The Discovery is among the most iconic SUVs from Land Rover. It was the first true family SUV to pack some serious off-roading skills along with a breadth of unfaltering on-road capabilities. The fifth generation Discovery is arguably the best iteration of the SUV, thanks to its unibody construction and an array of modern features that make it exciting. For 2021, Land Rover has upgraded the Discovery with some minor design tweaks, new features, connected car technology and revised powertrain options.
The new LED headlamps and LED DRLs are now set lower into the headlamp housing while the revised front bumper sports wider body-coloured graphic and new side vents. At the rear the LED taillamps are new and are united by a thick gloss black panel that sports the Discovery badge and houses the registration plate. The range-topping R-Dynamic model shown in the pictures here brings to the table sporty Gloss Black and Shadow Atlas accents on the outside and two tone leather and contrast seats stitching on the inside.
On the inside, the changes are more evident thanks to an entirely redesigned centre console. There’s the 48 per cent larger 11.4-inch full HD infotainment screen that features dual-sim technology and is capable of receiving over-the-air software upgrades (SOTA). It’s not just the infotainment but 44 individual electronic modules that are capable of being upgraded through OTA. There’s PM2.5 air filtration technology and Land Rover has also introduced tablets for the rear passengers, incorporated into the front seatbacks.
Now let’s get to the heart of the matter. The new Discovery introduces a trio of straight-six Ingenium engines, both petrol and diesel with 48V mild hybrid technology for better efficiency. Globally these will be offered alongside the 285bhp 2-litre petrol engine, the only engine option offered in India currently. The new 3-litre straight-six petrol engine with MHEV makes 355bhp and 500Nm of torque (P360). Moving on to the diesels, the 3-litre straight-six diesel with MHEV comes in two states of tune. The one in the lower state of tune makes 245bhp and 570Nm of torque (D250) while in the higher state of tune, the same engine makes 295bhp and 650Nm of torque (D300).
All-wheel-drive is obviously standard across the range while the Discovery also gets an updated Terrain Response System 2 with a new Wade Mode for deep water wading. Also, the new six-cylinder powertrains use a series of sensors for variable torque distribution to suit the conditions.
In the UK, the updated Discovery will retail at a starting price of GBP 53,655 (Rs 52.2 lakh, without taxes). There’s no word yet whether the updated Discovery will make it to our shores, but if Land Rover decides to launch the upgraded model in India, expect the prices to double thanks to the heavy import duties levied in our country. The current MY20 Land Rover Discovery starts at Rs 75 lakh, ex-showroom in India.