Twelve Cars of Christmas – Land Rover Discovery - Number 5

The new Land Rover Discovery has driven over a mountain to elevate itself to position five on Motoring.co.uk's Twelve Cars of Christmas list. This chocolate box of motoring marvels contains our favourite vehicles based on economy, space, price, style, and popularity. So, why does this 4x4 appear on the list?

This prestigious leviathan is considered the ultimate off-road vehicle. The current generation was introduced in 2004 and significantly revised in 2009. There are three engines available the most popular of which is the 2.7-litre 188bhp diesel. Motorists needing more power to tow a sleigh full of Christmas presents may prefer the 3.0-litre 241bhp diesel, or the mighty 4.4-litre V8 300bhp petrol.

The Discovery's on-road handling is beautifully composed and its off-road capabilities are staggering. This is partly due to the 'terrain response' system which allows motorists to change the set-up. Settings such as ride height can be adapted to cope with challenging conditions such as mud, gravel, deep ruts, etc.

The Land Rover Discovery deserves its place on the Christmas list because it is a trend-setting icon. In addition to impressive handling, it has a grottos-worth of interior space and rock solid image. Running costs are inevitably rather high but reasonable considering the nature of the vehicle.

Prices for the new Land Rover Discovery range from £31,995 to £47,695. Entry-level pre-facelift examples start at £12,500.

By Stephen Turvil