Advertisement
Canada markets closed
  • S&P/TSX

    21,837.18
    -11.97 (-0.05%)
     
  • S&P 500

    5,149.42
    +32.33 (+0.63%)
     
  • DOW

    38,790.43
    +75.66 (+0.20%)
     
  • CAD/USD

    0.7385
    -0.0004 (-0.05%)
     
  • CRUDE OIL

    82.66
    -0.06 (-0.07%)
     
  • Bitcoin CAD

    89,731.35
    -1,533.16 (-1.68%)
     
  • CMC Crypto 200

    885.54
    0.00 (0.00%)
     
  • GOLD FUTURES

    2,165.10
    +0.80 (+0.04%)
     
  • RUSSELL 2000

    2,024.74
    -14.59 (-0.72%)
     
  • 10-Yr Bond

    4.3400
    +0.0360 (+0.84%)
     
  • NASDAQ futures

    18,185.00
    -46.50 (-0.26%)
     
  • VOLATILITY

    14.33
    -0.08 (-0.56%)
     
  • FTSE

    7,722.55
    -4.87 (-0.06%)
     
  • NIKKEI 225

    39,561.93
    -178.51 (-0.45%)
     
  • CAD/EUR

    0.6789
    -0.0003 (-0.04%)
     

2017 Land Rover Discovery

The truth about the new Land Rover Discovery, the fifth in a line of trucks that date back to 1989, was not revealed on the rocky ledges of southern Utah, nor the near-whiteout of the road just outside Zion National Park, nor the blush waves of the Coral Pink Sand Dunes, nor even the few twisty bits of road we traversed in the new family-oriented Rover. Although the vehicle acquitted itself admirably in all of these circumstances.

The essential truth of this five- or seven-seat utility came instead from Massimo Frascella, the car’s exterior designer, over after-dinner drinks and cigars at a posh resort/bunker in the southern Utah hinterlands. “The old Discovery was an example of industrial design. The new one is a car design,” he said.

As if to highlight this point, Land Rover parked a version of each of the five generations of Discovery on a rock stage outside of our hotel. The first two generations were, as Frascella says, industrial—simple folded metal around mechanicals now so rudimentary and old that we’re convinced most of their lubricants are whale based. The second two, called LR3 and LR4 here in the United States, are softened versions of the same basic box, modernized and bedecked with luxury doodads but essentially electric typewriters in a computerized world.

ADVERTISEMENT

The fifth version, which goes on sale in June, doesn’t look a bit like those machines. It looks instead like a modern family vehicle that happens to be done in the Land Rover vernacular.

Its nose is smooth and eased back as if eroded by wind. The cabin volume is pushed rearward and polished soft. The rear end is most unusual. The rear corners are not corners at all but are wide-radius curves. It looks, from the rear view, not so much like a Discovery or any other SUV, but like a cargo-carrying cartoon spaceship piloted by the good guys. Land Rover has applied to the new vehicle some characteristic Discovery cues such as the stepped roof and the off-center rear-license-plate location. But the roof’s rise is so gentle as to go basically unnoticed. And the odd placement of the plate is pure affectation since there’s no rear-mounted spare tire or eccentric clamshell two-piece tail- and liftgate necessitating the location.

Disposition Follows Form

And its revolutionary appearance is emblematic of its comportment. The new Discovery is now built from the same aluminum-intensive structure as the Range Rover and the Range Rover Sport. That, according to Land Rover, helps the new ute drop roughly 830 pounds compared with a similarly equipped LR4. While we’ll need to get one on our scales to verify that number—the latest Range Rover did not deliver on its claimed mass reduction when we weighed it—the diet helps explain the new Disco’s improved fuel economy, up 1 mpg in the city and 2 on the highway compared with the last LR4 equipped with the same supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 engine and eight-speed automatic transmission. At 16 mpg city and 21 highway, the new Discovery still lags behind competitors from Audi, BMW, and Volvo, but it’s an improvement. Land Rover also claims a nearly one-second-quicker zero-to-60-mph run compared with the LR4.

That structure has also helped the Discovery join the modern era of family transport. We have vivid recollections of the old Discovery scaring us silly on twisty roads. It handled like a tall building . . . that was standing on its tippy-toes . . . and was drunk . . . and also suffering from an ear infection.

