Discovery 4 Wins Australia's Best Cars for Best All Terrain 4WD Award

The Discovery 4 3.0 SDV6 SE has collected the Best All-Terrain 4WD Award for 2011.

Not only is it the third consecutive year that the Discovery 4 has brought home the gold, it marks a record-breaking seven consecutive years that the Land Rover Discovery has won the Best All-Terrain 4WD Award, proving once again it is still the benchmark for all-terrain SUV's. Nothing can match Discovery's outstanding breadth of capability, luxury and refinement.

Australia's Best Cars had the following to say about the Best All-Terrain 4WD winner:

We said last year that, "It's man enough to skillfully tackle serious off-road duties, while strong performance, adept road manners, refinement and occupant comfort haven't been sacrificed. Discovery again confirmed that rugged compromise isn't necessary for all-terrain mastery.

We also reported that, "The air suspension delivers a supple and comfortable ride, while judges again praised its handling precision that exceeds expectations for an all-terrain vehicle weighing nearly 2600kg.â€

The same can be said in 2011. Australia's Best Cars awards judges gave the Disco' 10 out of 10 for off-road engine gearing and traction, and near-perfect nines for safety, comfort, space, ergonomics, performance, ride, smoothness and quietness and off road clearance and articulation.

Indeed, so smooth and comfortable is the Discovery 4 that Award judges had, at times, to remind themselves that they were driving an All-terrain, not Luxury, category 4WD.

The SDV6 SE is motor-vated by a 3.0-litre sequential twin-turbo diesel engine pumping out a brutish 600Nm of torque, some 36 percent to the better of the 2.7-litre diesel in Discovery 3. Power, at 180 kW, is also up nearly 30 percent.

But these significant boosts have not been to the detriment of fuel economy, which shows an improvement over the previous model and is competitive for class. The fuel consumption figures can be attributed in part to the smooth, well-calibrated six-speed automatic transmission.

Within the four model Discovery 4 line-up, the SDV6 SE is one above the entry level 2.7-litre TDV6. Nonetheless, Land Rover has not scrimped on standard equipment, including all-important safety items such as curtain airbag protection that extends to protect occupants in its standard third row of seats (that fold away into the floor when not needed).

By Australia's Best Cars' awards definition, ˜all-terrain' means just that and here Discovery 4 walks the talk thanks to an accomplished Terrain Response system with programs to meet nearly any challenge. Height-adjustable air suspension and hill descent control system add to the ˜Disco's' impressive off-road capability.

"Grey nomads' and others with long or heavy haul requirements will appreciate the vehicle's braked maximum towing capacity of 3500kg, plus Land Rover's trailer stability assist system that helps control trailer sway.

"Its fusion of can-do, off-road proficiency and boxes-ticked, on-road quality once again made it impossible to go past the Land Rover Discovery 4 SDV6 SE as our pick for 2011".

The Discovery 4 continues to offer unbeatable versatility, capability and refinement. Alongside the fresh exterior design, the premium interior, improved dynamics and the more powerful and more fuel efficient 3.0-litre SDV6 powertrain, it also offers new state of the art user-friendly features such as a Surround Camera system, Gradient Release Control, Trailer Stability Assist and Tow Assist, Automatic High Beam Assist and keyless entry.

The Discovery 4 has recommended retail price from $68,490 (plus on road costs).