Discovery History

Tata Motors (India) purchased Jaguar Land Rover in 2008.

CEO Mr. Ratan, Tata Motors asked this killer question shortly after acquisition: Why does the design department report to engineering department? The outcome from this change has meant an almost 10% increase in sales, so far. Producing the world best looking and most capable vehicles on the planet!

There’s more Range Rover in the new Land Rover Discovery

Land Rover is back with an all-new Discovery for 2017. In a break with tradition, the new family hauler is bowing to the luxurious side of the legendary 4x4 brand. But to understand why the departure is significant, it’s important to know what the Discovery represents.

This vehicle was born to be a middleman. The first Land Rovers debuted after WWII and were built to be as utilitarian as the Jeep. These “Series” vehicles (last seen in the U.S. as the Defender line) were great 4x4s but difficult on the highway. The Range Rover came along in the 1970s to be a more comfortable go-anywhere vehicle. As these moved up-market to serve wealthy clientele, there was a large gap in the Land Rover lineup.

The Discovery, first unveiled at the Frankfurt motor show back in 1989, where it wowed punters with its boxy and utilitarian design, was originally code named project Jay. It was developed to be the bridge between the Range Rover and the "Series" vehicles. Its design followed the rigid and functional lines seen on the Series III station wagon, but it borrowed the more comfortable chassis from the Range Rover.

For its first few generations, the Discovery represented a capable and useful 4x4. With seating for up to seven, it became a popular beefy-looking minivan alternative. And despite gaining a long list of luxury additions along the way, it remained the more affordable sibling to the go-anywhere Range Rover. But with the Defender 4x4 retired, and the Discovery now in the U.S. for nearly a quarter-century, the fifth-generation is taking on a new attitude.

Gerry McGovern, Land Rovers Design chief and architect of the new Discovery

A sleek new design replaces the boxy utilitarian lines. It shares the headlights, grille and bulldog like jowl look of the Range Rover Sport. The resemblance may not be accidental considering the Discovery has been switched to the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport’s unibody construction and 115- inch wheelbase.

The new Discovery pays tribute to the ones before it with the thick c-pillar and a step up rear roof section. But it has a smoother profile with more sculpted curves. The sleek design is continued in the rear where the glass and taillights are rounded into a wraparound effect that makes it hard to distinguish where the side ends and the rear begins. It’s a very stylistic setup, but Land Rover still remembered to give its new Discovery the off-center license plate housing — a feature once necessary with the now-extinct exterior mounted spare.

Inside, three rows of supple leather, power adjusting driver’s bucket seat, and a center console dominated by a large 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system makes it the most luxurious Discovery ever. This is likely the result of customer input. There were plenty of people who bought this Land Rover in previous years and expected a Range Rover-level of coddling.

And the features list is just as long as any premium luxury machine. Adaptive cruise control, 360-degree parking view, three-zone climate control, power folding third row, dual headrest entertainment monitors, and so much more. All these options will push a Discovery from its base price of $50,985 to over $82K, like the HSE Luxury test vehicle seen here.

No matter what level of option package is purchased, all trim levels come with the same standard gasoline engine. The 3.0-liter supercharged V6 produces 340 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque. It’s enough to get the job done, but it also ensures the V8s available in the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport models remain the top dogs.

And because the Discovery’s only gasoline engine will never make it a hot rod, it might be worth investigating the diesel motor that’s debuting in the U.S. This is only available on the higher trim packages, which means it will cost at least $60K. But the larger 443 lb-ft of torque can be best utilized with off-road features like the full hi/low 4x4 electronic transfer case and adjustable air ride suspension. We have yet to test the diesel, but it seems like the right recipe for a very capable seven-passenger crossover/SUV.

The new Discovery continues the tradition of being the full-size gateway 4x4 to the luxurious Range Rover line. And now the styling is buddying up to its more deluxe siblings. Make no mistake, the Discovery carries a premium price tag of its own, but for those who can live without a V8, this feels like the bargain Range Rover.