Keep in mind the Land Rover Discovery?

It’s been put within the shade on the gross sales charts by the brand new Defender, which has encroached on its turf with an opulent inside, extra refined drive, and the type of school-run credibility the marginally dorky Disco may solely dream of.

Don’t low cost the previous Discovery simply but, although. Dad or mum firm JLR is within the midst of a model overhaul, and it’s picked Discovery, Defender, and Vary Rover because the three pillars into which new merchandise will match going ahead.

In different phrases, there’s much more to come back from the Discovery model – and now we actually give it some thought, the present mannequin has loads to supply as nicely.

Land Rover has labored laborious to maintain it recent during the last seven years with recent inside expertise, up to date seems to be, and extra environment friendly engines.

Right here’s the way it stacks up in 2024.

How does the Land Rover Discovery evaluate?

View an in depth breakdown of the Land Rover Discovery in opposition to equally sized automobiles.

Land Rover

Discovery

How a lot does the Land Rover Discovery value?

Land Rover has began promoting the mannequin yr 2025 model of the Discovery by way of sellers, however we’ve included pricing for the MY24 model on take a look at right here above.

To see how the Discovery compares with its rivals, use our comparability software.

What’s the Land Rover Discovery like on the within?

Think about the mid-point between the rugged, upright Defender and the ultra-luxurious Vary Rover, and also you’re on the cash.

With a mixture of luxurious supplies, touches just like the captain’s chair armrests, and rugged finishes designed to name the nice open air to thoughts, it’s a beautiful place to spend time.

The view over the street forward is commanding even by huge SUV requirements, and the 20-way adjustable driver’s seat customary within the HSE means you’ll be capable of get snug it doesn’t matter what form your physique is.

In all places you relaxation your elbows is generously padded, and the whole lot that appears like steel, is. Then once more, you’d hope so given the value.

Usually, previous vehicles really feel previous due to their expertise. Jaguar Land Rover has accomplished a great job holding the expertise in its vary recent, and the Discovery is not any exception.

The Pivi Professional touchscreen is shared with the whole lot from the Jaguar XE sedan to the full-on Vary Rover.

It’s fairly to have a look at and responds in a manner that may really feel fast to iPad devotees, with a menu construction that doesn’t require an excessive amount of diving to achieve key features.

The colors and icons are all related; it may be laborious to make out a number of the extra obscure features in the principle menu, however the reality you get bodily controls for local weather management means it received’t ship your blood strain hovering just like the expertise in some rivals.

The digital dials are clear and straightforward to learn, with sharp-looking maps, however they aren’t fairly as straightforward to navigate as Audi or Mercedes-Benz choices. Realistically it’s a non-issue, given most homeowners will set and overlook.

There’s loads of cupboard space up entrance, with coffee-friendly cupholders, a deep bin below the armrest, and a neat little hidden slot behind the local weather controls on your valuables.

The door pockets are hidden away fairly low, which suggests they could be a bit tough to entry on the transfer – however they are going to take a 1L water bottle.

The rear seats are stable, however not standout for the category. The opening of the oddly-shaped rear door in all fairness vast, and the stadium seating format means youngsters have an excellent view out on street journeys.

That’s a win for anybody susceptible to carsickness, and taller passengers don’t endure due to the marginally dorky upright form. Legroom is stable, though it’s not fairly on the identical stage as in a BMW X5 or Audi Q7, and there are all of the facilities you’d count on of a contemporary luxurious automotive.

Air vents, USB-C ports, temperature controls, and a fold-down central armrest are all available, and also you get map pockets within the seat backs.

The odd-shaped C-pillar imply tall passengers could have their heads subsequent to an enormous chunk of clean trim relatively than the window, although.

Entry to the third row is simpler right here than in some seven-seat rivals, and as soon as again there the Discovery provides sufficient area to accommodate older youngsters/small youngsters for respectable stints.

It’s a correct seven-seater in a manner few rivals can match, as evidenced by the actual fact the third row is correctly lined by the curtain airbags – it’s not good although, the addition of air vents would spherical out what’s in any other case an extended listing of ordinary inclusions.

The boot is exclusive by advantage of the fold-down lip… which must be manually folded utilizing a button contained in the load bay.

It’s a winner in the event you spend time sitting behind your automotive watching junior sport – however the reality it doesn’t fold down robotically like in a BMW X5 means you should elevate heavy baggage over it, or fiddle with a button to slip heavy gadgets into the again.

To see how the Discovery compares with its rivals, use our comparability software.

What’s below the bonnet?

Petrol and diesel energy function within the Discovery lineup – on take a look at is the only real diesel choice for 2024, the D300. It’s been changed by a D350 for 2025.

To see how the Discovery compares with its rivals, use our comparability software.

How does the Land Rover Discovery drive?

Age hasn’t wearied the Discovery’s dynamics. It’s nonetheless a beautiful household SUV, and a reminder of the advantages of diesel energy in massive seven-seaters.

The D300 engine is a refined beast across the metropolis. It fires quietly and settles right into a quiet idle, and has loads of low-down torque to get greater than 2400kg value of British luxurious SUV shifting within the visitors mild grand prix with out feeling strained.

You don’t get any harsh rattles or vibrations within the cabin, and once you actually put your foot down there’s barely greater than a grumble from the inline-six.

The eight-speed computerized slurs easily from gear-to-gear, not often letting the revs creep above round 2500rpm on mild throttle inputs.

The beginning/cease system operates rapidly, and doesn’t damage the peace inside for essentially the most half. There’s a touch of hesitation between the automotive restarting and getting drive, however it’s not an excessive amount of of a problem – it takes a beat, and also you’re away.

