First launched in 1989—when shoulder pads were in and petrol was under ₹10 a litre—the Land Rover Discovery has grown from a boxy brute in hiking boots to a suave, seven-seater gentleman who can sip champagne at the opera and then wrestle a crocodile across a muddy riverbank without wrinkling his Windsor leather.
The year is 2025, and we’re now on the fifth-generation facelift of this British-born bruiser—code-named L462, lovingly sculpted by Gerry McGovern (who also penned the Range Rover, Defender, and probably the Queen’s hairstyle at some point). It’s assembled in the UK and Slovakia, proving that even Land Rovers now have holiday homes in Eastern Europe.
Price & Position: Range Rover for the Rest of Us
Starting at ₹1.15 crore (ex-showroom), the Discovery is what you buy when you want Range Rover presence but also need to justify your bank statement to your accountant. The Dynamic HSE variant we drove? Priced at ₹1.46 crore—and worth every penny, or at least every paisa that doesn’t go to your therapist after an off-road mishap.
Built Like a Tank, Floats Like a Cloud
The Discovery’s unitized body structure is more rigid than a British aristocrat at afternoon tea, and with aluminium panels and an air suspension system, it rides smoother than James Bond in silk pyjamas. And should you feel the urge to conquer rivers, its 900 mm wading depth means it can cross swimming pools deeper than most politicians’ promises.
At nearly 5 metres long and 2 metres wide, this isn’t a car, it’s real estate.
Off-Road? It Laughs in Terrain
This is a proper Land Rover—not just a high-riding hatchback pretending to be adventurous like some German cousins. Thanks to its Terrain Response 2, All Terrain Progress Control, and Torsen differential with a 42:58 torque split, it’ll climb rocks, ford streams, and probably babysit your golden retriever through a monsoon.
Still unsure? Ask the British police or rally drivers who actually use it to chase criminals or victory flags.
Urban Decency Meets Off-Road Indecency
Sure, it can rock climb. But it’s just as happy in Juhu traffic or pulling up to a dinner party in South Delhi. With Matrix LED headlights, rain-sensing wipers, and heated, folding mirrors with approach lights, the Discovery doesn’t just enter a parking lot—it makes an entrance. Even the license plate is mounted off-centre, like a rebel with a cause (and a boot full of groceries).
Cabin Comforts: Country Club on Wheels
Inside, it’s like sitting inside a Savile Row suit stitched by AI. The cabin has Brown Windsor leather, 20-way heated-cooled-massaging front seats, and a powered inner tailgate that can double as a bench—perfect for watching your kids pretend to camp 20 feet from the hotel.
It’s also absurdly practical:
- Seven seats that fold flat like an origami master.
- 2391 litres of boot space when emptied.
- A 700-watt Meridian sound system so good, even your bad Spotify playlist sounds Grammy-worthy.
Need to adjust climate in the back while watching Google Maps and charging your phone wirelessly? Of course, it does all that. It’s got three-zone climate control, wireless Android Auto/Apple CarPlay, and an infotainment system (Pivi Pro) smarter than your average MBA.
Engines: Smooth Criminal or Diesel Hulk?
Petrol (P300):
- 2000cc, 4-cyl Ingenium, 300 hp / 400 Nm
- 0–100 kmph in 7.3 seconds
- Drinks fuel like a thirsty British tourist in Goa—9 kmpl
- Also found in the Jaguar E-Pace, F-Type, Defender, Evoque
Diesel (D350 Mild Hybrid):
- 3000cc, 6-cyl, 344 hp / 700 Nm torque
- 0–100 in a neck-snapping 6.3 seconds
- 11 kmpl—because torque needs feeding too
Both are mated to an 8-speed ZF automatic that’s smoother than Hugh Grant in Notting Hill.
Safety: Like Fort Knox, but Classy
With 8 airbags, surround cameras, Trailer Stability Assist, and features like Wade Sensing (because this thing actually goes swimming), the Discovery is safer than your WiFi password. There’s even Driver Condition Monitoring—so if you start snoozing, the car probably texts your mum.
Verdict: Discovery or Disguised Royalty?
The Land Rover Discovery is not trying to be the flashiest SUV in the lot. It’s the one that can pull a caravan, host a picnic, conquer Ladakh, attend a wedding, and still look like it belongs in a Bond film.
It’s what you buy when you want a Range Rover without the “look-at-me” complex, and a Defender without the “I-make-YouTube-vlogs” vibe.
It’s posh, it’s powerful, it’s practical—and above all, it doesn’t mind getting dirty while wearing a tuxedo.
FINAL SCORE: 9.3/10 For every family that wants to go camping, conquer school runs, and outclass their neighbours—all in the same day.
Bonus points for the rear tailgate seat. Because nothing says luxury like sipping chai while perched on British engineering.
Want a Range Rover? Grow up.
Want a Discovery? Level up.
