2021 Land Rover Discovery

Land Rover’s midsize Discovery SUV gets a major refresh for 2021, though most of the new pieces lie beneath the surface. Land Rover refers to the Discovery as a full-size SUV, and while big by European standards the Disco is actually about the same size as a Kia Telluride. It’s very different in feel and mission, however. The refreshed Discovery is offered with three optimized trims—S, R-Dynamic S and R-Dynamic HSE—and two new engine options.

The base Discovery S is equipped with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine generating 296-horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. For a four-cylinder there’s plenty of brawn, and can tow up to 6,613 pounds.  The newly introduced mid-range S R-Dynamic model uses the same engine and is optionally available with a 3.0-liter six-cylinder mild hybrid turbocharged engine with 355 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. This bigger unit is capable of towing up to 8,200 pounds, behind only to the Dodge Durango and Land Rover’s own Defender among midsize SUVs. The top-of-the-line HSE R-Dynamic variant is found only with the mild hybrid engine. All models use an eight-speed automatic transmission, include trailer stability assistance and are equipped with four-wheel-drive. 

Known for its off-road capabilities, each Discovery is outfitted with adaptive dynamic suspension, Terrain Response and a new Wade Sensing mode that detects the depth when the vehicle is traversing water up to 35.4 inches. Though capable on the trail, the Discovery feels big and truck-like on pavement. It’s quiet, but it feels more like an old-school SUV than a crossover. Other standard driver assistance tech includes forward collision alert with automatic emergency braking, blind spot warning, lane-keeping assistance, rear cross-traffic warning, door exit warning, driver monitoring and more, and adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams and head-up display are optional upgrades. 

The redesigned interior features an 11.4-inch touchscreen embedded in the revised center stack that runs the new Pivi Pro infotainment system with navigation. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility is standard, and two LTE modems support the connectivity platform to enable the system to stream data (subscription required) while also downloading its latest over-the-air software updates. 

The 2021 Discovery no longer has a five-seat option and is available only with seven-seat configuration that benefits from longer and more supportive cushions in the second row. Behind the third row is dinky 9.1 cubic feet of cargo space, and with the third-row seats folded flat, the midsize SUV offers 45 cubic-feet to store equipment and luggage. When all seats are folded flat, the cargo area opens up to 74.3 cubic-feet. If that’s not enough, the roof can support up to 176-pounds of gear.