2024 Land Rover Discovery review

Remember the Land Rover Discovery?

It’s been put in the shade on the sales charts by the new Defender, which has encroached on its turf with a luxurious interior, more refined drive, and the sort of school-run credibility the slightly dorky Disco could only dream of.

Don’t discount the old Discovery just yet, though. Parent company JLR is in the midst of a brand overhaul, and it’s picked Discovery, Defender, and Range Rover as the three pillars into which new products will fit going forward.

In other words, there’s a lot more to come from the Discovery brand – and now we really think about it, the current model has plenty to offer as well.

Land Rover has worked hard to keep it fresh over the last seven years with fresh interior technology, updated looks, and more efficient engines.

Here’s how it stacks up in 2024.

How much does the Land Rover Discovery cost?

Land Rover has started selling the model year 2025 version of the Discovery through dealers, but we’ve included pricing for the MY24 version on test here above.

To see how the Discovery compares with its rivals, use our comparison tool.

What is the Land Rover Discovery like on the inside?

Imagine the mid-point between the rugged, upright Defender and the ultra-luxurious Range Rover, and you’re on the money.

With a mix of luxurious materials, touches like the captain’s chair armrests, and rugged finishes designed to call the great outdoors to mind, it’s a lovely place to spend time.

The view over the road ahead is commanding even by big SUV standards, and the 20-way adjustable driver’s seat standard in the HSE means you’ll be able to get comfortable no matter what shape your body is.

Everywhere you rest your elbows is generously padded, and everything that looks like metal, is. Then again, you’d hope so given the price.

Often, old cars feel old because of their technology. Jaguar Land Rover has done a good job keeping the technology in its range fresh, and the Discovery is no exception.

The Pivi Pro touchscreen is shared with everything from the Jaguar XE sedan to the full-on Range Rover.

It’s pretty to look at and responds in a way that will feel quick to iPad devotees, with a menu structure that doesn’t require too much diving to reach key functions.

The colours and icons are all similar; it can be hard to make out some of the more obscure functions in the main menu, but the fact you get physical controls for climate control means it won’t send your blood pressure soaring like the technology in some rivals.

The digital dials are clear and easy to read, with sharp-looking maps, but they aren’t quite as easy to navigate as Audi or Mercedes-Benz options. Realistically it’s a non-issue, given most owners will set and forget.

There’s plenty of storage space up front, with coffee-friendly cupholders, a deep bin under the armrest, and a neat little hidden slot behind the climate controls for your valuables.

The door pockets are hidden away quite low, which means they can be a bit tricky to access on the move – but they will take a 1L water bottle.

The rear seats are solid, but not standout for the class. The opening of the oddly-shaped rear door is reasonably wide, and the stadium seating layout means kids have a great view out on road trips.

That’s a win for anyone prone to carsickness, and taller passengers don’t suffer because of the slightly dorky upright shape. Legroom is solid, although it’s not quite on the same level as in a BMW X5 or Audi Q7, and there are all the amenities you’d expect of a modern luxury car.

Air vents, USB-C ports, temperature controls, and a fold-down central armrest are all on hand, and you get map pockets in the seat backs.

The odd-shaped C-pillar mean tall passengers will have their heads next to a big chunk of blank trim rather than the window, though.

Access to the third row is easier here than in some seven-seat rivals, and once back there the Discovery offers enough space to house older kids/small teenagers for decent stints.

It’s a proper seven-seater in a way few rivals can match, as evidenced by the fact the third row is properly covered by the curtain airbags – it’s not perfect though, the addition of air vents would round out what’s otherwise a long list of standard inclusions.

The boot is unique by virtue of the fold-down lip… which needs to be manually folded using a button inside the load bay.

It’s a winner if you spend time sitting in the back of your car watching junior sport – but the fact it doesn’t fold down automatically like in a BMW X5 means you need to lift heavy bags over it, or mess around with a button to slide heavy items into the back.

To see how the Discovery compares with its rivals, use our comparison tool.

What’s under the bonnet?

Petrol and diesel power feature in the Discovery lineup – on test is the sole diesel option for 2024, the D300. It’s been replaced by a D350 for 2025.

To see how the Discovery compares with its rivals, use our comparison tool.

How does the Land Rover Discovery drive?

Age hasn’t wearied the Discovery’s dynamics. It’s still a lovely family SUV, and a reminder of the benefits of diesel power in large seven-seaters.

The D300 engine is a refined beast around the city. It fires quietly and settles into a quiet idle, and has plenty of low-down torque to get more than 2400kg worth of British luxury SUV moving in the traffic light grand prix without feeling strained.

You don’t get any harsh rattles or vibrations in the cabin, and when you really put your foot down there’s barely more than a grumble from the inline-six.

The eight-speed automatic slurs smoothly from gear-to-gear, rarely letting the revs creep above around 2500rpm on light throttle inputs.

The start/stop system operates quickly, and doesn’t ruin the peace inside for the most part. There’s a hint of hesitation between the car restarting and getting drive, but it’s not too much of an issue – it takes a beat, and you’re away.

