2020 Land Rover Discovery Review: Conquer Mother Nature In Style
Almost no off-roader has the same legacy as the Land Rover Discovery. Mention the word Land Rover, and you'll immediately conjure up images of burly men battling sand dunes and dense Amazonian jungles. After all, Land Rover cars are the best four-by-fours by far. These days the Land Rover brand is best known for producing the ultra-luxurious Range Rover, but slotting in below the bling is a range of capable yet luxurious SUVs that offer the best of both worlds. The 2020 Discovery, then, is the perfect example of how you can live in serious luxury while conquering mountains at the same time. The 2020 Discovery is offered with two V6 engines, the one being a 254-horsepower turbo diesel, and the other a 340-hp supercharged gas-powered unit. Land Rover has managed to create a car that drives beautifully on and off the road, and offers a premium interior with all the latest tech you'd expect from German rivals such as the BMW X5.
What's the Price of the Land Rover Discovery?
Land Rover offers the Discovery with two engine options. With the supercharged gas engine, the base model SE carries an MSRP of $52,300, while the Landmark Land Rover Discovery ups the price to $58,500. The HSE with the V6 engine goes on sale for $59,700, while the top of the range HSE Luxury will set you back $67,200. Opting for the turbo diesel will escalate the Land Rover Discovery's cost by an outlay of $2,000 on all trims (barring the Landmark, which isn't available with this powertrain). All Discovery SUV prices exclude tax, registration, and a destination fee of $1,025.
Handling and Driving Impressions
Modern SUVs are expected to offer sedan-like road manners, while in some instances, also being able to tackle off-road obstacles. Land Rover is one of the few manufacturers to get this balance right, but in the case of the Discovery, that balance leans toward off-road capability, which results in a ride that can sometimes be described as slushy, but never sloppy. On city roads, the Discovery soaks up road imperfections beautifully, especially when equipped with the air suspension setup. Steering feel is light and helps the large Discovery navigate city streets, but on the highway, combined with a lifted ride height, you can feel the car starting to sway, especially in high winds. Off the beaten track, it all starts to make sense: the wobbly handling becomes a blessing, as the Discovery twists and contorts itself over obstacles and makes seemingly large boulders disappear under the wheels with no hint of throwing off the Discovery's balance. Land Rover has struck a solid compromise between on-road handling and off-road performance.
Verdict: Is the 2020 Land Rover Discovery A Good SUV?
There's a good reason why so many love the Land Rover Range Rover; it symbolizes old-world luxury and charm, while still being able to cross a river or mountain (not that anyone ever does in these cars) and has become one of the biggest status symbols in the automotive world. But what if you like the combination of luxury and capability, but you just don't have the budget, or you prefer something more under the radar? The 2020 Land Rover Discovery offers both a premium driving experience, a well-appointed interior, and all the tech you'll ever need, along with the ability to dominate mother nature with its highly capable AWD system and powerful V6 engines. We appreciate the attention to detail that went into designing the interior, as well as the inclusion of standard driver assistance systems such as blind-spot assistance and emergency forward braking. We did find that the Discovery felt wishy-washy when driven at high speeds or when flung around corners, but in general, it is a comfortable everyday cruiser. Land Rover has built a vehicle that balances true capability with pure luxury.
What New 2020 Land Rover Discovery Model Should I Buy?
The Discovery sits below the Range Rover in terms of luxury but is just as capable off-road, so with a few bucks to spare you can spec your Discovery to a level where you won't miss out too much on what's on offer in the Range Rover. For that reason, we'd go with the HSE, which sits above the SE and Landmark, but below the HSE Luxury. This trim level offers a good balance of value and features. Key features on the HSE include a power tilt and slide sunroof, a power gesture tailgate, integrated navigation and wi-fi, a ten-speaker Meridian sound system, as well as three-zone climate control, traffic sign recognition and adaptive speed limiter. If we had the bucks to buy one, we'd specify it with the optional Cold Climate Pack which adds a heated steering wheel and heated seats all around. We would definitely want the two-speed transfer case on offer in the Capability Pack.
2020 Land Rover Discovery Comparisons
2020 Land Rover Discovery vs BMW X5
When it comes to large luxury SUVs, the BMW X5 has always been a safe bet for urban adventurers in the USA. The 2020 BMW X5 is offered with your choice of two engines: a 335-horsepower six-cylinder or a 456-hp V8. The X5 comes off of a redesign in 2019, which means the 2020 car benefits from minor additional features such as comfort access, and wireless phone charging. The 335-hp inline-six engine has a great torque band and feels fast in any gear, which complements the X5's dynamic ability. Unlike the Discovery, the X5 feels relatively light on its feet and planted during hard cornering. Inside, the X5 exudes luxury with a cabin that might not be as rugged, but sure is stylish. We appreciate the long list of available features, spacious interior, and good road manners, but wish BMW could lower the price a tad. If you want to go off-road, get the Discovery; otherwise, the BMW will be your best bet.
2020 Land Rover Discovery vs Volvo XC90
Volvo builds some of the most stylish and accomplished SUVs currently on offer, and the mid-size XC90 is easily one of the best in its class. Powered by a turbocharged and supercharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine in its T6 guise (there is a less powerful T5 motor also available), the XC90 produces 316 hp and feels just as fast as the supercharged 3.0-liter Discovery, which is saying something. From the outside, the Volvo is clearly the sleeker car, and we prefer its styling over the bulky Discovery. Inside the Volvo sports one of the best interiors in the business, which is backed up by a long list of standard features and superior levels of interior space. The Volvo isn't the sharpest handling car in its class, but it does better than the Land Rover on the road. Off the beaten track, the Discovery is miles ahead. Unfortunately, the transmission in the Volve feels clunky, the standard engine feels underpowered, and the T6 engine feels rather unrefined. We'd still go with the well balanced Discovery.