LR4: Capable on and off road with refined interior

LONDON: The Land Rover Discovery — known as LR4 in the region — is a refined and well-composed car despite the high power of its three-liter turbo engine and 255 bhp it produces.
The Discovery is a capable car on and off-road and enjoys some of the most sophisticated technologies available in that segment of the market.
The engine is matched to an eight-speed ZF gearbox with intelligent Stop-Start and a 4-wheel drive system that can be optimized for any terrain at a push of a button.
While the exterior design has not changed much since the previous year’s model the company paid more attention to the interior of the Discovery. In fact, what distinguishes the Discovery in the SUV segment is the balance between its luxurious and well-equipped cabin and its go-anywhere capability.
The test car featured a number of optional options over and above the standard equipment.
These include a Vision Assist Pack with high bean Assist and cornering lamps; Exterior Detection Pack with blind-spot monitoring, reverse traffic sensors; Cooled Cubby Box; Tow Pack; and full-size spare wheel.
The standard equipment includes dual-zone air conditioning, touch-screen navigation and infotainment system with digital radio, heated front seats, steering-wheel paddle shifters and USB and IPhone connectivity.
The Discovery also has a panoramic sunroof for the rear seats in addition to video and TV screens for the rear passengers.
Behind the five seats there is a massive boot space with split back door for easy loading.
The lower door part doubles as a comfortable platform seating for safari trips. The back seat row folds flat to open up an impressive amount of boot space.
The 2015 model runs on 20-inch wheels as opposed to 19-inch wheels in the previous model.
A new app called InControl (optional) allows the driver to download certain function from the IPhone or Android 4.0 phones and use the apps on the car infotainment system when the phone is plugged in the USB socket.
Functions include satellite navigation, music streaming and Internet connection.
Other specs include cruise control, parking sensors and surround cameras.
The exterior design keeps the traditional Land Rover genes of clamshell bonnet and high-level tailgate.
These features emphasize the visual impact of the marque in addition to practical aspects of interior space.
It is easy to get comfortable in the driver’s seat and space is abundant for front and rear seats. Leather trim is standard and adds an upmarket air to the car.
The driver feels in full control with good all-round vision, elevated position on the road and almost immediate response for acceleration from the excellent ZF gearbox. All the controls are handy and familiar to Land Rover/Jaguar drivers.
Land Rover Discovery (LR4) models in the region use a three-liter V6 supercharged petrol engines that produces 340 bhp.
The petrol engine has 24 valves with quad cam and dual independent variable cam.
Emission is no more than 269 grams of CO2 per kilometer and the vehicle is compliant with Euro 6, the highest European standard of clean emission.
While the diesel engine takes 9.3 seconds to accelerate from 1-100 km/h, the petrol engined version needs only 8.1 seconds to reach 100 km/h.
Top speed is also higher at 195 km/h compared to 180 km/h for the diesel version. However, the diesel version is still being sold in the region but only in North Africa.
A new concept Discovery has been revealed in recent auto shows and should be coming soon to the market.
This may discourage some buyers interested in the current model. However, if one is in the market for a sturdy SUV that is equally capable on and off the road, with a touch of interior luxury, Land Rover Discovery is hard to beat.
The starting price of the petrol version Discovery is 244,000 AED ($66,430).