Land Rover Discovery goes commercial with cargo variant
As a Land Rover, the Discovery is already a versatile package. It’s capable on the street or in the dirt, it has a family-friendly three-row package, and it offers luxury appeal. But Land Rover also has been known to expand beyond the typical use case for the Discovery, first as a droneequipped disaster relief vehicle, then as a food truck with a crockpot in the engine bay and a toaster in the center console. Now the Disco is grabbing a clipboard and prepping its GPS for delivery routes as it tackles another new job: commercial cargo van.
The Discovery Commercial, as it is officially known, is basically a rear-seat-delete package. The front cabin remains essentially the same as in the normal Discovery, but right behind the front seats is a partition cage. The second and third rows have been removed, opening up a useful cargo-hold area in back. The load area is 64.4 inches long, 37.0 inches high, and 55.6 inches wide. Land Rover claims it can swallow items as big as 39.3 inches by 28.9 inches. Unlike many cargo vehicles, which replace rear windows with metal panels, the Discovery keeps its windows but features privacy glass.
The Discovery Commercial comes with a choice of two diesel powertrains, a 240-hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder or a 258-hp 3.0-liter V-6. Both engines can be ordered in S, SE, or HSE trims, while four-wheel drive and an automatic transmission are standard equipment on all models. They also have a two-speed transfer case, an air-spring suspension, and Land Rover’s Terrain Response system. Land Rover claims the Discovery Commercial can tow up to 7716 pounds, which is the legal limit in the U.K.
Just because it’s a work vehicle doesn’t mean this Land Rover is stripped of its niceties. It still has a host of technology, including the InControl Touch Pro infotainment system, a power two-piece liftgate, and hill-start assist. Safety remains a focus as well, with adaptive cruise control, automated emergency braking, and lanedeparture warning all included.
In the U.K., the Discovery Commercial starts at the equivalent of about $76,100 for the 2.0-liter or $78,500 for the 3.0-liter. In the United States, the model is just an idle daydream for our delivery drivers.