Land Rover has spent big on the newest generation of the Discovery, which definitely looks set to up the stakes in the sports utility vehicle segment in Kenya.
Built on the previous Discovery 3 model, the exterior changes have all been about easing the visual impact of the car: more horizontal lines rather than vertical, less contrast in colour toning, a bit more ‘bling’ and jewellery to suggest form rather than function — it is in the platform engineering and the interior styling where the big effort has gone.
Interior
Inside the spacious English cabin, the revised in-dash layout is functional and easy to use. Land Rover bosses have been blubbering on-and-on, about the Discovery 4’s ‘premium’ nature. Well, the Discovery is now officially more Range Rover than Discovery. This new fit out, is simply without peer for a luxury vehicle, which has so far proven to be unstoppable. One can pretty much access each and every major function, via the multi task command centre, housing the sat-nav, climate control, audio system and the terrain response system.
There is a new seat design with an extended front cushion and height adjustable head restraints. That change is going to disappoint some traditionalists as it comes at the cost the seat-mounted grab-handles.
Engine
At the heart of this British engineering marvel, is a pair of new in-house designed engines, a spanking 5-litre direct injection V8 with 276kW and 510Nm and a torquey sequential twin turbo 3.0-litre diesel V6 with 180kW and a monstrous 600Nm of torque delivered with lag-free efficiency. Hit the Stop/Start button and you can tell it’s a diesel, just. But the instant you slam the throttle; you will be clueless whether you’re driving a petrol or diesel powered Discovery.
Jointly developed with Jaguar, they have been careful to design unique characteristics for each of these prestige brands, but high torque and a fast throttle response was a requirement for both vehicles. A major part of this new found refinement is the smooth shifting 6-speed automatic ZF transmission, which seems considerably quicker than the model it replaces, providing quick gear ratios to suit your every demand.
Suspension
All that power needs to be safely channelled on to the road, and the Discovery 4 is built to deliver outstanding agility and road holding capabilities. refinements to the suspension architecture; front wish bones design improves roll rates and cornering stability, stiffer anti-roll bars, new bushes and dampers to improve ride quality.
Quick steering ratio design of the steering rack gives the Discovery 4 a more direct and car-like feel at highway speeds and more precision for low-speed off-road applications, and a much more effective and linear brake package upgraded to a size that matches the outgoing Range Rover stoppers.
The intelligent Terrain Response system, has been refined offering five settings for on-road, grass and snow, mud and ruts, sand and rock crawling but there have been a couple of key improvements.
A launch function has been built into the sand settings to eliminate the need to feather the throttle when driving away and lower the risk of digging in while a gentle background braking application has been incorporated into rock crawling below 5km/h in first gear or reverse to increase stability.
Driving
On the open road the Discovery 4 is more settled, composed and a great deal quieter in the cabin than the outgoing model. There is less nervousness about the steering, which subsequently allows greater confidence when negotiating sharp crests and bends, allowing the car to flow through sections where previously the body roll and steering vagueness would have given cause for pause.
On the beaten tracks and paths, the Discovery still displays the no-nonsense abilities that have built the legend of the badge but without some of the rougher edges. The dial and drive capability of the terrain response system is nothing short of magic. The vehicle's dynamic response to varying conditions are effectively built-in and all the driver need do is use a degree of commonsense to look like a life-long off-road expert.
Verdict
The obvious unbeatable off-road capability makes this car a must have for the person who desires independence. Brilliant!
Jointly developed with Jaguar, they have been careful to design unique characteristics for each of these prestige brands, but high torque and a fast throttle response was a requirement for both vehicles. A major part of this new found refinement is the smooth shifting 6-speed automatic ZF transmission, which seems considerably quicker than the model it replaces, providing quick gear ratios to suit your every demand.
Suspension
All that power needs to be safely channelled on to the road, and the Discovery 4 is built to deliver outstanding agility and road holding capabilities. refinements to the suspension architecture; front wish bones design improves roll rates and cornering stability, stiffer anti-roll bars, new bushes and dampers to improve ride quality.
Quick steering ratio design of the steering rack gives the Discovery 4 a more direct and car-like feel at highway speeds and more precision for low-speed off-road applications, and a much more effective and linear brake package upgraded to a size that matches the outgoing Range Rover stoppers.
The intelligent Terrain Response system, has been refined offering five settings for on-road, grass and snow, mud and ruts, sand and rock crawling but there have been a couple of key improvements.
A launch function has been built into the sand settings to eliminate the need to feather the throttle when driving away and lower the risk of digging in while a gentle background braking application has been incorporated into rock crawling below 5km/h in first gear or reverse to increase stability.
Driving
On the open road the Discovery 4 is more settled, composed and a great deal quieter in the cabin than the outgoing model. There is less nervousness about the steering, which subsequently allows greater confidence when negotiating sharp crests and bends, allowing the car to flow through sections where previously the body roll and steering vagueness would have given cause for pause.
On the beaten tracks and paths, the Discovery still displays the no-nonsense abilities that have built the legend of the badge but without some of the rougher edges. The dial and drive capability of the terrain response system is nothing short of magic. The vehicle's dynamic response to varying conditions are effectively built-in and all the driver need do is use a degree of commonsense to look like a life-long off-road expert.
Verdict
The obvious unbeatable off-road capability makes this car a must have for the person who desires independence. Brilliant!
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