Land Rover Discovery review

Interior

Dashboard & tech

The interior of the Discovery is a stylish and modern place to be, with a clean and uncluttered layout. The centrepiece of the dashboard is a 10-inch ‘InControl’ touchscreen system, which houses most of the car’s functions and helps to get rid of unnecessary buttons. The quality is excellent, with first-rate materials used throughout, giving the cabin a genuinely premium and hard-wearing feel.

Our only gripe is that the entry-level S models can feel a little basic for such a premium car. They come with cloth seats and don’t have climate control or satellite navigation as standard, so we’d recommend looking for a mid-spec SE model or higher to get the full luxury experience.

Comfort

The Discovery truly excels when it comes to comfort. The standard air suspension does a fantastic job of ironing out bumps and potholes, resulting in a relaxed and incredibly smooth ride. It’s an exceptional long-distance cruiser, with a hushed cabin that remains quiet even at motorway speeds.

The commanding driving position gives you a great view of the road, and there’s plenty of space for everyone. The clever ‘stadium’ seating, a feature inherited from past models, means each row of seats is slightly higher than the one in front, so even passengers in the very back get a good view out.

Quality

The Discovery’s cabin feels built to last. Whether you’re using it as a rugged workhorse or a plush family taxi, the materials feel robust and durable. It strikes a great balance between luxury and utility, with everything feeling solid and well put together. It has the premium feel you’d expect from a Land Rover, designed to withstand the rigours of an active family life.

Practicality & boot space

Interior space

When it comes to interior space, the Discovery is almost in a class of its own. It’s one of the very few SUVs on the market that can genuinely seat seven adults in comfort. There’s ample head and legroom in all three rows, which is a remarkable achievement.

It’s also fantastically practical for family duties, with up to five Isofix child seat mounting points on most models. Land Rover also prides itself on the impressive amount of storage space dotted around the cabin, with lots of well-sized cubbyholes and compartments to keep clutter at bay.

Boot space

Even with all seven seats in use, the boot offers a usable 228 litres of space, which is enough for a few shopping bags or small suitcases. Fold the third row of seats down, and the Discovery transforms into a cavernous five-seater with a massive 1,137-litre boot that eclipses most rivals. If you fold all the rear seats down, you’re left with a van-like 2,406 litres of space, which is why Land Rover even offers a two-seat ‘Commercial’ version.

Versatility

With its huge, flexible interior and legendary off-road ability, the Discovery is one of the most versatile cars you can buy. It can be a school-run taxi one minute, a luxury long-distance cruiser the next, and a mountain-conquering off-roader at the weekend. The ability to fold the seats electrically on some models makes it incredibly easy to switch between carrying people and carrying huge loads.

Driving

Driving experience

For such a large and tall car, the latest Discovery is surprisingly agile to drive. It’s far more nimble than its predecessors, though you’ll still notice some body roll in the corners if you push it hard. It’s not a car designed for sporty driving.

Instead, the Discovery is at its best when cruising comfortably. The light steering makes it easy to handle around town, and its refined nature makes every journey feel calm and relaxing. The engines provide plenty of power, so it never feels slow, despite weighing over two tonnes. And, of course, when the tarmac runs out, its off-road performance is simply phenomenal.

Performance

Three powerful engines were offered on this generation of Discovery. The pick of the range is the 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel engine, badged SD4. It produces 237bhp and provides a great blend of performance and efficiency. For those wanting more power, there’s a 3.0-litre V6 diesel (badged TD6 or SDV6) with up to 302bhp, which offers effortless acceleration.

The only petrol option was a powerful 296bhp 2.0-litre four-cylinder unit, which is the quickest of the bunch but also the thirstiest. All engines are paired with a smooth eight-speed automatic gearbox and Land Rover’s famously capable four-wheel-drive system.

Running costs

Fuel economy & CO2 emissions

Given its vast size, it’s no surprise that the Discovery isn’t the cheapest car to run. The diesel options are the most efficient choice. The 2.0-litre diesel engine is the best performer, with a claimed fuel economy figure of around 33.6mpg. The larger V6 diesel returns similar figures, even with its extra power.

The petrol engine is noticeably thirstier, with a claimed figure of around 25.8mpg, which could prove expensive if you cover a lot of miles. Because all versions cost more than £40,000 when new, they are subject to a higher rate of annual road tax for the first five years after their first registration.

Value for money

The Discovery is a premium car with a premium price tag, sitting alongside rivals like the Audi Q7 and Volvo XC90. However, it can represent fantastic value on the used market. You can often find nearly-new examples with huge savings compared to the list price. While Land Rovers traditionally hold their value well, the Discovery can be a great used buy, offering an enormous amount of car for the money.

Reliability & Warranty

Land Rover’s reliability record has been patchy in the past, though it has improved significantly in recent years. Some early versions of this Discovery were affected by an issue with engine oil contamination, which required more frequent servicing, but this only affected a small number of cars. As with any used car, a full service history is essential. From new, all Land Rovers come with a three-year, unlimited-mileage warranty.

Safety

Safety features

The Land Rover Discovery is a very safe car, achieving the maximum five-star rating when it was crash-tested by the safety experts at Euro NCAP. It comes with a good level of standard safety equipment, including low-speed autonomous emergency braking and lane-keep assist.

It’s a bit disappointing that you have to move up the trim levels to get more advanced features like adaptive cruise control, high-speed autonomous emergency braking, and a 360-degree parking camera, so it’s worth looking out for cars with these optional safety packs fitted.

Trims & Engines

Trim levels

The Discovery was launched with four main trim levels: S, SE, HSE, and HSE Luxury. The entry-level S feels a little sparse, so we’d recommend the SE as a starting point. This adds desirable features like leather seats, LED headlights, and the upgraded infotainment system with navigation.

HSE models add even more luxury, including larger 20-inch wheels, an opening panoramic roof, and keyless entry. The top-spec HSE Luxury is packed with kit, such as 21-inch wheels, a premium Meridian sound system, and a rear-seat entertainment system. Special editions like the 30th Anniversary Edition were also released with unique specifications.

Engines

The engine range consists of two diesel options and one petrol. The entry-level diesel is a 2.0-litre four-cylinder unit badged SD4, which produces 237bhp. The more powerful diesel is a 3.0-litre V6, badged TD6 or SDV6 depending on the model year, which produces up to 302bhp.

The sole petrol option is a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine with 296bhp. All engines come as standard with a smooth eight-speed automatic gearbox and Land Rover’s legendary four-wheel-drive system, complete with Terrain Response to help you tackle any surface.

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