WHEN it comes to power and strength few vehicles can get anywhere close to the mighty Land Rover Discovery but it always amazes me just how luxurious the vehicle is too.

Obviously, the Discovery has built a very solid reputation for its off-road dominance and can often be pictured traversing mountains, crossing fast-flowing rivers or climbing sand dunes, but it's not all grunt and muscle power.

For the Discovery (or Disco as its affectionately known) is loaded with creature comforts.

From the outside, the vehicle is instantly recognisable with its bold, ready-for-action stance, 20-inch alloy wheels, darkened windows, huge light clusters and the recent introduction of the word 'DISCOVERY' across the bonnet.

But step inside and there are features that wouldn't be out of place on a luxury saloon. The upholstery is sourced from the finest leathers and the front seats can be heated and electrically adjusted to find the perfect driving position. There are even memory functions to save favourite settings.

The steering wheel can also be heated to stave off that winter chill and there are techno treats galore to be explored, including a colour touchscreen incorporating sat nav, a great sound system, Bluetooth connectivity, a reversing camera and plenty more besides.

Space within the cabin is plentiful with ample room for three adults to stretch out in comfort in the second row. And when additional passengers are being transported there are two extra seats folded flat to the boot floor.

Yet when these seats are not in use the boot is very generous in size and can be accessed via a convenient split tailgate which makes loading heavy or awkwardly-shaped items much easier.

This model was powered by a 3.0-litre 255bhp diesel engine mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox. And despite its larger-than-life size, the Discovery is actually quite agile and can sprint to 60mph from a standing start in just 8.0 seconds and then on to a top speed of 112mph. According to official figures it can achieve combined fuel efficiency of 35.3mpg with carbon emissions of 213g/km.

In busy town centres, the car ambles along with absolute ease and the high seated driving position is a notable plus factor when looking out for cars or pedestrians. Parking can be a problem purely because of the vehicles length, but sensors and a rear-view camera do make the process a little easier.

Then out on the faster roads, the Discovery really bursts into life. The acceleration is deceptively fast and the vehicle cruises effortlessly at motorway speeds. The sure-footed grounding makes light work or tight bends and the cabin noise is relatively low, although you can expect quite a lot of wind noise from the huge door mirrors.

Even if the Discovery is not tempted to wander off-road it is always well worth remembering just how capable it is should the need arise. It can wade through water up to 700mm deep, (600mm without air suspension), has an obstacle clearance of 310mm and off-road approach angles of 37.2 degrees.