88: Land Rover Discovery – Price is the only thing that limits its success

Boy, did this generation of Land Rover Discovery come in for some serious criticism when launched, and almost all of it directed at that offset numberplate. Offset to one side because Discovery's always had that, but the purists raged that it looked awful and didn't need to be there, as the tailgate was one big shell now, not a split gate as before.

Our naughty secret? We quite like the look of the offset - hey, it’s different. We quite like the Discovery too. Not pretty, perhaps, but it is incredibly capable, as at ease climbing every mountain and fording every stream as it is cruising in excellent refinement with seven adults on board.

As an all-round capable car, it’s pretty tough to beat, but it’s sure not cheap, and long-term reliability remains a concern.

Best model: 2.0 SD4 HSE Auto seven-seater for €85,290