2001 Land Rover Discovery XS review from UK and Ireland

Fuel cap broke after a few days- dealer fixed it under warranty.

Fuel flap is not always reliable, though.

Extra rear seats are not paragons of reliability.

Fuse went on rear view mirror.

Our first off-roader, but not our last.

Very convenient in some ways- good view out of the front, loads of space, plenty of storage in the interior.

But some bad design- wheelbase is too short, nullifying rear legroom, trim quality is a bit dodgy.

The back is the problem, though. On the Series 2 you can't get beepers, and the spare wheels obstructs the view.

Also, there is the deadly back step. This can put a nasty hole in somebody's bumper if you are not careful.

Tailgate opens to the side- means that parking is tricky when you need to unload. The door is heavy and be careful when parked on cambered roads.

It is not as thirsty as you may think, so long as you drive carefully. Engine is hardly fast, but it does the job well enough- it never struggles. Fantastic V8 engine note. Handling is nothing to write home about.

If it wasn't for the few problems, and the launch of the Volvo XC90, we wouldn't be changing for a least a year or so. But I really wouldn't buy a new one- huge depreciation. Also, I would be worried about reliability.

And no, we've never been off-road in it.

Can I just say that, before the XC90, it was the best 4x4 around. I know, X5 and all that, but the beemer has only got five seats. Ergo, no more useful that a big estate. The other 7 seater SUVs were the Mitsubishi Shogun (drove like the Titanic on vaseline) and the M-Class (not big enough). So, no regrets.

These ones are now bargains due to the facelift and imminence of a replacement. They are just a few years old, but are the ultimate multi-purpose vehicle. Go-anywhere, swallow anything, impress anybody. Great car.