instrumentation, plus good-sized, tactile and intuitive controls. Switches are kept to a minimum - the built-in technology, including Land Rover’s new Terrain Response system, can do much of the work for the driver. The fascia moulding is in Thermoplastic Urethane (TPU), which has a luxury soft feel, resists fade caused by sunlight and has fewer plasticisers to reduce the mist deposited on the inside of the windscreen. The fascia is supported on a die-cast magnesium alloy crossbeam that is both light and strong, and provides precise mounting - improving finish and reducing any propensity to rattle. Roof trim and door pillar trim are soft fabric, and all grab handles are damped. Two roof-mounted consoles provide interior lighting, with separate lights for the third-row passengers. Air conditioning is standard on all Discovery 3 models and can be both manually operated and automatic. It includes a particulate filter to remove pollutants in both fresh air and recirculating modes, and four fascia-mounted adjustable vents with thumbwheel shut-offs. There is an additional lap cooler vent for the driver beneath the steering wheel. Airflow is also directed at the windscreen, side windows and front foot wells. For the second row of seats, there are two vents at the back of the centre console. Fully automatic temperature control is used and both sides operate independently. The Discovery 3 offers a high level of in-car entertainment systems with a six-CD in-dash unit linked to a Harman/Kardon system with nine speakers, including a sub-woofer. The head unit can also play MP3 files and, with 11x compression the equivalent of a 66 CD library can be stored and played in the vehicle. The car’s body-frame architecture gives tremendous protection in impacts and passenger safety is further improved by the use of eight airbags. The driver’s airbag is installed in the steering wheel boss and the front passenger airbag is in the fascia. Two airbags in the front seats provide protection for the thorax. There are two full-length curtain airbags fitted above the first and second rows of seats, offering side protection. Two additional side bags are fitted in the rearmost area. All-in-all the Disco 3 is a lot of 4WD for the money, and yet it comes in at a competitive price given its high trim and feature level. With leather and aluminium trim as tested (you can also opt for wood trim) it’s modern and luxurious, and one can easily understand why some people would want it just because it’s so big and spacious – and very, very comfortable. It’s got just about every feature you can find in a modern 4WD – and the rest, such as a cooler box, telephone integration, rear aircon, and rear entertainment system are optional – and it’s no wonder Queen Elizabeth chooses one as her daily wheels. However when you take it to its natural element – off-road – you quickly find that the only limiting factor is the low profile all terrain tyres fitted as standard. Yet as with every Land Rover there’s plenty of room to fit more suitable tyres, and with 310 mm of ground clearance it can clear obstacles others daren’t even peer at., On top of all that its dead easy to drive – the only thing missing being a reversing camera.