LAND Rover recently celebrated rolling its one millionth Discovery off the production line - but there's no sense of the iconic 4x4 manufacturer resting on its laurels with the SUV spruced up for 2012.

The 3.0-litre SDV6 engine under the large expanse of bonnet on the model I drove now benefits from an eight-speed automatic transmission and a boost in power which is a neat trick considering carbon dioxide emissions have been reduced at the same time.

The twin-turbo diesel has a big job to do considering the Discovery's bulk and it accomplishes it with some aplomb. My only quibble is that on occasion from a standing start there is a small delay between pressing the accelerator and getting forward motion - but once at cruising speed progress is smooth and speedy.

The Discovery 4 now has Jaguar's rotary gear shift selector and steering-wheel mounted paddles for manual changes.

I found that the automatic gearbox did such a good job with barely noticeable moves up or down that it was a fool's errand trying to better its performance.

The design of the Discovery 4 has also been tweaked both inside and out.

There are new 19-inch alloys on the HSE model and a 20-inch five split-spoke wheel design offered as an option across the range.

The airy cabin is an extremely pleasant place to spend time in with Land Rover upgrading the amenities so the entry-level audio system now has a colour screen and is available with Bluetooth, digital and USB/iPod connectivity.

Navigation is available in Base and Premium - the latter enhanced with voice activation that also features on the ‘Say What You See' system which prompts the driver by displaying commands in a step-by-step format on the screen. Voice commands can be run together as shortcuts and the system is activated by the Push-to-Talk button on the steering wheel.

The kids will love it in the back where a single slot DVD allows a disc to be loaded from inside the cabin rather than as previously via a six-DVD Changer accessed through the luggage compartment.

The rear seat audio system is operated by new wireless technology via cordless headphones and can also be controlled by remote control.

The Discovery 4 also boasts efficient air conditioning, four electric windows, keyless entry and start-up, cruise control, automatic headlights and wipers, plus heated leather seats.

The ride and handling on road are improved with the help of a revised air suspension which copes with  virtually anything modern highways can throw at it.

Off-road ability remains top class with the terrain response system in its pomp helped by hill start assist and gradient acceleration control.

The view from behind the wheel is as commanding as ever and the Discovery 4 seats seven adults with an ease that shouldn't surprise as this SUV has the dimensions normally associated with a large cave.

With all the seats in use boot space is a bit tight but the second and third rows easily fold down without the need to remove the headrests leaving a flat floor. The tailgate is split so that it can serve as a picnic seat or viewing platform.

The latest Discovery is a top performer so it wouldn't take Mystic Meg to predict further success and many more milestones.

Indeed, the 23 years it took to build a million Discoverys looks set to be significantly reduced for the second million as 80 per cent of the current model is now exported with markets including the economic phenomenons that are India and China.