What We Like
Excellent on-road manners
Interior is premium, comfortable and spacious
Intelligent Seat Fold
Bold looks will grow on you
Rich heritage
What We Dislike
Off-road capabilities will never be fully exploited in Singapore
On the pricey side
It's fitting that the new Land Rover Discovery that we drove comes in this bold, Namib Orange colour because that's the new Discovery in a nutshell - bold.
Bold looks
Let's get straight to the point here - the new Discovery presents a bold new look, bold with a capital B. On first acquaintance, this Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) is not immediately appealing to the eye. It's an odd mix of straight-cut boxy lines and rounded, sculpted curves.
The new Discovery's bold design will slowly but surely grow on youThis, Land Rover says, is a revolutionary reimagining of the Discovery aesthetic, and that's certainly undeniable. We will admit the new Discovery on first encounter is a jarring experience. Walk around to the rear, and the asymmetric design is a slightly uncomfortable sight.
However, after spending a full day with it, it starts to soften up and grow on you. There's a sleekness and modernity to the Discovery's design that grows in its appeal. Clean flush elements, such as the wrap-around head and taillights, as well as the rising waistline, convey a sense of motion.
The interior of the new Discovery is spacious, comfortable and premiumAnd once you get over the initial starkness of the Discovery's design, there's a familiarity about the way it echoes design elements of its predecessors that's rather appealing, like the body-coloured C-pillar and the stepped roof.
Bolstered interior
The interior is also a step up for the Discovery, and reaches into Range Rover territory. It feels posh and premium, with its combination of plush leather, sleek plastics and wood trim. The infotainment system is also accessed via a 10-inch touchscreen. The interior is comfortable, sleek and fairly luxurious, though it doesn't have some of the high-tech goodies the new Velar has.
You can now fold and unfold each of the five rear seats using the touchscreenThe Discovery is also a full-size SUV, with seven seats that are all usable. And with the Intelligent Seat Fold, you can fold both the second and third row of seats using one of three methods - with the switches located in the rear cabin, using the touchscreen, or via an app on your smartphone.
The ability to fold/unfold the rear seats using the touchscreen is especially useful since the driver doesn't have to get out of the car to reconfigure the vehicle's cargo space. And speaking of cargo space, there's a very usable 258 litres of boot space with all seven seats up. With the third row folded, that goes up to 1,137 litres. Fold all five seats down, and you get a maximum of 2,406 litres of cargo space.
Go anywhere
This is the Discovery's most well-acclaimed trait - the ability to go anywhere. It's chock full of advanced technologies that ensures the Discovery is able to tackle anything from sand to ice and everything in between (there's a 108-page brochure, if you're interested).
Bold looks
Let's get straight to the point here - the new Discovery presents a bold new look, bold with a capital B. On first acquaintance, this Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) is not immediately appealing to the eye. It's an odd mix of straight-cut boxy lines and rounded, sculpted curves.
However, after spending a full day with it, it starts to soften up and grow on you. There's a sleekness and modernity to the Discovery's design that grows in its appeal. Clean flush elements, such as the wrap-around head and taillights, as well as the rising waistline, convey a sense of motion.
Bolstered interior
The interior is also a step up for the Discovery, and reaches into Range Rover territory. It feels posh and premium, with its combination of plush leather, sleek plastics and wood trim. The infotainment system is also accessed via a 10-inch touchscreen. The interior is comfortable, sleek and fairly luxurious, though it doesn't have some of the high-tech goodies the new Velar has.
The ability to fold/unfold the rear seats using the touchscreen is especially useful since the driver doesn't have to get out of the car to reconfigure the vehicle's cargo space. And speaking of cargo space, there's a very usable 258 litres of boot space with all seven seats up. With the third row folded, that goes up to 1,137 litres. Fold all five seats down, and you get a maximum of 2,406 litres of cargo space.
Go anywhere
This is the Discovery's most well-acclaimed trait - the ability to go anywhere. It's chock full of advanced technologies that ensures the Discovery is able to tackle anything from sand to ice and everything in between (there's a 108-page brochure, if you're interested).
However, its all-terrain ability is probably also its most underused trait, especially in Singapore where off-road opportunities are few and far between.
How does it fare on normal roads? To be honest, it's hard to fault. Ride comfort is very good, and the high ground clearance means you can go over humps effortlessly.
The electric one-piece tailgate can support up to 300kg Power is provided by a 3.0-litre turbodiesel engine with 255bhp and an immense 600Nm of torque. Despite weighing in at 2,298kg, the Discovery will surprise you with its brisk turn of pace when you put your foot down. Through corners, body roll is kept surprisingly well in check considering the car's weight and height.
All in all, the high level of driving refinement left us very impressed. It may be the quintessential off-roader, but it's very accomplished as an on-roader as well.
The 3.0-litre turbodiesel engine outputs a healthy 255bhp and 600Nm of torque The biggest issue you will have driving the Discovery in Singapore is its size. The car's dimensions are stretched out to its limits and it has a very rectangular footprint that needs managing in tight spaces. It does feel big on our roads, and it feels especially big when you venture into small, narrow carparks that litter the Dhoby Ghaut area (Rendezvous Hotel is doable, barely).
A Bold Discovery
The new Land Rover Discovery is definitely a bold choice for anyone wanting a full-size seven-seater SUV, but that comes with the knowledge that you are getting a car that's well-packaged, well-equipped and supremely capable.
The new Land Rover Discovery is a well-rounded SUV that can do anything, go anywhere and at anytime The only catch is the pricetag - $355,999 (as of 23rd October 2017). If you're looking simply for a seven-seater SUV to fulfil utilitarian functions, the new Discovery is a pricey choice. Even within the brand, there's a significantly cheaper (albeit smaller) option in the Discovery Sport.
With the new Discovery, you're buying more than just a highly accomplished car. You're also buying into the heritage and history that comes with the Discovery badge. You're buying into the awareness of the capability that lies within. And ultimately, you're buying into the boldness of character that the Land Rover Discovery represents.
How does it fare on normal roads? To be honest, it's hard to fault. Ride comfort is very good, and the high ground clearance means you can go over humps effortlessly.
All in all, the high level of driving refinement left us very impressed. It may be the quintessential off-roader, but it's very accomplished as an on-roader as well.
A Bold Discovery
The new Land Rover Discovery is definitely a bold choice for anyone wanting a full-size seven-seater SUV, but that comes with the knowledge that you are getting a car that's well-packaged, well-equipped and supremely capable.
With the new Discovery, you're buying more than just a highly accomplished car. You're also buying into the heritage and history that comes with the Discovery badge. You're buying into the awareness of the capability that lies within. And ultimately, you're buying into the boldness of character that the Land Rover Discovery represents.