Ride quality is excellent, too. The standard air suspension kneels down when you hop into the car to make loading easier, but it quickly rises up when you prod the start button.

At low speeds the Discovery just floats along nicely, ironing out pimply city streets and softening off big hits from speed bumps with aplomb.

Often, cars riding on air suspension struggle with sharp hits from potholes; although the D300 isn’t perfect in these scenarios, there’s always a degree of insulation in the cabin from what’s happening outside.

There’s no escaping how big the Disco is in town, but its upright design reaps a few benefits. It’s easy to see the corners of the bonnet from the elevated driver’s seat, which means you’re able to place it easily in tight spaces.

JLR’s cameras are crystal clear, and its parking sensors create a reliable picture of what’s going on around you.

At higher speeds the Discovery really hits its stride. It’s just a comfortable, capable cruiser that loves humming along at 100km/h, with the engine ticking over just above idle and suspension floating above rough-and-ready Australian country highways without really breaking a sweat.

You get a hint of wind noise from the windscreen pillars, but there’s less white noise from the tyres than in German alternatives on coarse chip roads.

Put your foot down and the diesel engine delivers effortless performance. It kicks down one, two, three gears from eighth to tap into the torque peak when you want a high-speed overtake, but on lighter throttle inputs it just digs deep and gets a move on with no fuss.

JLR deserves credit for its driver assists, too.

The adaptive cruise control is smooth and smart, the lane keep assist doesn’t want to rip the steering wheel from your hands, and the speed limit alert is easy to switch off.

It feels as though the technology is actually there to help you, rather than trying to rip the steering wheel out of your hands.

As for the off-road side? We’ve a full off-road review of the Discovery coming soon, but suffice it to say this is still a very capable family SUV when the going gets tough – well beyond what its rivals will do.

What do you get?

On test here is the top-spec Discovery Dynamic HSE with the D300 turbo-diesel engine.

Discovery S highlights:

• 20-inch alloy wheels and all-terrain tyres
• Single-speed transfer box (high range only)
• Electronic air suspension
• Adaptive dampers
• ‘Terrain Response’ selectable drive modes
• 11.4-inch ‘Pivi Pro’ touchscreen infotainment system
  • Wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
  • DAB digital radio
• Digital instrument cluster
• Wireless charging pad
• Online pack with data plan
• Automatic LED headlights
• Rear fog light
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Heated and electrically-folding side mirrors
  • Memory function
  • Puddle lights
  • Auto-dimming driver mirror
• Fixed dual-pane panoramic sunroof
• Keyless entry
• Dual-zone climate control
• Power tailgate
• 14-way electrically adjustable front seats

Discovery Dynamic SE adds:

• 21-inch wheels
• Black contrast roof
• Darkened LED tail lights
• Meridian sound system
• Auto-dimming rear-view mirror
• ‘Light Oyster/Ebony Duo’ leather upholstery with ‘Light Oyster’ stitching
• ‘Shadow Aluminium’ trim finish

Discovery Dynamic HSE adds:

• 22-inch gloss dark grey alloy wheels
• Matrix LED headlights
• Leather steering wheel
• Windsor leather seat trim
• Electrically-adjustable steering column
• 20-way electrically-adjustable front seats
  • Heated and ventilated
  • Memory function
  • Fold-down armrest

Is the Land Rover Discovery safe?

The Land Rover Discovery once wore a five-star ANCAP safety rating, based on tests conducted in 2017 – that result has since expired however, meaning it’s unrated in 2024.

When it was tested in 2017 received an adult occupant protection score of 90 per cent, a child occupant protection score of 80 per cent, a pedestrian protection score of 75 per cent, and a safety assist score of 73 per cent.

The Discovery features the following standard safety equipment:

• Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
• Adaptive cruise control
• Lane-keep assist
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Safe-exit warning
• Rear pre-collision warning
• Traffic sign recognition with adaptive speed limiter
• Driver attention monitoring
• Surround view cameras
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Front, front-side and curtain airbags

How much does the Land Rover Discovery cost to run?

The Discovery is backed by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.

CarExpert’s Take on the Land Rover Discovery

The Discovery is getting old, but it still has something to offer.

It’s every bit as practical as you’d expect, and the combination of a torquey diesel engine and air suspension in a comfortable family cruiser remains a winning combination.

JLR has done a good job keeping the Discovery fresh inside by adding the same technology suite you get in the new Defender and Range Rover – where some brands hold back their best infotainment for new-generation models, it has rolled it out across its whole lineup.

A few classic Land Rover quirks still hang over the Discovery’s head, though.

The fact the tester you see here was fitted with close to $19,000 in options atop its range-topping $129,000 sticker drastically undermines its value equation. You could choose not to tick those option boxes, but then you’re not getting the full Discovery experience.

There’s also the crossover between the Discovery and newer, trendier Defender. If you’re looking at the Disco, you’d be mad not at least considering the similarly luxurious and even more capable Defender 110 or 130.

The Discovery remains an undervalued gem. But when you consider those facts, it’s not necessarily hard to see why.

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