Disco is back
The fifth-generation Land Rover Discovery has just been launched in South Africa and Jaco Kirsten was one of the first motoring journalists to test drive one. Here’s what he thought.
It’s hard to believe that the Land Rover Discovery has been around for 28 years. In 1989, the year it was introduced, the car was a novelty. It was more luxurious than the standard Land Rover, which later became the Defender, but more affordable than the plush Range Rover. Since then, the novelty has worn off. Land Rover has subsequently launched more models than an issue of Vogue, including the Freelander, Range Rover Sport, Range Rover Evoque and Discovery Sport. The design language of the Discovery Sport, which was introduced about three years ago, is present in the new Discovery, but that’s where the similarities end. The Discovery Sport replaces the Freelander, while the new Discovery is positioned closer to the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport.
Aluminium all around: The Discovery 3 and 4 both used a combination of a monocoque chassis and ladder-frame design. The new Discovery is a full aluminium monocoque. For the layman, the only thing you need to realise about this is that it makes the new Discovery about 480 kg lighter than its predecessor. The model I tested had a 3.0 TD6 diesel engine and the difference in acceleration between the newer, lighter Discovery and its predecessors is significant.
The car is packed with technology – the dashboard will make you think of the bridge of the USS Enterprise. It has park assist, lanedeparture warning, four exterior cameras, an electric rear door and you can adjust the seats or start the engine using your phone. It’s also now a full seven-seater. You can fold seats away or move them around using the front touch screen, your phone or the instrument panel in the boot.
What’s the ride like? Like the Range Rover Sport, the Discovery is a competent 4x4 that performs well on tar. The Range Rover Sport is slightly more biased towards the tar; the Discovery does better in the veld. At first I wondered whether the 22-inch wheels would be able to handle the Hennops 4x4 trail, but my worries were unfounded. The Terrain Response 2 system allows you to shift effortlessly between different 4x4 modes – for gravel, mud, sand or rocks – and you can set a crawl speed in low range using knobs on the steering wheel. I tested the top-spec 3.0 TDV6 First Edition – only a few were built and they go for about R1,5 million. The cheapest S-model Discovery goes for R980 000 and it has more veld-friendly 19-inch wheels. Fit some rugged tyres and you’ll have a formidable off-road vehicle. The air suspension is also incredible. Raise it to off-road height and you get 283 mm of ground clearance – nice and high. Wading depth is 900 mm – about 200 mm more than most 4x4s. Despite its off-road capability, however, the Discovery doesn’t feel like a clunky 4x4. It’s a hyperluxurious SUV with a powerful engine and a velvet-smooth eightspeed automatic transmission. If I had to position this model in the Land Rover line-up, I’d say it combines the best of the Range Rover and the Range Rover Sport, at a better price.
Verdict: You’ll struggle to find a competitor vehicle that offers the same off-road performance at this level of comfort. With the right tyres, you can tackle any terrain. That is, if you don’t mind a few scratches on your R1,5 million vehicle… It’s likely to lure buyers away from the Range Rover Sport, and possibly the Range Rover itself. That’s how good the new Disco is.