With all of the recent fanfare surrounding the latest iteration of the Land Rover Defender, the launch of the bigger and more luxurious Discovery almost slipped under the radar in 2019. With a sleek new design that compresses a typically square rear-end, and the inclusion of an all-aluminum chassis, the Discovery has been given a real update when you compare what the evolution from the Disco 3 to Disco 4 gave us. It’s a hardware update that could redefine what a Discovery is.
Land Rover very kindly loaned me the Discovery SD4 240ps Landmark for a week long test drive; at £62,590 with all of the optional extras, it is a fair bit more expensive than the £44k entry-level options out there. That being said, it is money well spent and the interior is a wonderful place to be; arguably on par with any of the more expensive Range Rover offerings. Ride comfort is very good, even for a car that weighs in at well over two tonnes. The 2-litre diesel engine does a very good job of moving all that weight too; 0-62mph is dealt with in 8.7 seconds and this is an SUV that takes any level of mileage all in its stride.
Inside, the infotainment system feels sleek, as do all of the controls around the car. Apple CarPlay, slowly becoming a necessity in any modern vehicle, is included too; making the transition from iPhone to carphone even more seamless. One thing I would note is that it is probably worth getting a HUD as an optional extra with the new Discovery. Interior space is so abundant that the left-hand side of the 10” touchscreen is quite a distance from your field-of-view as you drive, meaning you do have to take your eyes off the road for a little longer than usual if you need to check the map.
Speaking of interior space, this is the real trump card of the new Land Rover Discovery. These have always been roomy SUVs designed for the family, but this iteration feels even bigger. With five seats up the boots space is a very sizeable 1,137 litres . Fold the rear seats down completely and this becomes a frankly monstrous 2,406 litres; enough to comfortably sleep a fully-grown man in. The powered tailgate makes loading and unloading an absolute breeze, as does the electronically adjustable rear ride height.
On the exterior, as mentioned before, the car looks much more sleek and slightly more aggressive than previous versions. The Landmark package adds a few nice touches to the trim and overall it’s a very nice car to look at. My version, with 20” Gloss Black Alloys and black accents definitely add an extra touch of luxury to the car. On top, a front and rear panoramic sunroof add even more space with sunlight flooding every inch of the car. It’s great to see the Discovery move in-line with some of the more luxurious options in the Land Rover range, and this is a great option if you’re after a car that is both fashionable and functional.
