Overview

From fairly humble beginnings in 1989, the Land Rover Discovery has evolved into a fully-fledged premium entrant in the hugely popular SUV market sector. Obviously, it is now the bedrock of the Land Rover product line-up, and is still on the top of lots of buyers’ shopping lists for their seven-seater family cars. Oh yes, and it goes off-road, too…

Today, it’s under attack from other Land Rovers, chief of which is the brilliant and slightly cooler Land Rover Defender 130. The Discovery also finds itself on the same shortlists as other upscale off-roaders, such as the Audi Q7, BMW X5 and Mercedes-Benz GLE, which can’t hope to keep up with the Land Rover off-road, but do a jolly good job of relaxing their drivers on it.

Practicality is a strong point with ample head- and legroom for the front five occupants, and more than adequate space for the rear two. Despite its size and heft, the Discovery is a decent car to drive on the road, majoring on a comfortable ride and handling that’s confidence inspiring and belies its weight and size.

The engine line-up is straightforward right now, with just one diesel on offer in the shape of the excellent straight-six D350. It’s a lusty power unit delivering a sub-six second 0-62mph time, which is quite something in a car of this size. There are several specifications to choose from – ranging from the entry-level S to the Metropolitan edition, which sits above the HSE – and there’s also a van version called the Land Rover Discovery Commercial.

Click through the rest of the review to read the definitive guide to the Land Rover Discovery, including how much it costs to run, what it’s like to drive, how it copes with family life and whether we recommend it or not. If you’d like to learn more about how we evaluated the Land Rover Discovery, check out our how we test cars page.