I wouldn’t drive to work in a tractor, so who is, I wondered as I listened to the approaching clattering diesel from the modest confines of my Renault Laguna Sport.

I needn’t have worried. It turned out it wasn’t a tractor, it was a mark I Land Rover Discovery that just sounded like a tractor. And this was 2002.

Twelve years later and the mark IV Discovery HSE that I have been driving is, thankfully, a world away from the original. The 3.0-litre V6 diesel is, while still unmistakably an oil burner, much more refined while the occupants enjoy much-improved noise suppression.

The same is true of the styling. While still instantly recognisable as a Discovery, the design has been constantly refined and improved to keep pace with the increasingly competitive and congested SUV market.

It’s a much more rugged, utilitarian design than the Range Rover. Both vehicles are excellent off-roaders but you get the impression that people who buy the Discovery might, at the very least, tackle a country lane or two.

It’s the same story inside where the luxury is a little bit more on the rugged side. The leather trim is present and correct, but it’s combined with hardwearing, high quality plastics and chunky switchgear that, while classy, feels like it would cope with a fair bit of abuse.

The below-par touchscreen is present and correct although given the rugged personality of the interior it feels less jarring when you have to jab the screen hard to get a response.

For people who enjoy their creature comforts there’s four-zone climate control, heated front and rear seats and screens mounted in the front seat headrests for lucky rear-seat passengers to watch the Antiques Roadshow on.

There’s an extra row of seats, should you require them. They’re front facing, which might be a blessing for some, but it can make access tricky. They’re simple to raise and, for occasional seats, comfortable to use.

All-round-visibility is excellent thanks to large windows and relatively low waistline.

Persistent undulations can unsettle the Discovery and there is noticeable body roll in corners – although considering this car weighs two tonnes that’s hardly surprising – and it does serve to remind you of the vehicle’s mass despite the light steering. Speaking of steering (you see what I did there) it offers the driver plenty of feedback, even with the 20in wheels fitted to my car, and turn-in is pretty impressive for a vehicle of this size.

Overall the ride and handling is excellent, particularly when you consider its off-road credentials, and the occupants are very well isolated from imperfections and road noise. It’s not quite in Range Rover territory, but it isn’t very far behind.

There are several settings for off-road use, depending on the type of terrain that you’re on. I wasn’t able to try them all out during the week that I had the Discovery – there’s only so many types of geology to tackle across the county of Kent – but Land Rover have a great history of off-roading, so no doubt they are well-tuned to different surfaces.

Boot capacity is 280 litres with the third row of seats in place. That grows to 1,124 with them stowed and rises to 1,950 litres with the second row tucked away. The split tailgate provides excellent access too.

So the 2014 version of the Discovery is very different beast from the original. And so it should be after 25 years of development. Its off-road abilities and on-road manners have both been improved immeasurably and the diesel engine no longer sounds like a tractor, despite the car’s rural leanings. It’s also spacious, practical and handsome. If you’re in the market for a luxury SUV, but want something a bit more rugged than the Range Rover, Mercedes ML or BMW X5, look no further.

Land Rover Discovery HSE Luxury

Price: £59,965

As tested: £63,395

Engine: 3.0-litre V6 diesel

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic intelligent stop-start

Maximum speed: 112mph

Acceleration: (0-60mph): 8.8sec

Power: 252bhp

Urban: 28.8mpg

Extra urban: 34.9mpg

Combined: 35.3mpg

Emissions (CO2): 213g/km

For more information about Land Rover cars click here.