Experience high quality is superb, too. The usual air suspension kneels down once you hop into the automotive to make loading simpler, however it rapidly rises up once you prod the beginning button.

At low speeds the Discovery simply floats alongside properly, ironing out pimply metropolis streets and softening off huge hits from velocity bumps with aplomb.

Usually, vehicles using on air suspension battle with sharp hits from potholes; though the D300 isn’t good in these situations, there’s all the time a level of insulation within the cabin from what’s taking place exterior.

There’s no escaping how huge the Disco is on the town, however its upright design reaps a couple of advantages. It’s straightforward to see the corners of the bonnet from the elevated driver’s seat, which suggests you’re capable of place it simply in tight areas.

JLR’s cameras are crystal clear, and its parking sensors create a dependable image of what’s occurring round you.

At greater speeds the Discovery actually hits its stride. It’s only a snug, succesful cruiser that loves buzzing alongside at 100km/h, with the engine ticking over simply above idle and suspension floating above rough-and-ready Australian nation highways with out actually breaking a sweat.

You get a touch of wind noise from the windscreen pillars, however there’s much less white noise from the tyres than in German alternate options on coarse chip roads.

Put your foot down and the diesel engine delivers easy efficiency. It kicks down one, two, three gears from eighth to faucet into the torque peak once you need a high-speed overtake, however on lighter throttle inputs it simply digs deep and will get a transfer on with no fuss.

JLR deserves credit score for its driver assists, too.

The adaptive cruise management is easy and good, the lane preserve help doesn’t need to rip the steering wheel out of your arms, and the velocity restrict alert is straightforward to modify off.

It feels as if the expertise is definitely there that will help you, relatively than making an attempt to tear the steering wheel out of your arms.

As for the off-road facet? We’ve a full off-road assessment of the Discovery coming quickly, however suffice it to say that is nonetheless a really succesful household SUV when the going will get powerful – nicely past what its rivals will do.

What do you get?

On take a look at right here is the top-spec Discovery Dynamic HSE with the D300 turbo-diesel engine.

Discovery S highlights:

• 20-inch alloy wheels and all-terrain tyres
• Single-speed switch field (excessive vary solely)
• Digital air suspension
• Adaptive dampers
• ‘Terrain Response’ selectable drive modes
• 11.4-inch ‘Pivi Professional’ touchscreen infotainment system
  • Wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
  • DAB digital radio
• Digital instrument cluster
• Wi-fi charging pad
• On-line pack with information plan
• Computerized LED headlights
• Rear fog mild
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Heated and electrically-folding facet mirrors
  • Reminiscence operate
  • Puddle lights
  • Auto-dimming driver mirror
• Mounted dual-pane panoramic sunroof
• Keyless entry
• Twin-zone local weather management
• Energy tailgate
• 14-way electrically adjustable entrance seats

Discovery Dynamic SE provides:

• 21-inch wheels
• Black distinction roof
• Darkened LED tail lights
• Meridian sound system
• Auto-dimming rear-view mirror
• ‘Gentle Oyster/Ebony Duo’ leather-based upholstery with ‘Gentle Oyster’ stitching
• ‘Shadow Aluminium’ trim end

Discovery Dynamic HSE provides:

• 22-inch gloss darkish gray alloy wheels
• Matrix LED headlights
• Leather-based steering wheel
• Windsor leather-based seat trim
• Electrically-adjustable steering column
• 20-way electrically-adjustable entrance seats
  • Heated and ventilated
  • Reminiscence operate
  • Fold-down armrest

Is the Land Rover Discovery protected?

The Land Rover Discovery as soon as wore a five-star ANCAP security ranking, primarily based on checks performed in 2017 – that end result has since expired nonetheless, that means it’s unrated in 2024.

When it was examined in 2017 obtained an grownup occupant safety rating of 90 per cent, a toddler occupant safety rating of 80 per cent, a pedestrian safety rating of 75 per cent, and a security help rating of 73 per cent.

The Discovery options the next customary security gear:

• Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
• Adaptive cruise management
• Lane-keep help
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Protected-exit warning
• Rear pre-collision warning
• Site visitors signal recognition with adaptive velocity limiter
• Driver consideration monitoring
• Encompass view cameras
• Entrance and rear parking sensors
• Entrance, front-side and curtain airbags

How a lot does the Land Rover Discovery value to run?

The Discovery is backed by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre guarantee.

CarExpert’s Tackle the Land Rover Discovery

The Discovery is getting previous, however it nonetheless has one thing to supply.

It’s each bit as sensible as you’d count on, and the mix of a torquey diesel engine and air suspension in a snug household cruiser stays a profitable mixture.

JLR has accomplished a great job holding the Discovery recent inside by including the identical expertise suite you get within the new Defender and Vary Rover – the place some manufacturers maintain again their greatest infotainment for new-generation fashions, it has rolled it out throughout its entire lineup.

A number of basic Land Rover quirks nonetheless grasp over the Discovery’s head, although.

The very fact the tester you see right here was fitted with near $19,000 in choices atop its range-topping $129,000 sticker drastically undermines its worth equation. You could possibly select to not tick these choice containers, however then you definitely’re not getting the complete Discovery expertise.

There’s additionally the crossover between the Discovery and newer, trendier Defender. If you happen to’re wanting on the Disco, you’d be mad not at the very least contemplating the equally luxurious and much more succesful Defender 110 or 130.

The Discovery stays an undervalued gem. However when you think about these information, it’s not essentially laborious to see why.

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