4x4 named Car of the Year

They have been denounced as a menace to pedestrians and the environment - but today one of the biggest 4x4s on the market was named Car of the Year.

What Car? magazine praised the Land Rover Discovery TDV6 S auto for its practical seven-seat cabin, fine drive and "go-anywhere ability".

Group editor Steve Fowler said: "No other car is as many things to as many people. On the way to work it's an executive saloon. With the kids, it's a family-friendly vehicle. Come the weekend, it's a hard-as-nails 4x4."

The award will anger anti-car campaigners who say offroaders are dangerous and cause excessive pollution.

Mayor Ken Livingstone even branded their drivers "complete idiots". But What Car? says most 4x4s use the same engines as family cars. Editor David Motton said the Transport Research Laboratory had also found offroaders were no more dangerous to pedestrians than other vehicles.

The Skoda Octavia took second spot in the awards while the new Volkswagen Golf GTi won the bronze.