Land Rover Discovery

Land Rover Discovery Overview

The Land Rover Dicovery, or more fondly known simply as the ‘Disco’, first made an appearance in late 1989 as an off-road family car based largely on the iconic Range Rover. The now fifth-generation Discovery is the largest, most luxurious off-road Land Rover on offer today.

Unlike its predecessor, the Disco 5 is based on an all-aluminium platform, slashing its kerbweight down by almost half a tonne. That said, it is by no means a featherweight. Perhaps the most identifiable exterior feature on the car is the love-it-or-hate-it asymmetry rear element design.

The Malaysian-spec Rover Discovery comes in the sole 3.0 litre turbodiesel variant with a price tag starting from RM 707,882.51. It goes head-to-head with rivals like the Volvo XC90, BMW X7 and the Toyota Land Cruiser.

Land Rover Discovery Exterior

A quick glance at the front, you will find a sleek, wraparound LED headlights with integrated LED daytime running light, flanking the Atlas grille with Narvik Black surrounds. Stainless steel front and rear skid plates protect the underbody from rough terrain.

To carve through the air more efficiently, the front bumper feature air curtains in the front apron to minimise the air turbulence created by the wheels and therefore minimising drag. The short front and rear overhang design attempts to reduce the overall visual length of the car. The body-coloured C-pillar, stepped roof and asymmetric element on the rear number plate panel are reference to the rich lineage of previous Discovery design, barring the external spare tyre.

The blacked-out pillars (except for the C-pillars) give the car a floating roof effect. And despite the fast windscreen angle, rising belt line and a subtly contoured panels, there is no hiding the boxy side profile of the Disco 5. But if there is any consolation, the awkward boxy shape also translates into class-leading interior space, where the second row can cater for full-sized adult comfortably.

Land Rover Discovery Dimension

The Land Rover Discovery is the biggest Land Rover on sale today with three rows of seating and a good one size up from the likes of the Volvo XC90 and Audi Q7. Like the equally massive Mercedes GLS, you are going to need a very generous parking space. 

Land Rover Discovery Interior

The Land Rover Discovery offers class leading interior space and comes fitted with 7 full-sized seats with intelligent seat fold. Stadium seating layout ensure everyone gets a view on the road ahead. The second and third row seats are configurable via the 10-inch touchscreen, freeing up 2,400 litre at maximum loading capacity.

Up front, the cabin is tastefully executed with premium leather contrasted with tailored twin-needle stitching and highlighted with authentic metal and wood details. Gloss black inserts, brushed aluminium centre stack rails, and the noble plated finishes on the door releases adds a touch of luxury to the interior.

The transmission panel features Jaguar-style self-rising rotary selector and a rotary knob for the off-road system. Interior storage is generous with upper and lower glovebox, cupholders with additional storage, cubby box stowage and a third-row stowage with lid. 

Land Rover Discovery Features

As a proper off-roader, the Disco 5 comes equipped with an intelligent Terrain Response System 2 that enables the driver to optimise the vehicle’s engine, gearbox, centre differential and chassis systems to match the demands of the terrain.

All Terrain Progress Control (ATPC) system works alongside the Terrain Response System 2 and the active rear locking differential to offer a cruise-control-like system that enables the car to maintain a steady speed while the driver concentrates on maneuvering around obstacle.

Also available is Advanced Tow Assist that enable the driver to guide a trailer into position by following the trajectory on the screen. Maximum towing capacity is 3,500 kg and a maximum wading depth of up to 900 mm. Other creature comfort includes a 10-inch Touch Pro touchscreen infotainment system, 12.3-inch HD Interactive Driver Display, Head-Up Display, powered inner tailgate, 10-Speaker Meridian sound system and 360 degrees surround camera.

Twin-speed transfer box, active rear locking differential, Adaptive Dynamics and Electronic Air Suspension are also available on the Malaysian Spec model. Advanced Driver Assistance System includes Adaptive Cruise Control, Blind Spot Assist, High-speed Emergency Braking, Traffic Sign Recognition and Adaptive Speed limiter. 

Land Rover Discovery Driving Performance

Engine

Powering all four wheels is Land Rover’s latest generation 3.0 litre turbocharged diesel V6 engine delivering 258 PS at 3,750 RPM and 600 Nm of torque from 1,750 RPM. 0-100 km/h is achieved in 8.1 seconds before reaching a top speed of 209 km/h.

The engine utilises a highly efficient single turbocharger and ceramic ball bearing technology to reduce friction for smooth and more immediate power delivery. 

With the available 600Nm, the Td6 feels refined and effortless whether you are tackling challenging terrain or making a day-to-day school run. The intake system with twin intercoolers ensures charge cooling while the tandem solenoid intelligent Stop/Start system to reduce fuel consumption.

Transmission

The engine is mated to an advanced electronically controlled 8-speed automatic transmission. The ratios are closely spaced, and gear changes happen at an almost imperceptible 200 millisecond.

Manual override can be done using the steering-mounted paddle shifters. The transmission is also tuned to select torque converter lock up as early as possible to reduce slip and energy loss, an ideal setup when tackling rough terrain.

Land Rover Discovery Ride Comfort

Apart from the lightweight aluminium monocoque structure, the Land Rover Dicovery also benefits from the lightweight suspension architecture, constructed primarily with lightweight aluminium. The suspension is fully independent, with a wide-spaced double-wishbone design at the front and an advanced multi-link layout at the rear.

The available four-corner air suspension keeps the car stable in all driving condition and the Automatic Access Height feature automatically lowers the car when parked, accessing the rear loadspace or when cruising at motorway speed. 

That said, do not expect Porsche Cayenne level of handling ability. You sit high up from the ground and despite the longer suspension travel, the Disco 5 offers adequately responsive and agile handling together with Land Rover’s trademark supreme ride quality and refinement. 

Land Rover Discovery Fuel Consumption

Land Rover Discovery Conclusion

With the Land Rover Discovery, you simply will never need a better off roader, with the exception to the more hard-core Land Rover Defender of course. Other than that, there is no other off roader that is as capable, effortless or as well rounded as the highly versatile Disco 5. 

But for a car that is priced close to three quarter of a million Ringgit, it would be hard-pressed to so much as find it anywhere near a soiled backroad. What it is then is an overengineered and highly capable highway cruiser fit for the occasional adventure into the kampung for that seasonal durian fix.