Ten Point Test: Land Rover Discovery

Model tested: Land Rover Discovery 2.7 TDV6 HSE
Price as tested: £43,540
Range price: £38,690 - £48,720
Insurance group as tested: 14E
Insurance group range: 13 - 6
Tested: September 2006
Road tester: Stuart Milne

 

Auto Trader Ten Point Test rating: 82%

 

Launched in 1989 as an affordable yet capable and comfortable younger brother to the Range Rover, the Discovery has been a huge success.

 

The latest Discovery 3 stays true to its original ethos, but boasts more of everything – more luxury, more style, more driving dynamics and inevitably costs more money.

 

But is the new upmarket Disco good enough to tempt buyers away from the thoroughly brilliant Range Rover? Read our review or click the links to skip to a section.

 

 

Looks | Looks Inside | Practicality | Ride and Handling | Performance
Running Costs | Reliability | Safety | Equipment | X-Factor

 

 

1. Looks

The new Discovery 3 really looks the part. Depending on which of the extras is chosen, it can look like a sleek and shiny people mover or a Camel Trophy refugee. It's packed full of great design features, like the Range Rover-esque headlamps and grille, a unusual indented 'swage' line which runs along the sides from the, disappearing only for the doors and a asymmetrical rear window to aid loading objects through the split-opening tailgate. Rugged, purposeful, modern and strangely Germanic sums up the new Disco.

 

9/10

 

 

2. Looks inside

After the great exterior, the cabin is a slight disappointment. Some of the plastics feel a little cheap and there's a missed opportunity to take some influence from the beautiful Range Rover. However, robust is too much of a fragile work to describe the feel of the cabin – after a nuclear war, only cockroaches and the Discovery's interior would remain. There are a multitude of buttons which can be confusing at first, but it's refreshing to see a car with a panel of single-function buttons, rather than complicated menu systems. It also employs 'stadium seating' which means rear passengers sit higher than those in front for all passenger to have a good view of the road ahead.

 

7/10

 

 

3. Practicality

Our seven seat Discovery proved to be a very practical vehicle indeed. Two full-time rows of seats could be joined by a third row which provides enough space for a pair of fully-grown adults – unlike some of its rivals. With the second and third row seats folded into the floor, the Discovery can swallow up to 2,558 litres of luggage and an impressive 1,192 litres with just the third row down. There is a huge amount of space for odds and ends in the cabin, including an enormous area between the front seats which includes a cool box.

 

9/10

 

 

4. Ride and Handling

Unlike many 4x4s, the Discovery 3 is very car-like to drive; only revealing limitations on fast B-road drives – it is a two and a half tonne off-roader, don't forget. We didn't get a chance to sample the Discovery's renowned off-road abilities, but we've spoken to many people who say it’s a cracker in the mud and ruts. Our top-of-the-range HSE model has air suspension, which means the ride height can be adjusted at the flick of a switch. There's also a choice of traction options, depending on the kind of terrain you're travelling on.

 

8/10

 

 

5. Performance

If you want a fast SUV, go for a big engined BMW X5, Mercedes ML or a supercharged Range Rover. This diesel-engined Discovery is more about sensible driving than hooning around race tracks. That said, it can reach 60mph from standstill in 11 seconds and hit a 112mph top speed – its thumping 325lb/ft of pulling power sees to that.

 

8/10

 

 

6. Running Costs

Despite its girth, our 2.7-litre diesel test car can manage 30 miles per gallon on average, and although the insurance group is quite high at group 14 and falls into the most crippling road tax band – G, it will retain around half of its new purchase price after three years. Land Rover claims it's 42 per cent cheaper to own over three years than the model is has replaced.

 

7/10

 

 

7. Reliability

The previous Discovery had a reputation for breaking down, but the new model seems to have these problems licked. It feels very well screwed together and even the doors shut with a pleasant solid-sounding 'thunk'.

 

8/10

 

 

8. Safety

Despite a plethora of safety features, the Disco 3 missed out on a full five star rating in the EuroNCAP test – something which will deter buyers. However, with airbags ahead of and to the side of both driver and passenger and side and curtain 'bags for all three rows, it should perform well in a crash. Its Active Roll Management predicts when one side of the vehicle becomes light and adjusts the brakes to avoid the car rolling. There are also the usual anti-lock brakes; stability control and brake assist to help when the going gets dangerous. Pleasingly, the complete range of safety equipment is available on all models, not just the expensive ones.

 

8/10

 

 

9. Equipment

At more than £40,000, you'd expect to get a decent amount of kit – and you do. Our range-topping HSE model sports all the bells and whistles, including the 7 Seat Pack, the Bright Pack (automatic headlights, front fog lights, rain sensing 'wipers and an auto-dimming rear view mirror) and an excellent 14 speaker Harmon/Kardon stereo. Naturally, leather trim is standard. Other features include sat-nav, climate control, electric windows and mirrors (which are also heated) and 19-inch alloys.

 

9/10

 

 

10. X-Factor

The top of the range Disco HSE costs more than £40,000 – about half the price of the flashiest Range Rover. But it's far more than half the car. It looks fantastic and is more than capable of standing wheel-to-wheel with its superstar brother. It's one of the best 4x4s yet from Land Rover, which makes it one of the best 4x4s anywhere.

 

9/10

 

Rivals

You might also want to consider:

Mitsubishi Shogun
Hyundai Santa Fe
Toyota Rav-4

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