Land Rover Discovery has considerable upside

Luxury SUV takes on formidable rivals

Roseville, Calif.- The first thing most people will admire about the 2022 Land Rover Discovery is the exterior. It’s a classically stylish midsize luxury sport utility vehicle.

The Discovery is ruggedly handsome and when its equipped properly, can be a real force in off-road situations. It comes standard with a sliding front sunroof and a fixed rear panoramic roof. It also has LED daytime running lights and slick LED headlights.

Formidable rivals

The luxury SUV competes with some formidable rivals like the Mercedes-Benz GLE, BMW X5, Audi Q7, Volvo XC90, and Genesis GV80. The Discovery starts at approximately $53,900 and with extras can add up to $68,900.

Frankly, we were a bit unclear of the relationship between Land Rover and Range Rover. Following some quick research, we found that all Range Rover models are made by Land Rover. The Range Rover has a family of four vehicles and the Land Rover has a seven-vehicle lineup. Range Rovers are typically smaller than their Land Rover counterparts.

At a Glance: 2022 Land Rover Discovery

• Performance: turbocharged 2.0-liter, four-cylinder, 296 horsepower; turbo 3.0-liter, six-cylinder, 355 horsepower
• Mileage estimate: 19-22 mpg; 18-24 mpg
• Price estimate: $53,900 to $68,900
• Warranty: 4 years/50,000 miles; Drivetrain: 4 years/50,000 miles; Roadside assistance: 4 years/50,000; Corrosion: 6 years/unlimited

Turbocharged options

Land Rover and Range Rover had combined sales of 92,400 a year ago. That figure is second all-time to its sales of 94,736 in 2019.

Last revamped in 2017, the latest Discovery and its three trim models (S, S R-Dynamic, HSE R-Dynamic) are virtually unchanged. It remains an above-average off-road SUV that delivers good ride quality. It also has a sophisticated interior with lots of features that make it an appealing option for many luxury SUV shoppers.

The Land Rover Discovery comes with a choice of two turbocharged engines, both paired with a smooth-shifting eight-speed automatic transmission. Considering the Discovery weighs between 4,865 to 5,160 pounds, both engines deliver good performance and can two up to 8,200 pounds.

The base engine is a turbo 2.0-liter, four-cylinder that generates 296 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, It travels 0-60 mph in 6.9 seconds and fuel economy is 19-22 mpg. The more powerful engine is a turbo 3.0-liter, inline six-cylinder that results in 355 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. It goes 0-60 mph in 6.3 seconds and gas mileage is 18-24 mpg.

The Discovery has a smooth transmission and provides enjoyable highway driving on long road trips. It’s not overly sporty or agile, yet it handles well in most around-town driving situations and can maneuver just fine in tight spaces.

Where the Discovery excels is off road, thanks to the Terrain Response system that includes gradient acceleration and hill descent control. It’s capable of going through deep water and climb sizable obstacles.

A Look Inside

Standard safety features include forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, vehicle exit warning, blind spot monitoring, lane keeping assist, rear cross traffic alert, surround-view parking camera system, front and rear parking sensors, traffic sign recognition, and driver drowsiness monitoring.

A luxurious interior comes standard with an 11.4-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, 14-way power-adjustable front seats, power-adjustable steering column, dual-zone automatic climate control, and power-folding mirrors.

The first two rows of the Discovery are comfortable and provide ample leg and head room. The third row will be uncomfortable for adults and no one will like that that they can’t exit the row without the help of another passenger. Cargo area is 9.1 cubic feet behind the third row, expands to 45 cubes with the row folded down, and increases to 74.3 cubes with both rows down.

Takeaway

An attractive exterior and a well-equipped interior serve as selling points for the 2022 Land Rover Discovery. It’s very efficient when traveling off road and has good overall performance.