When folks speak concerning the fashionable Land Rover household, the dialog often swings towards two extremes.
On one finish, you might have the soft-spoken, aristocratic grandeur of a full-size Vary Rover and on the opposite finish sits the Defender, a boxy, go-anywhere icon that virtually begs you to throw muddy boots within the again and conquer a mountain path.
But tucked proper between these two juggernauts sits the Discovery. Having spent a while behind the wheel of the Land Rover Discovery D350 just lately, it struck me that this automotive really occupies absolutely the candy spot of the model’s lineup.
Beneath the sculpted bonnet sits Land Rover’s sensible 3.0-litre turbocharged inline-six diesel engine. The D350 badge is not only a random assortment of letters; it means you might have 257 kW and a mammoth 700 Nm of torque ready underneath your proper foot.
Land Rover has at all times excelled at delivering excessive luxurious however pairing that degree of refinement with a straight-six diesel that gives easy, mountain-moving grunt provides the automobile an unbeatable presence on the highway.
Whether or not you might be merging onto a fast-moving freeway or overtaking lengthy freight vehicles on two-lane regional roads, the surge of energy is rapid, heavy and deeply satisfying.
In true Land Rover trend, the inside doesn’t disappoint. The Discovery has mastered an inside design language that seamlessly blends high-end class with sensible toughness.
The cabin genuinely appears like it’s bridging the hole between its two siblings, borrowing the opulent supplies, acoustic glass and modern infotainment of the Vary Rover however wrapping them round a purposeful, family-ready format that also carries a contact of the Defender’s utilitarian confidence.
The touchpoints are coated in plush, high-grade leather-based and the elevated seating place provides you that signature “command view” over the bonnet.
Searching throughout visitors from that prime vantage level makes long-distance driving really feel fully stress-free. It feels reassuringly strong, completely succesful and supremely comfy throughout all three rows of seating.
That’s one other factor, the area is ample. Entrance, again or the third row genuinely doesn’t really feel out of types and gives appropriate consolation for any occupants.
On the transfer, the experience high quality is traditional Land Rover. The digital air suspension swallows South Africa’s unpredictable highway surfaces with absolute grace. The physique movement is saved nicely underneath management, permitting the Discovery to drift over harsh highway chatter with out ever feeling floaty or disconnected from what the wheels are doing.
If there’s any actual catch to residing with a big, seven-seater luxurious SUV powered by a 700Nm straight-six diesel, it’s on the pumps.
Land Rover claims 7.5 litres/100km however I couldn’t get this automobile wherever close to that determine. I averaged 9.5 litres/100km.
In real-world city driving, gas consumption will climb noticeably when you’ve got a heavy proper foot. You’ll definitely really feel it in your pockets when filling up the tank however it’s a really small tax to pay for the sheer degree of functionality, area and luxurious on provide.
Pricing and verdict
The Land Rover Discovery D350 vary in South Africa begins from R1 824 700 for the entry-level S trim, with the favored Dynamic HSE coming in at R2 136 800. For these searching for top-tier specification, the Metropolitan and Tempest editions head as much as R2 363 000.
There are occasions I query the value of a automobile however the sheer high quality of the Discovery justifies its worth.
It might not be as good to have a look at as a Defender is or have the precise degree of luxurious that the Vary Rover gives, however to me, it definitely is probably the most sensible and well-balanced of the three.
It embodies the right luxurious, household journey automobile and it stays some of the full, versatile luxurious SUVs in the marketplace immediately.
