Thinking of buying a used Land Rover Discovery?
The style of the car
The Discovery is a big and powerful family SUV which looks good in town, on the motorway or even on a country lane. Cars since 2017 have had an athletic design and are immensely practical with space for up to seven.
Looking for a car with room for more than five people? We’ve selected our favourite used seven-seaters here.
How it drives
The Discovery is as comfortable driving in town as it is on a long distance journey, partly because of great air suspension. Petrol and diesel engines are smooth and the automatic gearbox is easy to use, taking the hassle out of driving in traffic. There are a number of systems that make driving and parking the car relaxing, including cruise control, parking sensors and a reverse parking camera. The Terrain Response 2 system has on and off-road driving settings, meaning it can drive well anywhere, whatever the weather. Plus the Discovery has a huge towing capacity and is perfect for a family camping trip.
The interior
Inside, the five-door Discovery is spacious and luxurious with a quality feel and lots of storage from cupholders to cubbyholes. The driver and up to six passengers have lots of head and legroom and a great view out of the large windows. Even with all seven seats in place you’ll get a couple of weekend holdalls in the boot, but fold the third row down and you’ll easily get in four large suitcases. The dashboard is well laid out with a large digital screen showing the car’s speed, sat nav data and other useful info and there’s an easy to use 10-inch Touch Pro infotainment system. Entry-level S models come with Bluetooth and off-road camera views and the SE adds parking sensors. The HSE and HSE Luxury have more comfort features such as heated seats and a panoramic glass roof.
Running costs and reliability
The Discovery costs a similar amount to rivals like the BMW X5 and Jaguar F-Pace with running costs also on a par. Its petrol and diesel engines are reasonably efficient for a large SUV with the 2.0-litre diesel returning up to 32 mpg. Maintenance costs are similar to premium rivals and you can buy a service plan to manage your budget. The Discovery is a very safe family car, receiving the maximum five stars from Euro NCAP.
How it compares with similar cars
The Discovery is larger and more expensive than the Land Rover Discovery Sport. As a luxurious premium SUV, it compares well with rivals like the BMW X5 and Jaguar F-Pace. Unlike many seven-seater SUVs, it offers lots of room for all passengers as well as excellent boot space. It is also the most comfortable and capable off-road SUV in its class. The Discovery was What Car? magazine’s Best Luxury SUV in its price category, Auto Express’s Large Premium SUV of the Year and it’s a former Auto Express Car of the Year.
What’s the difference between Land Rover models and where does Range Rover fit into the picture? Here’s our guide to working out which Land Rover – or Range Rover – model is right for you.
