VOLVO XC90 D5 R-DESIGN / Something old, something new

all seats occupied. When the third row is folded out of use, the boot dwarfs that of most SUVs, even in the luxury segment.

GIVE IT HORNS

No Discovery is sluggish – and while this new Ingenium 2.0-litre turbodiesel proves it with a zero to 100 km/h time of 8.7 seconds, thanks to its 177 kW of power and 430 Nm of torque, there’s no escaping the height of nearly two metres, so you’ll experience a fair bit of body lean if you try hustling it through corners. However, this is something you’ll be used to if you’ve driven many large SUVs. Meanwhile, the Terrain Response system and generous ground clearance maintain the entryDisco’s serious off-road credentials.

Over the course of a week, the Discovery completed nearly 1,200 kilometres of daily commutes, some highway travel, and one out of town trip. Returning sub-7.0-l/100 km was only possible during longer highway stints, while we saw fuel consumption rise as high as 8.1-l/100 km when start/stopping. Considering the Disco’s almost three-tonne gross weight, and the fact that Land Rover pegs the SD4’s combined fuel consumption at 6.4-l/100 km, I was quite satisfied with the numbers it managed to return.

LAST WORD

Overall, the Discovery is a very desirable family SUV, and besides the strangely offset number plate and the imposing bulk of its rear, is one of the most attractive SUVs in its class. Land Rover must be commended for adding the SD4 engine option to the range to help keep brand fans in the fold despite ever-increasing vehicle prices. It’s a buyer’s market right now, and make no mistake; buyers are spoilt for choice in this segment; with compelling offerings such as the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado and Volvo XC90 being the only real competitors to Discovery right now.