During WWII, the Jeep was an integral part of just about every army's arsenal. While some licensed the original for production locally, others traced around the original's design and added their own personal touch. One great example of the latter would become the Land Rover. The original Series Land Rovers were a literal driving force of the British army, evolving slowly into fashion statements and/or farming equipment. Just ask Doug DeMuro.
With Land Rover's success set in stone, they decided to expand. As well as basically inventing the luxury off-roader class with the original Range Rover, they decided to dabble in more family-focused SUV offerings. This resulted in the Discovery, which went on to write a success story of its own.
2023 Land Rover Discovery
- Standard three-row seating
- Land Rover capability
- Many noticeable improvements
- Engine/Motor: 2.0-liter turbo I4/3.0-liter turbo I6
- Horsepower: 296-355 hp
- Torque: 295-369 lb-ft
- Drivetrain: 4WD
- Transmission: 8-speed automatic
- Good to drive
- Practical, capable, good-looking
- Improved technology and materials
- Size could be a problem
- Fuel economy isn't the best
- Expensive
Overview Of The 2023 Discovery
Land Rover introduced the Discovery in 1989. Interestingly, in Japan, Land Rover sold it as the Honda Crossroad. They intended it as Land Rover's more family focused offering, with larger dimensions for more practicality, as well as standard three-row seating. For a couple of generations, it was known as the LR3 and LR4 in North America, before finally adopting the global name for the third and current generation.
The 2023 model remains largely unchanged from 2022 and 2021, the latter of which brought along a light refresh. At the front, there's a new headlight design, incorporating matrix LED technology, as well as revised air intakes on some models. The side remains the same, apart from the new alloy wheel designs, while the rear features new taillights, and the ever-so-controversial off-center license plate mount.
The 2023 model also carries over the Black Exterior Pack, now standard fit on the R Dynamic trim level. Along with that, Land Rover also offers the base Discovery and the new-for-2023 Metropolitan Edition. The Discovery's main competitors are the Mercedes GLS, the GMC Yukon, the Audi Q7 and the BMW X7.
2023 Discovery Powertrains And Drivetrains
Land Rover offers three different powertrains on the 2023 Discovery, and their availability depends on the trim level you go for. The base Discovery only gets the 2.0-liter turbo four cylinder (P300) with 296 hp. Stepping up to the R Dynamic unlocks the 3.0-liter turbo I6 (P360) with 355 hp.
The Metropolitan Edition, meanwhile, is available with both powertrains. These are both solid powertrains, but the only electrification on offer is the 48V mild hybrid system in the I6 unit. Still, the performance and refinement they offer more somewhat makes up for it.
Four-wheel-drive is standard fit, and an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission takes care of distributing the power. Even though the Discovery is not as outright focused on all-terrain driving as some of its stablemates, like the related Defender, it's still more capable than most of its rivals, and certainly as capable as you'd expect from a vehicle bearing the Land Rover badge. It's also pretty good on the road, with good comfort and space. That can also be a downside, as the Discovery isn't really what you might call "fun."
2023 Discovery Comfort And Quality
Even though it's somewhat difficult to spot a facelift Discovery from the outside, the interior is a massive upgrade. The pre-facelift Discovery always felt lacking on the interior, but the 2023 model brings everything bang up to date. There's a standard fit digital instrument cluster, a new, more modern steering wheel, the Pivi Pro infotainment system routed through a curved display, JLR's new excellent gear selector and the hybrid touch/phyiscal climate controls.
There's also a variety of very premium interior colors available. Other cool options include the Activity Key, four-zone climate control, ambient lighting, a center console cooling box, a WiFi hotspot, and most notably for the off-roading enthusiasts, a two-speed transfer case and a rear locking differential.
In terms of reliability, JLR products don't have the most stellar of reputations. The 2023 Discovery is still too new for anything concrete, but the powertrains under the hood have served other Land Rover and Jaguar models for a few years now. JLR is steadily improving their reliability record, and these two powertrains look to be pretty good so far, but whether or not they'll become typical Land Rover powertrains in the future, we will find out soon enough.
The Discovery seats seven passengers, with the third row standard on every trim level. The cargo area boasts 9.1 cubic feet of space with all three rows in place, 45 with the third row folded down, and a vast 74.3 cubic feet with both the second and third row folded.
2023 Discovery Pricing And Launch
The 2023 Land Rover Discovery is available for order as of February 2022. The base Discovery starts at $56,600, the R Dynamic starts at $59,700, and the Metropolitan Edition at a hefty $75,300. Adding the six-cylinder engine to the R Dynamic takes its base price up to $65,300. Those are pretty good prices, considering that the base BMW X7 xDrive40i starts at $74,900 before options.
The Land Rover Discovery has been around for a while now, but it's still a solid contender. Standard three rows of seats with a third row big enough for adults, plenty of practicality, good looks, off-roading capability and, as of the recent facelift, tons of new and improved technology. If you're after a big, luxurious seven-seater, the Discovery should definitely be on your shortlist.