I’m on a search to find the best SUVs in South Africa, the new Discovery is definitely on the list and here’s why…
The new Discovery had a makeover and to be honest, I’m not sure how I feel about the look just yet.
But sometimes change is good – it brings a lot of new exciting things.
Could this be the case for the new Discovery? I think so.
It’s 480kgs lighter, uses a sustainable design with intelligent material choices – YAY for making a difference in the environment.
Even though I don’t like how the back of the car looks, I am extremely impressed with what the SUV offers.
My first impression:
It was my first driving experience with Discovery so at first, I was a bit overwhelmed because the car is huge and can be a little intimidating. Honestly, I wouldn’t want to drive this car without a reverse camera.
When I sat in the car for the first time, I understood why many people are so obsessed with Land Rover as a brand – they know how to grab your attention especially with the logo that lights up by the door at night. You feel like you’re part of a tribe. ????
SPACE, SPACE, SPACE! This was one of the first things that made me smile about this car. There is loads of storage space everywhere which is what you need when you have lots of kids.
About the new Discovery:
Discovery built this car for off-road adventures – that’s when the car really shows off. The car has 5 different settings! Whaaaat?!
It’s the perfect vehicle to use when you are taking a holiday in the middle of nowhere that requires you to travel a long time on gravel roads. It has some unbelievable features like a wading depth of up to 900mm.
Land Rover’s patented Hill Descent Control (HDC) assists you with controlled descents of difficult slopes by maintaining a constant speed and applying braking separately to each wheel. Hill Start Assist ensures the vehicle doesn’t roll backwards as it pulls away on an incline. The vehicle also utilises Gradient Release Control (GRC) which is designed to prevent the vehicle accelerating too quickly on a steep incline when the driver releases the brake.
The Dynamic Stability Control and Electronic Power Assisted Steering (EPAS) ensures on-road capabilities and ride quality are enhanced whilst Corner Brake Control helps to maintain stability when braking on corners by modulating the driver’s generated brake pressure.
Performance:
All petrol and diesel engines in Discovery are paired with the advanced electronically controlled ZF 8-speed Automatic Transmission, which has been tuned by Land Rover engineers to combine smooth shifting with an exceptionally rapid response. With eight closely spaced ratios, gear changes are almost imperceptible.
Sound system:
The car has the Meridian speakers which are a good performing sound system but still, below the quality, you will find in Bowers and Wilkins.
What I love:
- 7 comfortable seats across three rows for adults and kids! The seats have optional heating, cooling and a massage functionality.
- Up to 5 ISOFIX points are available for car seats.
- Intelligent Seat Fold – which allows you to configure the second and third-row seating using switches in the loadspace or on the main Touchscreen.
- USB charging ports in the passenger seats.
- Loads of storage space – with over 2,400 litres of space behind the first row, 1,137 litres of space behind the second row and independent folding of both rows.
- It has a towing capacity of up to 3,500kg††.
- The air suspension. This makes the car extremely comfortable – Honestly, I think they are one of the few brands who got it right.
- Powered gesture tailgate which allows you to operate the tailgate ‘hands-free’.
What I don’t like:
- The starting price is R976,200. The price is a bit steep compared to other SUVs in the market with similar features but you are also paying for the Land Rover name. 😉
- The entertainment system is a bit slow and needs an upgrade.
- I did find that its heavy on fuel (Drove the 3l V6 Diesel).
The car offers optional safety features like:
- Lane keep assist with driver condition monitor
- Adaptive cruise control with queue assist
- Blind spot assist with reverse traffic detection
- Park assist – parallel park, parking exit and perpendicular park. Feel like this feature is always needed in a big car.
- Surround camera system – I highly recommend it.
Clever feature:
The Activity Key (optional extra) can be used to lock or unlock your car. The wristband is robust and fully waterproof.
The New Discovery is definitely a “Wow” car that would make heads spin when you arrive in the parking bay. It is perfect for families who love travelling and carry lots of luggage. It has space for the car seats, their toys, their luggage, the dog, the pram and maybe more?!
You can find out more about the car and pricing here.
