2009 Land Rover LR4 3.0L TD V6 6AT AWD (245 HP)

Vehicle Overview

After breaking the ties with Ford, Land Rover tried to improve as fast as possible, draining money from its new owner, Tata Motors from India.

While it didn’t have enough resources to change the lineup completely, the British automaker could upgrade what it already had on the assembly lines, naming the Discovery lineup. In 2009, the automaker introduced the facelifted version and named it LR4. It had to upgrade the SUV since Europe was ready to implement the Euro 5 emission standards, which the Discovery couldn’t achieve with its previous engines. In addition, the automaker also refreshed the car’s look.

The front fascia featured new headlights with illuminated rings around the high- and low beams. Also, the headlamps’ shape was altered and featured a round extension into the grille’s area. The automaker installed new foglamps on the bumper in a retracted, protected position. From the sides, the car kept its overall appearance, with the two-step roof line specific for all Discovery models since then. At the back, Land Rover installed a new set of taillights.

Inside, the automaker drastically improved the instrument cluster. Instead of the older dials and gauges carried over from Ford, the British carmaker placed a 5″ LCD showing various onboard computer data. Another improvement over its predecessor was the center stack slightly tilted toward the driver’s seat. Thus, it improved access to the controls for the Terrain Response knob, which was moved to the front of the center console. In addition, the cup holders were installed in a more convenient location. Finally, the interior illumination was made with LEDs.

Under the skin, the car was improved in terms of fuel efficiency and emissions. In addition, it complied with the ULEV2 standards. In Europe, the 3.0-liter V6 turbo-diesel was the new star of the range, offering similar performance as the former 3.6-liter V8 oil burner.