The new one actually kind of handles. In fact, the new Disco’s body control is better than the Range Rover’s, evidencing none of the tippy feeling that characterizes the first few degrees of roll or dive of the pricier model. And that’s without any sacrifice in ride quality. We drove only versions with the optional air-spring suspension, so we can’t yet speak to the standard steel-coil setup. The electric-assist steering system commands the front tires with reasonable fidelity. There’s a largish dead spot on-center that can cause some busyness on the highway, particularly in heavy crosswinds. And the vehicle’s lane-keeping assist is heavy-handed and disruptive. But the steering is relatively quick (2.7 turns lock-to-lock) and once out of the dead zone, it loads up naturally and the Disco carves a consistent arc around corners.

Modern Family Stuff

The interior is a calm oasis, bereft of wind noise, with comfortable seating for as many as seven passengers. While not appreciably larger than the LR4’s, the interior is a far more pleasant place to be thanks to high-quality materials and a dash design that mimics that of the Range Rover. This being the family vehicle of the Land Rover lot, the company has carved out multiple stowage cubbies (even a small one hidden behind the HVAC control panel) and fitted the thing with up to nine USB ports. The two less expensive trim levels (SE and HSE) come standard as five-seaters, with a $2150 third-row option. The top-level HSE Luxury model comes only as a seven-seater with a power-folding system for the second and third rows, which can be operated from a variety of locations including your smartphone. We found ample head- and legroom in all seating positions.

The huge rear hatch affords easy access to a class-competitive cargo hold. The higher trim levels come with a power-folding tailgate that provides a bench to sit on when the hatch is open. It sounds frivolous and does complicate cargo loading, but it’s also a comfy spot from which to survey your spread.

All-wheel drive is, of course, standard on all versions, but the two-speed transfer case and air springs, required for serious off-roading, add $1500 on lower-level models. An additional off-road package, including an electrically locking rear differential and All Terrain Progress Control (a sort of off-road cruise control) tacks on another $1250.

Powering Discovery

All Discovery models come standard with the 340-hp supercharged 3.0-liter gas V-6, familiar from the LR4 as well as a large number of other Jaguar Land Rover products. It mates to the excellent ZF eight-speed automatic. The gas engine puts out more horsepower and torque than competitors’ engines but isn’t exactly the smoothest or most pleasant-sounding lump, in part because it’s made from a 90-degree V-8 with two empty cylinders. HSE and HSE Luxury versions are available with a 254-hp 3.0-liter turbo-diesel V-6, nabbed from the Range Rover. Were we planning to do a lot of off-roading, we might pay the extra $2000 for the diesel since you can ease into the plentiful torque when the going gets slow. But on the open highway, the diesel-powered Disco had a harder time gathering the necessary speed to pass slow-moving traffic. On the upside, the diesel is EPA-rated at a reasonably good 21 mpg city and 26 highway.

The Disco starts at $50,985. But that’s for the entry-level SE, which locks you out of the diesel engine and some luxury and driver-assist options. The midlevel HSE starts at $57,945. And the HSE Luxury starts at $64,945 and can push beyond $80,000 when loaded up.

Those prices are not appreciably higher than those of the LR4 that the Disco replaces. And for that money, buyers will get a much more pleasant, much more modern conveyance. Surely, some Rover aficionados will eschew the new Disco and its smooth, modern ways. But we suspect a much larger number of folks will consider purchasing a new Disco than any of the previous ones.

Specifications >

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5- or 7-passenger, 4-door hatchback

BASE PRICE: SE, $50,985;
HSE, $57,945;
HSE Td6, $59,945;
HSE Luxury, $64,945;
HSE Luxury Td6, $66,945;
First Edition, $74,945

ENGINES: turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve 3.0-liter diesel V-6, 254 hp, 443 lb-ft; supercharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve 3.0-liter V-6, 340 hp, 332 lb-ft

TRANSMISSION: 8-speed automatic with manual shifting mode

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 115.0-115.1 in
Length: 195.7 in
Width: 81.6 in Height: 73.5 in
Passenger volume: 104-139 cu ft
Curb weight (C/D est): 5250-5400 lb

PERFORMANCE (C/D EST):
Zero to 60 mph: 6.0-7.7 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 15.4-21.8 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 14.6-16.0 sec
Top speed: 130 mph

FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA combined/city/highway driving: 18–23/16–21/21–26 mpg (C/D est)