Land Rover Discovery TDV6 SE first drive

What is it?

It's the facelifted Discovery. Honest. Land Rover has given the third generation of its seven-seat SUV a mild mid-life revamp.

The changes (are you ready for this?) include new front and rear bumpers, a new style of 19-inch wheels, body-coloured wheelarches, clear indicator lenses, a body-coloured tailgate handle and 'tungsten' flares to the side vents and door handles.

Inside there's the option of a new trim colour and an improved Bluetooth set-up. All of this means that, when placed alongside the old model, the new version will look very slightly fresher, but nothing more than that.

What's it like?

Incredibly like the previous Discovery 3 - which is to say reassuringly solid, frustratingly weighty, appreciably comfortable and just about luxurious enough to justify a £45,000 price tag.

All of the basics, including Land Rover's fine Terrain Response system, are still present, and the Discovery is surprisingly accomplished at cruising at motorway speeds; wind and road noise are suppressed more effectively than you might expect, resulting in a decent long-distance tool.

Yet for all its real-world qualities, you still feel a wally driving this car down narrow side streets; now, more than ever, the Discovery feels like it's been made for the big outdoors.

Should I buy one?

The latest Disco remains one of the ultimate vehicles for rural commutes. But if you're looking for urban practicality, there are alternatives that are more economical, just as spacious and, dare we say it, a little more socially acceptable.

The Discovery should still be the automatic choice for a select few, but its ability to pull in casual buyers must be on the wane.